As the regular fantasy season is coming to a close, I thought it might be about time to look back at the drafts/auctions to see how helpful running back handcuffs were — or in some cases weren’t.
Certain situations weren’t handcuffs, including the Falcons (Devante Freeman/Tevin Coleman), Packers (Jamaal Williams/Aaron Jones), Bears (Jordan Howard/Tarik Cohen), Indianapolis (three-way monster), Patriots (Rex Burkhead/Sony Michel/James White), Saints (Alvin Kamara/Mark Ingram), Jets (Isaiah Crowell/Bilal Powel), Titans (Derrick Henry/Dion Lewis) and Redskins (Chris Thompson/Adrian Peterson), as each of these situations involved players drafted within 20 picks of each other.
Let’s dive right in, starting first with the winners, of course.
Le’Veon Bell – James Conner
This may have been the greatest handcuff of all-time, as Bell didn’t play a single down and Conner broke out as a top 10, if not better, running back on the season. Conner owners may claim that they knew all along that Bell would hold out. But they’d be lying. Conner was, on average, the 92nd player taken in NFFC Primetime drafts (36th running back), putting hi, squarely in the 14th-round of drafts. His draft stock rose as time passed, going as early as 48th overall, but still he was drafted as a handcuff, albeit one with major potential.
Royce Freeman – Devontae Booker/Phillip Lindsay
Wins some, lose some. Booker was the 56th running back taken, while Lindsay was the 80th running back taken in the Primetime drafts. Indeed, Lindsay was only taken in 13 of 48 drafts. Booker stunk for his teams, likely getting cut early in the season. He’s averaged under 5.5 fantasy points per game. Lindsay has been stellar, averaging almost 15 points per game, with but one game with less than 10 points.
Carlos Hyde – Nick Chubb
It made little sense for Cleveland to sign Hyde, especially in light of the fact that they were planning on taking Chubb in the draft (chosen weeks later with the 35th pick). Hyde lasted in Cleveland only until mid-October, and then it became Chubb time. Since the trade, Chubb has averaged over 20 points per game. Not bad for the 47th running back off the board.
Leonard Fournette – TJ Yeldon
Yeldon has been the prototypical handcuff, excelling when Fournette was out and fading into oblivion when Fournette played. Over a string of six weeks, Yeldon averaged 18 points per game, an excellent return for the 55th running back chosen.
Melvin Gordon – Austin Ekeler
Ekeler has been solid all year, averaging just less than 12 points per game. Those numbers are due to increase dramatically as the fantasy playoff season begins as Gordon is out for the foreseeable future. Gordon owners who picked Ekeler (46th running back taken) are sitting pretty. Those who didn’t, like me, are a bit less happy.
Now to the Losers.
David Johnson – Chase Edmonds
Johnson hasn’t been injured, and although his numbers aren’t what anyone might have expected, Edmonds, the 60th back chosen, just hasn’t gotten a chance. Edmonds is averaging a meager 2.5 points per game.
Alex Collins – Buck Allen
Two wasted draft picks. Collins has disappointed (11.2 points/game), especially considering he was the 17th running back taken. Allen has been even worse, averaging less than 9 points per game.
Joe Mixon – Giovanni Bernard
Handcuffs are taken generally in case of injury. As a general rule, those injuries happen to the starter far more frequently than the backup. This is the exception that proves the rule, as Bernard started off strong, got hurt and missed four games, and in the meantime Mixon starred. Other than weeks three and four, Bernard has been unplayable.
Ezekiel Elliott – Rod Smith
Smith was taken in 47 of 48 leagues. Hopefully by Elliott owners. While Elliott has proven to be one of the game’s best players, Smith just hasn’t gotten a chance, touching the ball 25 times all year and averaging a paltry 1.5 points per game.
Lamar Miller – D’Onta Foreman
Foreman hasn’t played a down, making his pick in 40 of 48 drafts entirely worthless.
Kareem Hunt – Spencer Ware
Hunt’s been healthy all year. Ware has seen more than three carries just one time all season, limiting him to back up, third down duties. There’s not enough of those duties to make Ware anything more than a bust this year.
Saquon Barkley – Wayne Gallman
If nothing else, Gallman has been healthy all year. That’s the only positive, as he has averaged three fantasy points more than you have. On the bright side, Gallman’s had a front row seat to watch Barkley. Things aren’t all that bad. Unless you drafted Gallman.
Peyton Barber – Ronald Jones
I had to look it up, as I was planning on writing about how great, er good, Barber has been as a handcuff. Turns out, Barber was the 30th back chosen, 20 spots ahead of Jones. Jones has scored more than five fantasy points just once all year, making his pick a complete and total waste.
This season, it was certainly easier to miss than is to hit on handcuffs. However, considering what you could have gotten in the rounds that these handcuffs were taken, they don’t seem like to bad of an investment. A team could do much worse than having James Conner, Phillip Lindsay, Nick Chubb, TJ Yeldon and Austin Ekeler this time of year. Just ask any Melvin Gordon owner.
Best of luck. Don’t blink.
Buster
