It was a relatively quiet week on the 2024 Week 9 RB Handcuff Report front, but it looks like there’s at least one RB handcuff who will likely assume lead back duties in Week 9. 

 

 

 

Fantasy Football NFL Week 9 Running Back Handcuff Report

Week 9 might also be the week when we find out what the Jacksonville Jaguars’ RB usage and depth chart will look like when both Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne are both active. 

Speaking of active RBs, it’s looking like a rookie RB who was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft will finally make his long awaited and highly anticipated season debut in Week 9. Welcome to the 2024 Week 9 RB Handcuff Report!

 

 

 

How To Find The Best RB Handcuffs

Just when New York Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. graduated from RB handcuff to lead RB he finds himself in the NFL’s concussion protocol and his availability for Week 9 is in doubt. 

Tracy Jr. had a huge game against the Steelers in Week 8, rushing for 145 yards (7.25 YPC) and he scored a TD and added two short receptions. Devin Singletary who was relegated to RB handcuff duty due to Tracy Jr.’s emergence as one of the few bright spots of the Giants’ offense, would likely operate as the Giants lead back in Week 9 with Eric Gray backing him up. 

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport there’s a chance that Travis Etienne might play in Week 9. Etienne Jr. has missed the Jaguars’ last two games due to a hamstring injury. Bigsby, who started the season as Etienne Jr.’s RB handcuff, has established himself as an RB capable of leading the Jaguars’ backfield. Although he logged 62 receptions in his college career the Jaguars have typically used Bigsby as an early down back. 

It will be interesting to note how the backfield workload will be distributed once both he and Etienne Jr. are active now that Bigsby has shown the Jags what he can do if he’s given the reps. 

Since he has 109 career receptions, perhaps Etienne Jr.’s role will change to the point where he becomes the Jaguars’ primary option on third downs. In any case when both Etienne Jr. and Bigsby are healthy and active they’ll likely be each other’s Fantasy Football Week 9 Running Back Handcuff, and D’Ernest Johnson will function as a depth piece on the Jaguars’ RB depth chart.

We got a glimpse of Jonathon Brooks on an NFL practice field leading up to Week 9 but even though he’s practicing in full, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales isn't ready to confirm if Brooks will be active against the Saints on Sunday. 

If he does play in Week 9, he’ll likely be eased into action and Chuba Hubbard should play the majority of snaps from the RB position. The question on everyone’s mind is what will the Panthers backfield look like with Brooks finally active? Will it be a two-headed monster with Hubbard and Brooks sharing the backfield? 

If the Panthers choose to have either Brooks or Hubbard as their lead back, the back who isn’t chosen will fill the team’s Fantasy Football Week 9 Running Back Handcuff role. 

Baltimore Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell’s status (torn ACL) for Week 9 remains unknown as this article is being written but even if he is active and fully up to speed, it might take an unfortunate injury for him to get to a point where he plays a significant number of snaps on a regular basis.

 

 

 

Top 5 RB Handcuffs Ahead Of NFL Week 9

Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are running the ball just about 10% more this season compared to last season, and lead back Aaron Jones played 92% of the team’s offensive snaps last week. If he’s unavailable Chandler will likely have a big role in the Vikings’ offense.

Chris Brooks, Green Bay Packers

I’m not sure if I’m ready to call Brooks Josh Jacobs’ Fantasy Football Week 9 Running Back Handcuff just yet, but he saw a significant increase in his percentage of offensive snaps played in Week 8. 

He actually played more snaps (17) than Emanuel Wilson (14). Put Brooks on your watch list but also keep in mind that rookie RB Marshawn Lloyd (ankle) will presumably return to action at some point this season. 

Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have a bye in Week 9 and Christian McCaffrey is expected to return to action in Week 10. Based on the first eight weeks of the season I would expect Jordan Mason to be McCaffrey’s handcuff. 

However, Mason has been dealing with a shoulder injury which forced him from the 49ers’ Week 8 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers are saying that he could have returned to the game, but it’s been a nagging injury and if he is inactive in any upcoming games Guerendo would be McCaffrey’s RB handcuff. 

Guerendo rushed for 85 yards (6.07 YPC), scored a TD and logged three receptions while playing 63% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps in place of Mason in Week 8. 

D’Onta Foreman/Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

I like what I’ve seen so far from Nick Chubb. His offensive snaps played percentage increased significantly from Week 7 to Week 8 and so did his average YPC. 

However, Chubb still is coming off of a significant injury and should he suffer a setback you’re going to want to protect the investment that you were holding onto for the first six weeks of the season. 

Ford has been inactive for the Browns’ last two games due to a hamstring injury and his status for Week 9 hasn’t been confirmed as this article is being written. Foreman had five carries for 26 yards (5.20 YPC) in Week 8.

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

With Cowboys lead back Rico Dowdle declared inactive due to a “mystery illness” Elliott played the majority of offensive snaps among Cowboys RBs in Week 8. Elliott had 10 carries for 34 yards, scored a TD and also added a catch for four yards, but there are some who don’t think Dowdle was sick at all. 

Some conspiracy theorists think that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones ordered head coach Mike McCarthy to declare Dowdle as inactive in order to save Elliott from the humiliation from being a healthy scratch. 

Apparently, Elliott will continue to have a regular role in the Cowboys’ offense. Dowdle assured reporters that he was legitimately sick and unable to play in Week 8. 

He practiced in full on Wednesday and likely will be back in Week 9 as the team’s primary back with Elliott is his Fantasy Football Week 9 Running Back Handcuff, but with Jerry Jones calling the shots, you never know. By the way, if you picked up Dalvin Cook off the waiver wire last week, you can probably drop him.