If you needed a reason to fully understand how important it is to roster, or at least know who your primary fantasy football running back’s handcuff is, look no further than Jordan Mason. Mason moved up the San Francisco 49ers RB depth chart when Elijah Mitchell was placed on season-ending IR. 

Mason made us look good because he was the first RB on last week’s list of Top 5 RB Handcuffs Ahead of NFL Week 1. He had a huge Week 1 in place of Christian McCaffrey who was a late scratch, rushing for 147 yards and scoring a TD against the New York Jets.

 

 

 

Fantasy Football NFL Week 2 Running Back Handcuff Report

As this Fantasy Football Week 2 running back handcuff article is being written, McCaffrey’s Week 2 status is not yet known, so fantasy football managers rostering Mason might have an opportunity to start him again in Week 2. 

After a full week of NFL action, we’ve gotten a better sense of how teams will utilize their RBs this season but overreact to what you saw in Week 1, and you’re bound to make bad decisions. There’s where this Fantasy Football Week 2 running back handcuff comes in handy.

*Be sure to look at our Fantasy Football Week 2 Running Back Handcuff grid before the games kick off this week!

 

 

 

How To Find The Best RB Handcuffs

We’ll start off our Fantasy Football Week 2 running back handcuff by saying we now can feel confident in knowing that Bijan Robinson is the bellcow RB in the Atlanta Falcons backfield. Tyler Allgeier is still a very important handcuff but with Robinson playing 50 snaps compared to Allgeier’s 10, Robinson is free to potentially provide fantasy football managers with a high return on the first-round draft capital that they spent on him in preseason drafts. 

Los Angeles Rams RB Blake Corum is still a very important handcuff to Kyren Williams, but despite all of the preseason concern about Williams’ injured foot, he picked up right where he left off. Williams is the focal point of the Los Angeles Rams’ running game but with head coach Sean McVay calling the shots Williams’ role can quickly change – something that we touch on in our 2024 Week 2 RB handcuff report and probably will in the weeks coming, too.

Cincinnati Bengals RB Zack Moss emerged as the primary back after Week 1. Both he and Chase Brown split some early down work, but Moss was the RB who was used in passing down situations. Brown should clearly be considered Moss’ RB handcuff. 

Other RBs who have primary roles entering Week 2 are Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon and New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson. Mixon played 57 snaps and had an early down role. He caught three passes but Dare Ogunbowale, who played 14 snaps, was the Texans RB who was used most in third down situations. Ogunbowale only had one reception in Week 1 and Dameon Pierce, who played just nine snaps, should still be considered Mixon’s handcuff.

Stevenson was a true bell cow back in Week 1. He ran the ball 25 times for 120 yards, and he scored a TD. He also caught all three of his pass targets. Stevenson played 51 snaps compared to Antonio Gibson’s 13. Gibson ran the ball seven times but surprisingly was not targeted once in the Patriots’ passing game in Week 1. Gibson is clearly Stevenson’s handcuff.

Even with all the above being said, what does our Fantasy Football Week 2 running back handcuff report look like?

 

 

 

Top 5 RB Handcuffs Ahead Of NFL Week 2

Jeff Wilson/Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins

Raheem Mostert (chest) is officially out for the Dolphins’ Thursday night matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night and head coach Mike McDaniel gave a “we’ll see” answer when asked about De'Von Achane’s availability (ankle) in Week 2. 

That leaves Wilson Jr. who McDaniel seems to love from their days together with the 49ers, and/or Wright, the rookie who was so impressive this preseason but was a healthy scratch in Week 1, as RBs who could see significant playing time in Week 2. 

They share the top spot in this 2024 Week 2 RB handcuff report.

Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints

With Kendre Miller on the IR and slated to miss at least the first four games of the season, Williams was Alvin Kamara’s clear handcuff in Week 1. Kamara still got plenty of early down carries and had a healthy 5.53 Y/A but as he’s getting older more and more of his fantasy production has been coming from his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. 

Williams is a very good short yardage and goal line runner (17 TDs in 2022) and has also been a good pass catching RB in his career. If you’re worried about Kamara’s ability to avoid injury, Williams should be on your roster.

Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor played 43 out of 45 of the Colts’ offensive snaps. Sermon played just two but with Tyler Goodson being the only other RB on the team’s active roster if you’re looking to handcuff Taylor, Sermon needs to be on your fantasy team. 

The Colts only threw the ball 19 times in Week 1. Whether it's QB Anthony Richardson or Taylor the Colts want to run the ball, so their primary RB will have a prominent role in Indianapolis’ offense.

Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers

It’s no secret that the Chargers want to run the ball and in Week 1 J.K. Dobbins and Edwards split early down carries but Dobbins was the primary passing down back. Dobbins played 33 snaps compared to Edwards’ 24. Dobbins averaged 13.5 Y/A, much of it coming off of a 61-yard run but he did appear to be more explosive than Edwards. 

Edwards will still be the RB that the Chargers use most often in goal line situations, but Dobbins seems to be the Chargers overall primary back. With Dobbins’ injury history handcuffing him with Edwards makes sense. Rookie RB Kimani Vidal could eventually become a factor in the Chargers’ backfield, but he was a healthy scratch in Week 1.