Understanding the value of a running back handcuff is crucial for building a winning roster in 2024 fantasy football. This RB handcuffs depth chart can often hold the key to unlocking hidden fantasy points, as a good chunk of backup running backs can produce near the starter’s level when given a similar workload.
But what exactly is an RB handcuff? Simply put, an RB handcuff is a backup running back poised to take over the starting role if the lead back goes down with an injury or is benched due to performance.
Drafting an RB handcuff isn’t just a safety net—it’s a strategic move that could make or break your season. To dominate your league, you must understand which “backups” have standalone value (De’Von Achane, Jaylen Warren, David Montgomery, etc.) and which are top handcuffs to stash at the end of your bench.
2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL RB HANDCUFFS DEPTH CHART | WEEK 2
Updated: 9/9/2024
| TEAM | STARTER | HANDCUFF |
| Arizona Cardinals | James Conner | Trey Benson |
| Atlanta Falcons | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier |
| Baltimore Ravens | Derrick Henry | Justice Hill |
| Buffalo Bills | James Cook | Ray Davis |
| Carolina Panthers | Chuba Hubbard | Miles Sanders |
| Chicago Bears | D’Andre Swift | Roschon Johnson |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Zack Moss | Chase Brown |
| Cleveland Browns | Jerome Ford | Pierre Strong Jr. |
| Dallas Cowboys | Ezekiel Elliott | Rico Dowdle |
| Denver Broncos | Javonte Williams | Jaleel McLaughlin |
| Detroit Lions | Jahmyr Gibbs | David Montgomery |
| Green Bay Packers | Josh Jacobs | MarShawn Lloyd |
| Houston Texans | Joe Mixon | Dameon Pierce |
| Indianapolis Colts | Jonathan Taylor | Trey Sermon |
| Jacksonville Jaguars* | Travis Etienne Jr. | Tank Bigsby |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Isiah Pacheco | Samaje Perine |
| Las Vegas Raiders** | Zamir White | Alex Mattison |
| Los Angeles Chargers*** | JK Dobbins | Gus Edwards |
| Los Angeles Rams**** | Kyren Williams | Blake Corum |
| Miami Dolphins | Raheem Mostert | De’Von Achane |
| Minnesota Vikings | Aaron Jones | Ty Chandler |
| New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson | Antonio Gibson |
| New Orleans Saints | Alvin Kamara | Jamaal Williams |
| New York Giants | Devin Singletary | Tyrone Tracy Jr. |
| New York Jets | Breece Hall | Braelon Allen |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Saquon Barkley | Kenneth Gainwell |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Najee Harris | Jaylen Warren |
| San Francisco 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Jordan Mason |
| Seattle Seahawks | Kenneth Walker III | Zach Charbonnet |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers***** | Rachaad White | Bucky Irving |
| Tennessee Titans | Tony Pollard | Tyjae Spears |
| Washington Commanders | Brian Robinson Jr. | Austin Ekeler |
WEEK 2 RB HANDCUFF RANKINGS
Note: These five handcuffs are true handcuffs and do not have standalone value, as of now.
1. Bucky Irving (Rachaad White): In the words of our fearless leader, the closest thing we’ll get to a 2024 Kyren Williams is Bucky Irving. The rookie from Oregon impressed in Week 1, leading the Bucs in rushing with 62 yards, averaging 6.9 yards per carry compared to Rachaad White’s 2.1.
This efficiency, combined with Irving’s significant playing time—taking snaps away from White—suggests the rookie could quickly carve out a more substantial role in the Bucs’ backfield. Given Irving’s effectiveness, it’s clear the Buccaneers may start to lean more on him in early-down situations and potentially in goal-line scenarios, which would significantly boost his fantasy value.
White, who typically dominated snaps last season, playing at least 70% of the offensive snaps in all but one game, saw his snap share dip below 70% in Week 1. This decline and Irving’s standout performance signal a potential shift in the Buccaneers’ backfield.
2. Jordan Mason (Christian McCaffrey): Jordan Mason has entered the upper echelon of fantasy handcuffs after the 49ers placed Elijah Mitchell on season-ending IR. It appears Mason has cemented himself as the team’s RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey, who has missed all of training camp with a calf strain. Although CMC is expected to be ready for Week 1, a lengthy soft tissue injury could cause concern for his 2024 fantasy outlook, making Mason the next man up in Kyle Shanahan’s dynamo run scheme.
3. Jaylen Wright (Raheem Mostert): Although the Dolphins rookie RB was created in a lab to run the football in Mike McDaniel’s offense, he slipped down the Week 1 depth chart behind Jeff Wilson Jr. DeVon Achane, led with 37 snaps, followed by 31 for Raheem Mostert, and then 11 for Wilson. Still, I’m banking on Wright being the more valuable season-long handcuff due to his skill set if Mostert or Achane were to miss time.
4. Tyler Allgeier (Bijan Robinson): The talent does not jump off the screen like the other young handcuffs, but Allgeier has been a starter before and thrives when his name is called upon. Fantasy owners should trust Zac Robinson more than Arthur Smith, yet his role could be more expanded than we initially thought. With a 1,000-yard rushing season under his belt, Allgeier would be a rock-solid RB2 in place of Bijan Robinson.
5. Tank Bigsby (Travis Etienne Jr.): Tank Bigsby has emerged as a top handcuff option behind Travis Etienne, especially after his strong performance in Week 1, where he rushed for a career-high 73 yards on 12 carries. While Etienne remains the primary back, handling an identical 12 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown, Bigsby has shown he can be highly effective, particularly on early downs. With Etienne’s snap share dipping below 70%—a trend that began in the second half of last season—Bigsby’s role as the clear backup, taking all of the secondary snaps, makes him a valuable insurance policy in case of injury or a potential shift in Jacksonville’s backfield usage.
Next up: MarShawn Lloyd (Josh Jacobs), Zach Charbonnet (Kenneth Walker III), Ray Davis (James Cook), Ty Chandler (Aaron Jones), Samaje Perine (Isiah Pacheco), Trey Benson (James Conner), Blake Corum (Kyren Williams)
WEEK 2 RB HANDCUFF NOTES
* As noted above, Tank Bigsby entered the chat in Week 1, splitting duties and being more effective than Travis Etienne. Although Etienne out-snapped Bigsby 36 to 16, both running backs had 12 carries on the afternoon, with Bigsby leading in yardage with 77. I would not say Bigsby has standalone volume quite yet because ETN is handling both goal-line and third-down duties, but there’s upside here.
** The Raiders backfield is disgusting and it should not have been prioritized in drafts. However, king plodder Alex Mattison out-snapped Zamir White 36 to 23, while Dylan Laube was a healthy inactive. It’s clear that the new OC, Luke Getsy, does not trust White on passing downs or the two-minute drill, so he could end up busting relatively soon. Mattison is available on waiver wires, but who wants that?
*** The fantasy-friendly Chargers backfield gained clarity on Sunday when JK Dobbins looked to be 100 percent again in his return from an Achilles tear. Dobbins looked fresh and healthy, rushing for 135 yards on just ten carries, including a 61-yard run and a 12-yard touchdown. It’s obvious his talent clears Gus Edwards‘ and if healthy, Dobbins has a chance to be a league-winner in Greg Roman’s run-heavy scheme.
**** The Rams situation made me lose sleep last night. After banging the Blake Corum drum all offseason, Kyren Williams continued his workhorse roll, while the rookie did not touch the field in Week 1. In fact, Ronnie Rivers played seven snaps to Corum’s goose egg. I’d still consider Corum the season-long handcuff here, but it’s a situation to monitor, for sure.
***** I touched on the Buccaneers backfield above, but it looks like Bucky Irving is making things interesting in Tampa Bay. He split carries with Rachaad White, and was way more efficient than the veteran, averaging 6.9 yards per carry compared to White’s 2.1. Rashaad White’s skill set would always give him a place in passing situations, but the sturdy Irving could take over early-down and goal-line touches. The rookie is still considered a handcuff until he gains personal fantasy relevance.
