Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff Report: Trey Sermon & More
There are a few reasons that could cause a starting fantasy football RB to lose his job to his RB handcuff but one of the biggest is if he can’t hold onto the football.
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is famous for saying that “ball security is job security”. Kansas City Chiefs RB Carson Steele and New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson know that all too well.
Fantasy Football NFL Week 5 Running Back Handcuff Report
Steele looked like the Chiefs’ primary early down back after his Week 3 performance but after fumbling early in the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers he spent most of the rest of the game riding the bench.
It was the second fumble he’s lost this season, and it opened the door for Kareem Hunt to take over as the Chiefs’ primary back for the rest of the game. It now appears that Hunt should be considered the team’s lead back with Steele operating as his Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff.
According to Kansas City Star sports columnist Scott McDowell, Hunt looked good in Week 4 but revealed that he was limited due to a sports hernia injury last season. He better hold onto that football in Week 5 because Clyde Edwards-Helaire is eligible to return from the IR this week.
As an RB who formerly led the Chiefs’ backfield, he can quickly become the next man up or Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff, and if Hunt should falter Edwards-Helaire could become “the man”.
How To Find The Best RB Handcuffs
New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson’s job security seems to be on the line after he fumbled for a fourth time in Week 4. Mike Reiss, ESPN NFL Nation Patriots beat writer, suggested that Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is considering starting Antonio Gibson over Stevenson in Week 5.
Unfortunately for the Pats, Gibson has suffered from the same fumbleitis that’s been plaguing Stevenson, for years. Sometimes the best handcuff is the handcuff of a handcuff.
With Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler, who is Brian Robinson’s Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff, inactive due to a concussion, Jeremy McNichols stepped in and scored two touchdowns in a blowout Commanders win. Ekeler should be back in Week 5 but it’s probably wise to keep McNichols on our 2024 Week 5 RB Handcuff Report watch list.
Top 5 RB Handcuffs Ahead Of NFL Week 5
Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts
As this article is being written Jonathan Taylor hasn’t officially been listed as out in Week 5 but with his having suffered a mild high ankle sprain in Week 4 there’s a good chance that he won’t play this week.
Sermon, Taylor’s Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff, should slide right in as his replacement as the team’s primary back and if he plays, he’ll have a good matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sermon has good underlying skills and at just 25 years old he still has fresh legs. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry (YPC) while playing at Oklahoma and with Ohio State in his college career.
Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
Zamir White has been just awful for the Raiders this season. White has yet to score a TD and he’s averaging just 3.1 YPC. Mattison, White’s RB handcuff, led the Raiders backfield in rushing yards (60, 12 YPC) in Week 4 despite only having five carries compared to 17 for White.
White only rushed for 50 yards (2.9 YPC) in Week 5. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce implied that Mattison would be more involved in the team's offense moving forward.
Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots
As we mentioned earlier Stevenson’s job is on the line and Gibson is his RB handcuff. Familiarize yourself with Jamychal Hasty who is also part of the Patriots’ backfield and technically, he’s Gibson’s Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff.
Gibson has 12 career fumbles, and I doubt the Pats would be as patient with him as they’ve been with Stevenson should his fumbling issues resurface.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
When discussing the 2024 Week 5 RB Handcuff Report, Allgeier should always be considered one of fantasy football’s most important RB handcuffs, but even more so this week.
Bijan Robinson has been limited due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 4. If he’s inactive in Week 5 Allgeier will almost certainly be the Falcons’ starter at the RB position.
He’d have a good matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have given up the ninth highest average PPR fantasy points per game to RBs this season. Allgeier has 27 carries so far this season and is averaging a whopping 6.1 YPC.
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
There is no imminent danger of Travis Etienne losing his job, but the Jaguars did previously mention that they wanted to lighten his load this season. Etienne’s 52% share of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 4 was his lowest of the season.
Bigsby is coming off his best game of the season, having rushed for 90 yards and averaging 12.86 YPC. Both Bigsby and Etienne were limited in practice this week due to shoulder injuries.
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.