I suppose that there are other fantasy type sites that discuss handcuffs, naked or otherwise. Today’s column won’t likely be titillating, but I’m hoping that it wil be helpful for the remainder or the season and in your preparation for next year’s draft (Yes, we are only five weeks into the season, but it’s never too early to look ahead).
For those not familiar, a handcuff is taking a player who isn’t necessarily the starter, but would be the starter if the original starter goes down with an injury or otherwise. A traditional handcuff situation is one where a team has the starter, and then takes his “handcuff,” the backup likely to come in if/when the starter goes down. It’s a form of insurance.
A “naked handcuff” is more sneaky as it is taking the backup, even though you don’t have the starter. In those instances, you are banking on someone else’s starter going down, but you are also hoping to drive a proverbial knife in that team by taking the backup and thereby depriving that team of a natural replacement for its fallen player.
Your ability to take handcuffs is certainly set by the league roster size. In leagues such as the NFFC, wherein the rosters are 20, with just ten starters, taking handcuffs is relatively easy and common. In other leagues, with less reserve spots, taking handcuffs is more challenging.
Austin Ekeler is not technically a handcuff, as he plays enough to justify flex consideration even with Melvin Gordon dominating snaps. If Gordon were to get hurt, well, Ekeler could very well be the new James Conner. Conner was the perfect handcuff, as he wasn’t expected to get much playing time if Le’Veon Bell signed. With Bell still holding out, Conner is presently seventh in the NFL in rushing.
Perhaps the best handcuff not named Conner this season is T.J. Yeldon. Leonard Fournette was a consensus first round pick. While not yet technically injury prone, Fournette missed time last season with an ankle injury. This year, the injury has moved up his leg to his hamstring. While Fournette has been out, Yeldon has flourished, ranking 19th overall in the NFL in yards rushing. Of course, Yeldon hasn’t started every game, but in games where Fournette did not play, Yeldon is the 10th best running back.
San Francisco’s Matt Breida was supposed to split backup time with Alfred Morris. Once Dalvin Cook went down, Breida and Morris became a committee for the 49ers, and now with Brieda’s injury, Alfred Morris is the man in SF.
Joe Mixon missed two games. For Mixon owners that loss was devastating as Mixon was averaging 17.8 points in full point PPR leagues. That loss wasn’t a problem for owners who had the foresight to draft Giovani Bernard, as Gio averaged 22.6 points while Mixon was out.
Buck Allen was drafted as a backup, but with Alex Collins having difficulty holding onto the ball, Allen is now the primary back in the Ravens’ backfield committee. Frank Gore came into the season as an afterthought, with Kenyan Drake the undisputed starting running back. That lasted about one week.
Lamar Miller’s handcuff, at least for the first half of the season is Alfred Blue. Miller got hurt and missed last week’s game. Blue stepped in and outperformed Miller, scoring 19.9 points.
The point is that all of these backups were readily available in your drafts. Let’s look at these backups and their original starting counterparts:
Le’Veon Bell (ADP 8) – James Conner (ADP 93)
Leonard Fournette (ADP 7) – T.J. Yeldon (ADP 149)
Dalvin Cook (ADP 16) – Matt Breida (ADP 91) – Alfred Morris (ADP 124)
Joe Mixon (ADP 12) – Giovani Bernard (ADP 121)
Alex Collins (ADP 35) – Buck Allen (ADP 175)
Lamar Miller (ADP 39) – Alfred Blue (ADP 250)
Quality handcuffs could be found as early as pick 91 and as late as pick 175. So, if you weren’t taking these handcuffs, who were you taking.
Instead of James Conner, teams drafted Jordy Nelson (ADP 89), Randall Cobb (ADP 90) and Matt Breida (ADP 91). Not bad, but certainly not nearly Conner’s production.
Instead of T.J. Yeldon, teams were drafting Calvin Ridley (ADP 146), Josh Doctson (ADP 147) and Theo Riddick (ADP 148). No comparison here as Yeldon will earn more points in four weeks starting for Fournette than any of these players drafted before him will earn all season.
Instead of drafting Alfred Morris, teams drafted Corey Clement (ADP 118), Nick Chubb (ADP 120) and Jack Doyle (ADP 123). In fairness, they also drafted Gio Bernard (ADP 121) and Matthew Stafford (ADP 122).
While others were drafting D.J. Moore (ADP 117), Clement and Chubb, astute owners were taking Gio Bernard.
Buck Allen was drafted after Spencer Ware (ADP 169), Chase Edmonds (himself a handcuff at ADP 171) and Chris Ivory (ADP 174).
Alfred Blue wasn’t drafted in 2/3 of the leagues, and when he was drafted it wasn’t until the late 16th round at the earliest.
Certainly, some handcuffs have not worked out. Chase Edmonds is still waiting for David Johnson to succumb to an injury. Malcolm Brown and John Kelly wait impatiently for Todd Gurley to take a break. It doesn’t always work. But then again, neither does insurance. No one wants to have to make an insurance claim, but if there is an issue, it sure helps when you have insurance.
In the NFFC Primetime, I took Fournette in the first round and Bell in the second. I didn’t take Yeldon, opting instead for Rishard Matthews and LeGarrett Blount. I wanted Conner, but he got snagged early right after I took Cooper Kupp. My consolation was Nelson Agholor. Ouch. This week, my starting running backs were Alfred Blue and LeGarrette Blount. Yes, I’ll be taking out insurance in the form of handcuffs next year.
With concussion protocol and the plethora of injuries weekly in the NFL, it really does pay to get some sort of insurance for your early round running back picks. Whether it is on the waiver wire now, or in your draft next year, handcuffs can be a lifesaver. Or, you could start Alfred Blue and LeGarrette Blount instead of your first two picks. For what it is worth, Blue and Blount did lead me to victory, but I doubt that will happen again. Ever.
Best of luck. Don’t blink.
Buster
