Welcome to the Week 16 Running Back Handcuff Report! 

Unfortunately, the fantasy football community lost three fantasy football RBs due to injuries last week.

 

 

 

Fantasy Football NFL Week 16 Running Back Handcuff Report

Two of the three injuries are definitely season ending. The third is almost certainly fantasy football season ending, but there’s a tiny glimmer of hope that it is not season ending. 

We’ll explain it all and cover additional RB handcuff related news that you need to know.

 

 

 

How To Find The Best RB Handcuffs

David Montgomery suffered what was at first thought to be a season ending MCL tear but as this article is being written he is seeking a third opinion and hasn’t been placed on the IR yet. 

Montgomery is one-half of what has been a very successful Detroit Lions backfield this season. The Lions probably don’t even want to think about it, but Craig Reynolds is likely the next man up in their backfield and Gibbs’ RB handcuff should Gibbs be unavailable.

Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb’s 2025 season came to an end when he broke his foot in Week 15. Chubb didn’t make his season debut until Week 7 because he was recovering from a severe knee injury that he sustained last season. He got off to a slow start averaging just 2.96 YPC in his first six games, but seemed to be getting back on track. 

In his last two games he had 20 carries and averaged 4.45 YPC. Chubb’s RB handcuff, Jerome Ford, will likely take over as the Browns’ lead back with Pierre Strong Jr. and D'Onta Foreman also in the mix for carries. Strong Jr. would likely be the next man up, and Ford’s RB handcuff, should Ford be unavailable.

 

 

 

Sincere McCormick suffered a season ending ankle injury just two weeks before taking over as the Las Vegas Raiders’ lead back. With Zamir White already on the IR, Alexander Mattison will likely be the team’s early down back. Ameer Abdullah will maintain his passing down back role. 

Abdullah had seven catches for 58 yards, and a receiving TD last week, and is probably the Raiders’ RB who will have the most consistent fantasy football production moving forward. If Mattison becomes unavailable Abdullah would likely fill in as his RB handcuff, but the Raiders also have rookie RB Dylan Laube on their roster as well.

 

 

 

Kendre Miller, another RB handcuff, may get his chance to be the New Orleans Saints’ lead back in Week 16 depending on Alvin Kamara’s status. Kamara is dealing with a groin issue, and as this article is being written his status for Week 16 has yet to be determined. 

In other Saints related news, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a former lead back and RB handcuff for the Kansas City Chiefs, has joined the team’s practice squad.

Los Angeles Chargers rookie RB Kimani Vidal has gone from being inactive from Week 10 to Week 12, to playing 67% of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 15. 

Even though he played more snaps (35) than Gus Edwards (14), Vidal clearly remains the Chargers’ primary passing down back. Edwards had eight carries compared to three for Vidal in Week 15.