Week 10 saw a couple of RB handcuffs turn some heads based on their unexpected fantasy production. 

As a matter of fact, one of those RB handcuffs might have catapulted to the top of his team’s RB depth chart ahead of Week 11’s action. 

 

 

 

Fantasy Football NFL Week 11 Running Back Handcuff Report

We also saw an RB who led the NFL in rushing TDs last season get relegated to RB handcuff status in Week 10. 

We’ve got a lot to cover in this week’s 2024 Week 11 RB Handcuff Report. 

How To Find The Best RB Handcuffs

Week 11 saw Los Angeles Chargers RB Gus Edwards return to action for the first time since Week 4. He played 25% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps and was highly effective, averaging 5.50 YPC. His 10 carries were the most he’s had since Week 2 and with a team that loves to run the football like the Chargers, he was one of the most highly sought after waiver wire add this week. 

J.K. Dobbins will likely continue to lead the Chargers’ backfield, but Edwards could cut into his early down workload. Dobbins’ ability to catch the ball out of the backfield gives him some extra job security, but after getting off to a hot start this season Dobbins’ production has leveled off. In his last seven games Dobbins is averaging a disappointing 3.54 YPC but he is averaging just under three catches per game as well. 

Edwards has a higher floor than most other Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuffs and could be startable in deeper fantasy football leagues if you need RB help during the NFL’s bye weeks.

Raheem Mostert was the RB I referenced in the opening of this article. He led the NFL with 18 rushing TDs last season but found himself on the sidelines for much of the Dolphins’ Week 10 Monday night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Logic tells us that Mostert’s two lost fumbles in the Dolphins’ previous three games caused him to only play on passing downs in Week 10 and play his fewest number of offensive snaps (8) of the season. 

Head coach Mike McDaniel explained Mostert’s lack of playing time as being due to a specific game plan and while he called Mostert “the leader of that room” what I’m calling him is a Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuff. 

 

 

 

One Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuff who seems to have moved up his team’s RB depth chart is Audric Estime. You might recall that Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton suggested that Estime’s role in their offense would likely increase as the season progressed. Well, it didn’t take long for that to happen as Estime played the most snaps of any Broncos RB in Week 10. 

Estime had 14 carries and averaged 3.79 YPC which isn’t too bad since he was playing against the Kansas City Chiefs who have the NFL’s stingiest run defense. Don’t drop former Broncos lead back Javonte Williams just yet. He does have value as a RB handcuff and who knows, if Estime underperforms, Williams might be the leader of the Broncos’ backfield once again.

Arizona Cardinals RB Trey Benson is a Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuff who certainly has not been underperforming of late. His 16 snaps played in each of his last two games are the most he’s played in Week 2. Benson’s recent increase in playing time could be attributed to the fact that the Cardinals have outscored their last two opponents by a 60 to 15 score and the Cards just wanted to rest James Conner since they were comfortably ahead in those games. 

Nevertheless, in his last two games Benson has 18 carries for 99 yards and he’s averaged an impressive 5.50 YPC. It will be interesting to note how he’ll be used once the Cardinals resume play after their Week 11 bye. 

Those of you who were anxiously waiting for Baltimore Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell’s return to action were probably a bit disappointed when he was limited to just two offensive snaps and was used mostly on special teams in Week 10. 

Justice Hill, who is Derrick Henry’s Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuff, is leaving the door slightly open for Mitchell to sneak through based on Hill averaging only 1.6 YPC in 15 carries in his last five games.

Lastly, the Green Bay Packers RB depth chart may be getting a bit deeper pretty soon as they have designated rookie RB MarShawn Lloyd to return from IR. Lloyd has been dealing with an ankle injury, and he hasn’t played a snap since Week 2. 

Emanuel Wilson has filled in as Josh Jacobs’ RB handcuff for most of the season. The Pack have 21 days to activate Lloyd, and it’s unlikely that he’ll return to action in Week 11.

 

 

 

Top 5 RB Handcuffs Ahead Of NFL Week 11

Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders

Brian Robinson’s status ahead of the Commanders’ Thursday night matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles might not be known until just before kickoff. Robinson Jr. has missed his last two games due to a hamstring strain. 

With the Eagles having given up the fourth fewest rushing yards (301) and just 3.76 YPC to RBs in their last five games no Commanders RBs have a good matchup in Week 11. However, if Robinson Jr. is forced to miss a third straight game Ekeler would likely be their lead back.

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans

Speaking of banged up RBs, Tony Pollard has been dealing with a foot injury that at first limited him in practice and later forced him to miss a practice last week. Pollard was able to suit up in Week 10, but he only played 54% of the Titans’ offensive snaps. That was his lowest percentage of the season. 

Spears, who had been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of action for three games, was activated for Week 10 and played 46% of the Titans’ offensive snaps.  He had seven carries for 47 yards (6.71 YPC) and also caught three passes. Keep an eye on the Titans’ injury report. If Pollard continues to be limited due to injury, Spears, as his Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuff, could see an expanded role.

 

 

 

Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers

Brooks is back on our list of top Fantasy Football Week 11 Running Back Handcuffs because while Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard’s handcuff, got some good news related to his Week 10 foot/ankle he could still miss some time. 

The Panthers have a bye in Week 11 and that gives Sanders some additional time to recuperate. However, it’s only a matter of time before Brooks is active for a game and when that happens, Sanders is almost certainly going to be the odd man out. 

Cam Akers, Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Jones is dealing with a rib injury that caused him to be carted off the field in Week 10 however early indications are that he should be able to play against the Titans in Week 11. Apparently, he got carted off because the X-ray machine that he needed access to was on the other side of the field. 

The fact that Jones is likely to play in Week 11 is encouraging but rib injuries to RBs can be tricky. On the slight chance that Jones suffers a setback at practice and is inactive in Week 11, Akers would play a significant number of snaps as his RB handcuff.

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Najee Harris is dealing with an ankle injury but is expected to play. Should that change Warren would be an RB handcuff that you’d want to get into your fantasy football lineups. 

Over the past three weeks only one team has run the ball more than the Steelers and that is the Philadelphia Eagles. Should Harris aggravate his injury and be unavailable in Week 11, Warren will get plenty of reps against the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday.