Let me begin by thanking all of you for reading this drivel I produce on a weekly basis. Hopefully you’ve found it helpful, informative, and most of all, put my suggestions here to good use. Throughout the season so many handcuffs have found their way into starting roles and excelled. Some on a one week fill in, but others took the job and ran with it. We salute you graduated handcuffs. Thanks for making the draft meaningless. Just kidding, but seriously who would you rather have right now, Jimmy Graham or Justin Forsett? LeSean McCoy or Jeremy Hill? You don’t need to answer, the right choice is obvious. It just goes to show how increasingly viable the handcuff stash option is. The beginning of next year pundits, peers, and perts will be lined up by the dozen to tell you handcuffs are a waste of roster spot. To them I say this: if you make a costly investment in a running back, does it really hurt to buy an insurance policy? You would on a car, house, or collection of Star Wars commemorative plates. Right? What you don’t own any Star Wars commemorative plates? More of a Star Trek guy eh? What? You don’t own any commemorative plates! What do you eat your hot pockets on?
Demarco Murray – He’s going to play with a bandage on his paw. This is the Cowboys after all and there are records to be broken and attention to be had the last two weeks of the season. Jerry Jones loves attention and DeMarco’s status is getting him some. He’s playing no doubt.
Knile Davis – Went all Antone Smith a broke a 70 yard TD catch last week, he also vultured one from Jamaal Charles in the ground. I’m not telling you to start Davis but he could be a worthwhile flex if you’re looking.
Chris Polk – He vultured two TD’s from the Shade man last week. The Eagles have been a frustrating team to own fantasy players from this year no?
Jeremy Hill – Welp, I guess he’s the starter now. Funny the beginning of the year I had he and Carlos Hyde neck and neck in the rankings pre-draft, but expected Hyde to do what Hill is doing. Thank god I held on my Hill shares. He may just bring me a writer’s league championship. Oh yeah that’s right I’m in the finals. What?!? What?!? Who want it? Reppin hard for the East Coast Razzballers.
Chris Thompson – Had a receiving touchdown filling in for Roy Helu Jr. The high point of his career will be his mention in the Week 16 Handcuff Report. It is quite a distinction.
Trent Richardson – My New Years resolution is to never ever think about him again. Ever!
Carlos Hyde – He’s more than likely out this week, too bad to, this might have been his long awaited breakout with Frank Gore banged up. In retrospect I’m pretty disappointed in what we got out of him this season. I expected Hyde, as I just said about an inch above, to be what Jeremy Hill is now, a force in the fantasy playoffs. I guess there is always next year but he’s not inspiring a great deal of confidence.
Fuzzy HandcuffsÂ
These guys are fun, fun, fun! Not for everyday use but good to own, and a blast when they’re in the mix. We may wish for a bit more run but have to accept that they’re splitting time and getting the most of their opportunities. Most of these handsome devils could probably be studs if given the chance.
Team | Starter (carries/targets/rec) | Handcuff(s) (carries/targets/rec) | Depth Backs |
Cincinnati Bengals | Jeremy Hill (25/1/1) | Giovani Bernard (15/3/3) | Cedric Peerman |
New York Giants | Rashad Jennings (1/0/0) | Andre Williams (18/4/1) | |
New England Patriots | LeGarrette Blount (8/2/2), | Shane Vereen (6/3/1), Jonas Gray (11/1/1) | Brandon Bolden, , James White |
New York Jets | Chris Ivory (12/1/1) | Chris Johnson (10/1/0) | Bilal Powell |
Cleveland Browns | Isaiah Crowell (7/3/2) | Terrance West (5/0/0) | |
San Diego Chargers | Ryan Matthews (DNP) | Branden Oliver (12/4/4) | Donald Brown, Ronnie Brown, Shaun Draughn |
Kansas City Cheifs | Jamaal Charles (12/2/1) | Knile Davis (9/2/1) | De’Anthony Thomas, Cyrus Gray |
Standard Issue Police
Whether you’re in the back of a squad car or sitting on the corner while the Po-Po search your whip, you’re going nowhere. Do you know why? Because those things are locked on your wrists with a death grip. Much like those cuffs, these running backs are firmly locked into their positions. Not for a lack of ability, but because the starters are firmly entrenched in their roles. These backs could have value on any given week but more than likely you’ll need an injury to make these guys startable.
Team | Starter (carries/targets/rec) | Handcuff(s) (carries/targets/rec) | Cuffs to the Cuffs |
Philadelphia Eagles | LeSean McCoy (16/2/1) | Darren Sproles (3/2/2) | Chris Polk |
Minnesota Vikings | Matt Asiata (11/7/7) | Ben Tate (5/0/0) | Joe Banyard |
Indianapolis Colts | Dan Herron (11/3/2) | Trent Richardson (9/3/2) | |
Houston Texans | Arian Foster (26/4/3) | Alfred Blue (8/0/0) | Jonathan Grimes |
San Francisco 49ers | Frank Gore (11/0/0) | Carlos Hyde (6/0/0) | |
Arizona Cardinals | Stepfan Taylor (14/0/0) | Kerwynn Williams (15/5/2) | Marion Grice , Robert Hughes, |
Green Bay Packers | Eddie Lacy (15/2/2) | James Starks (4/3/1) | John Kuhn, DuJuan Harris |
Detroit Lions | Joique Bell (15/6/4) | Reggie Bush (3/2/1) | Theo Riddick,George Winn |
St. Louis Rams | Tre Mason (13/1/0) | Benny Cunningham (2/4/3) | Zac Stacy |
Baltimore Ravens | Justin Forsett (16/2/1) | Bernard Pierce (6/1/0) | |
Denver Broncos | C.J. Anderson (29/2/2) | Ronnie Hillman (DNP), Montee Ball (DNP) | Juwan Thompson, |
New Orleans Saints | Mark Ingram (17/0/0) | Pierre Thomas (2/5/5) | Khiry Robinson, Travaris Cadet |
Duct Tape Cuffs
These are of the homemade variety, you’ll use them in a pinch (i.e the starting stud goes down) but they’re always in your drawer (wavier wire) ready to step in and do their job. It may be to the bare minimum degree but they can buy you some time.
Team | Starter (carries/targets/rec) | Handcuff(s) (carries/targets/rec) | Handcuff to the Handcuff |
Buffalo Bills | Fred Jackson (20/6/3) | Bryce Brown (4/2/1) | Anthony Dixon |
Oakland Raiders | Latavius Murray (12/6/2) | Darren McFadden (2/0/0) | Marcel Reese, Maurice Jones-Drew |
Pittsburgh Steelers | Le’Veon Bell (20/7/5) | Dri Archer | |
Jacksonville Jaguars | Toby Gerhart (13/2/2) | Jordan Todman (3/2/1) | Storm Johnson |
Atlanta Falcons | Steven Jackson (11/1/1) | Devonte Freeman (4/2/1) | Jazquizz Rodgers |
Carolina Panthers | Jonathan Stewart (22/1/1) | DeAngelo Williams (DNP) | Fozzy Whitiker |
Washington Team | Alfred Morris (14/0/0) | Roy Helu (DNP), Chris Thompson | Silas Reed |
Tennessee Titans | Bishop Sankey (3/1/1) | Dexter McCluster | Shonn Greene (DNP), Leon Washington |
Dallas Cowboys | DeMarco Murray (31/1/1) | Joseph Randle (2/0/0) | Lance Dunbar |
Miami Dolphins | Lamar Miller (16/2/1) | Daniel Thomas | Damien Williams, LaMichael James |
Seattle Seahawks | Marshawn Lynch (21/2/1) | Robert Turbin (5/0/0) | Christine Michael |
Chicago Bears | Matt Forte (16/5/2) | Ka’Deem Carey (1/3/3) | Senorise Perry |
Thanks for reading and Happy Handcuffing!
Don’t forget to send me all your Running Back Questions on twitter @ralphlifshitzbb.