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Many fantasy football managers continue to fade the top options at running back in the early rounds, instead opting to deploy strategies including Zero-RB, where you punt the position for at least four rounds or through the top 20 or so options at average draft position (ADP).
Regardless of whether you're trying Zero-RB, Hero RB (one major RB drafted in the first half of the draft), or Robust RB (old-school approach of going heavy on the position), knowing the backups to chase and stash in your draft and on the waiver wire is a necessary step.
Enter the fantasy RB handcuff grid, where we track depth chart movement among every NFL backfield and itemize how it influences each team's fantasy football backfield picture during the season.
Keep scrolling to see where every NFL running back group stands. We will update this every week throughout the season.
Fantasy Football RB Handcuffs Depth Chart
Here's the key for symbols used in the fantasy NFL RB handcuffs grid:
- Fantasy RB1: The top back in name for that team's backfield
- Top Handcuff: The likely next in line should an injury or coach's decision remove the RB1. Though it's not always a direct replacement of the role, this column lists the best bet to have more volume in place of the established RB1.
- Sleepers & Role Players: The first name(s) listed are the most intriguing dart throws in the backfield if you need to dig deeper.
- (co): Committee
- WW: Waiver-wire pickup this week
- 🏥: Injured
Updated Dec. 23:
| NFL Team | Fantasy RB1 | Top Handcuff | Sleepers & Role Players |
| Arizona Cardinals | Michael Carter (co) | Emari Demercado (co) | Bam Knight 🏥 |
| Atlanta Falcons | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier | Nathan Carter |
| Baltimore Ravens | Derrick Henry | Keaton Mitchell | Justice Hill 🏥 |
| Buffalo Bills | James Cook | Ty Johnson | Ray Davis |
| Carolina Panthers | Rico Dowdle (co) | Chuba Hubbard (co) | Trevor Etienne, Jonathon Brooks 🏥 PUP-R |
| Chicago Bears | D'Andre Swift (co) | Kyle Monangai (co) | Roschon Johnson |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Chase Brown | Samaje Perine | Tahj Brooks |
| Cleveland Browns | Quinshon Judkins 🏥 | Dylan Sampson 🏥 | Jerome Ford, Raheim Sanders |
| Dallas Cowboys | Javonte Williams | Jaydon Blue | Hunter Luepke, Phil Mafah 🏥 IR |
| Denver Broncos | R.J. Harvey | Jaleel McLaughlin | Tyler Badie, J.K. Dobbins IR 🏥 |
| Detroit Lions | Jahmyr Gibbs | David Montgomery | Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki |
| Green Bay Packers | Josh Jacobs | Emanuel Wilson | Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd 🏥 IR-R |
| Houston Texans | Woody Marks 🏥 | Nick Chubb 🏥 | Dare Ogunbowale, Jawhar Jordan |
| Indianapolis Colts | Jonathan Taylor | DJ Giddens | Tyler Goodson |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Travis Etienne | Bhayshul Tuten | LeQuint Allen |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Kareem Hunt (co) | Isiah Pacheco (co) | Brashard Smith, Elijah Mitchell |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Ashton Jeanty | Raheem Mostert | Dylan Laube, Zamir White |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Omarion Hampton | Kimani Vidal | Hassan Haskins 🏥 |
| Los Angeles Rams | Kyren Williams | Blake Corum | Ronnie Rivers |
| Miami Dolphins | De'Von Achane | Ollie Gordon II | Jaylen Wright |
| Minnesota Vikings | Aaron Jones 🏥 | Jordan Mason 🏥 | Zavier Scott, Cam Akers, Ty Chandler 🏥, |
| New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson (co) | TreVeyon Henderson (co) 🏥 | Antonio Gibson 🏥 |
| New Orleans Saints | Alvin Kamara 🏥 | Devin Neal 🏥 | Velus Jones Jr., Kendre Miller 🏥 IR |
| New York Giants | Tyrone Tracy | Devin Singletary | Cam Skattebo 🏥 IR |
| New York Jets | Breece Hall | Isaiah Davis | Braelon Allen 🏥 IR-R, Kene Nwangwu |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Saquon Barkley | Tank Bigsby | A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Jaylen Warren | Kenneth Gainwell | Kaleb Johnson, Trey Sermon |
| San Francisco 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Brian Robinson Jr. | Isaac Guerendo, Sincere McCormick, Jordan James 🏥 |
| Seattle Seahawks | Zach Charbonnet (co) | Kenneth Walker III (co) | George Holani |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Bucky Irving | Rachaad White | Sean Tucker, Josh Williams |
| Tennessee Titans | Tony Pollard | Tyjae Spears | Julius Chestnut, Kalel Mullings 🏥 IR-R, |
| Washington Commanders | Chris Rodriguez | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | Jeremy McNichols |
2025 RB handcuff rankings: Top 50 backs to add or stash
This Top 50 list of the best backup running backs to draft may include some overlap from ongoing RB competitions, but this ideally would be a list of direct backups to draft or pick up off the waiver wire.
Assume PPR value for these handcuffs, but the rankings can be considered universal.
Updated Dec. 23:
| Rk | RB Handcuff | TM |
| 1 | Blake Corum | LAR |
| 2 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
| 3 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR |
| 4 | Kyle Monangai | CHI |
| 5 | David Montgomery | DET |
| 6 | Kenneth Walker III | SEA |
| 7 | TreVeyon Henderson | NE |
| 8 | Bhayshul Tuten | JAX |
| 9 | Kenneth Gainwell | PIT |
| 10 | Kimani Vidal | LAC |
| 11 | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS |
| 12 | Jawhar Jordan | HOU |
| 13 | Isiah Pacheco | KC |
| 14 | Devin Singletary | NYG |
| 15 | Emanuel Wilson | GB |
| 16 | Dylan Sampson | CLE |
| 17 | Audric Estime | NO |
| 18 | Rachaad White | TB |
| 19 | Isaiah Davis | NYJ |
| 20 | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN |
| 21 | Justice Hill | BAL |
| 22 | Jaylen Wright | MIA |
| 23 | Michael Carter | ARI |
| 24 | Ollie Gordon | MIA |
| 25 | Jerome Ford | CLE |
| 26 | Tyjae Spears | TEN |
| 27 | Brashard Smith | KC |
| 28 | Ty Johnson | CIN |
| 29 | DJ Giddens | IND |
| 30 | Sean Tucker | TB |
| 31 | Raheim Sanders | CLE |
| 32 | Brian Robinson Jr. | SF |
| 33 | Evan Hull | NO |
| 34 | Tank Bigsby | PHI |
| 35 | Tyler Badie | DEN |
| 36 | Jeremy McNichols | WAS |
| 37 | Raheem Mostert | LV |
| 38 | Trevor Etienne | CAR |
| 39 | Roschon Johnson | CHI |
| 40 | Zamir White | LV |
| 41 | Isaac Guerendo | SF |
| 42 | Jarquez Hunter | LAR |
| 43 | Kaleb Johnson | PIT |
| 44 | Ray Davis | BUF |
| 45 | Dylan Laube | LV |
| 46 | George Holani | SEA |
| 47 | Will Shipley | PHI |
| 48 | Tahj Brooks | CIN |
| 49 | Hunter Luepke | DAL |
| 50 | Kalel Mullings | TEN |
See which RB handcuff pickups we recommend in our Week 15 waiver wire.
Fantasy RB Week 17 News
- With TreVeyon Henderson potentially missing Week 17, Rhamondre Stevenson becomes a potential league-winning start in your championship week.
- Quinshon Judkins, unfortunately, suffered a brutal leg injury in Week 16. Now, if Dylan Sampson cannot return, Raheim Sanders could provide a viable performance in Week 17.
- Audric Estime was nowhere to be found behind the work of Taysom Hill. It was not Evan Hull that Estime owners had to worry about, but the TE/QB/RB hybrid in Hill.
- Tyjae Spears was insanely impressive in Week 16. It's risky, but there is an argument to start Spears in Week 17.
What is a fantasy football handcuff running back?
Handcuff RBs are extremely valuable in fantasy football leagues. They are backup running backs for real-life NFL teams who would be in line to produce big fantasy stats should the starting RB suffer an injury, be the target of an opposing coach's decision for playing time, or miss games for any other reason.
Therefore, drafting these handcuff running backs in the middle and late rounds of fantasy drafts -- and targeting them on the fantasy waiver wire -- is a popular, proactive move that could increase your chances of making your league's playoffs and winning a fantasy title.
For example, take top-ranked running back Bijan Robinson for the Atlanta Falcons. Should he suffer an injury and miss time his backup is Tyler Allgeier.
Due to his skill set -- a big, bruising back who's also mobile -- and his head coach Raheem Morris' high opinion of his performance, Allgeier would be in line to assume a volumnious workload for every game Robinson misses.
Lucking into situations like this requires preparation, which means drafting and adding ("stashing") running backs who could explode in value with an increased opportunity.
Paying attention to these RB handcuff rankings provides fantasy players with opportunities to improve their teams with forward-thinking player strategy.
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