[h=1]10 must-have fantasy handcuffs[/h][h=3]Knile Davis among backups who could pay off big if opportunity strikes[/h]
By Mike Clay | Pro Football Focus
ESPN INSIDER
Ask 100 casual fantasy football players how to correctly draft handcuffs and 95 will give you the same advice: Pick the dude backing up the running back you got in the first round.
Although that's basically the concept behind handcuffing, it's really not that cut-and-dried. Some No. 2 tailbacks are good, while others aren't. Some have a clear path to a workhorse share of the backfield touches, while others work out of a committee. And what about wide receivers and tight ends? Most of your opponents won't be thinking about handcuffs at other positions, which is an area where you can beat them on draft day. With our picks below, we've got you covered.
<offer></offer>
When drafting handcuffs, the best game plan is to select players with high ceilings should the player ahead of them on the depth chart miss time. For example, should Jamaal Charlesget hurt, Knile Davis would see 20-plus touches in a tailback-friendly offense. If Adrian Peterson goes down, however, Matt Asiata would take hold of the Minnesota backfield, but would surely share touches with explosive rookie Jerick McKinnon. If you were the guy who picked Peterson, don't cross Davis off your list in favor of upgrading Asiata. In short, pick the guy who can win you a league championship, not a guy barely worth flex consideration.
Below are 10 handcuffs worth monitoring in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft. The fantasy value of each will skyrocket if the teammate above him on the depth chart is injured. You'll notice that I ignored players already expected to play a significant role (i.e.Terrance West, Jeremy Hill, Jordan Matthews, etc.).
Beat your league mates to the punch by stashing these players on your bench.
Knile Davis, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Last season, Chiefs lead back Charles played a grand total of five snaps during the team's final two games. In his place, Davis racked up a whopping 54 touches. That 27.0 touches-per-game average actually ranked well ahead of Charles' season average of 21.9, which was enough for Charles to easily lead all running backs in fantasy points.
And while 27 touches per game isn't sustainable over a full season, the message here is that Davis is viewed by Andy Reid as a feature back in the event of a Charles injury.De'Anthony Thomas, Anthony Sherman and Cyrus Gray wouldn't pose a threat to Davis' snaps. He'd produce RB1 numbers.
Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers
After being selected with the No. 57 pick in the 2014 draft, Hyde seemed destined for a redshirt rookie season. Instead, Kendall Hunter went down with a torn ACL and Marcus Lattimore has yet to gain clearance from a knee injury suffered back in 2012.
That leaves only overworked 31-year-old Frank Gore between Hyde and a massive workload in an offense that prefers to lean on its running game. In the event of a Gore injury, LaMichael James wouldn't be a serious threat to Hyde for snaps. The rookie would immediately enter the RB1 conversation.
Cody Latimer, WR, Denver Broncos
Powered by its record-setting 2013 production, the Denver offense was one of just two in the league (Pittsburgh) with three top-36 fantasy wide receivers. Entering 2014, Latimer sits fourth on the club's WR depth chart. Latimer's 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame, excellent hands and borderline 4.4 40-yard speed intrigued the Broncos enough that they traded up to select him with the No. 56 overall pick in May.
When active as the team's No. 3 wideout last season, Wes Welker ran slightly less than 90 percent of the team's routes. That's the role Latimer would handle should Welker,Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders miss action. With only Andre Caldwell in his way, the rookie would certainly be in the WR3 mix.
Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
Over the past two offseasons, the Packers have lost standout pass-catchersGreg Jennings, James Jones and Jermichael Finley. In an effort to replace some of that production, the team selected Adams in the second round this May. Adams currently sits fourth on the depth chart but would assume a major role in a high-scoring offense if Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb or Jarrett Boykin missed time.
A possession receiver who will do a ton of damage with the ball in his hands, Adams would enter the flex conversation in the event of a promotion. In fact, it's not a stretch to think he'll simply pass Boykin on the depth chart at some point this season. Note that no team had three or more wide receivers on the field more often than Green Bay did last season.
Gavin Escobar, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Of the 10 players selected to this list, Escobar may be the boldest. After all, Escobar, a 2013 second-round pick, is stuck behind fantasy football's "Iron Man." Jason Witten has appeared in every one of Dallas' games over the past 10 years. You may recall that it took Martellus Bennett until his fifth professional season to finally break out. That's because he spent his first four years buried behind Witten. It's very possible the same happens to Escobar. Of course, Witten is now 32 years old. If the injury bug finally catches up with him, Escobar will step in as Tony Romo's No. 3 option in an offense expected to rank near the league lead in pass attempts. He'd immediately enter the TE1 mix.
Note that only the Broncos had two or more tight ends on the field more often than the Cowboys did last season. Scott Linehan has since taken over as Dallas' offensive coordinator, but the team's suspect depth at wide receiver suggests he'll keep his talented second-year tight end plenty involved. However, Escobar simply won't be able to reach his fantasy ceiling unless Witten misses time.
Christine Michael, RB, Seattle Seahawks
I hesitated putting Michael on this list because he does not have a clear path to a workhorse role in the event of an injury to Seattle feature back Marshawn Lynch. Still, I believe he's one of the best handcuffs in fantasy for two reasons: (1) He's talented enough to quickly overtake current No. 2 back Robert Turbin; and (2) the Seattle offense will rank near the top of the league in rushing attempts.
Even if forced to share snaps, Michael would see enough volume to produce borderline RB1 numbers. And, in a best-case scenario where he takes complete control of the Seattle backfield, Michael would enter the top-five conversation. A 2013 second-round pick, Michael has shown flashes of his ability to be a dominant producer at the NFL level.
James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers
At 28 years old, Starks is easily the oldest player on this list. Still, he's a handcuff worth your consideration. Last season, Starks was outstanding in a situational role behind Eddie Lacy. The veteran's 5.5 yards-per-carry average led the position. Starks was also very good at avoiding tackles and producing after contact.
Green Bay is expected to lean more on its running game going forward, which means Starks would be in for a heavy workload in one of the league's highest-scoring offenses. DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn wouldn't demand many snaps behind Starks. If asked to lead the Green Bay backfield, Starks would make for a strong RB2 option.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Now that we've covered the oldest player in our list, we can shift to the youngest. Selected in the third round in May, Moncrief turned 21 earlier this month. The Ole Miss standout is considered raw, but he stands at 6-2, 221 pounds and has 4.4 wheels. Moncrief finds himself fourth on Indianapolis' wide receiver depth chart, but he's closer to every-down snaps than most bench players.
T.Y. Hilton has stayed relatively healthy for Indianapolis and is locked in as the club's top receiver. Reggie Wayne, however, turns 36 this year and is coming off a torn ACL. Hakeem Nicks is only 26 but has struggled with injuries and effectiveness each of the past two seasons. The Colts' offense is primed for a breakout in Andrew Luck's third season. With the situation above him on the depth chart very fluid, Moncrief is a worthy late-round flier.
Vance McDonald, TE, San Francisco 49ers
I'm not particularly high on Vernon Davis this season, but if we know one thing for sure, it's that Colin Kaepernick loves going to his big tight end when the end zone is in range. Davis ranked just 14th at the position in targets last season, but 13 touchdowns powered him to a second-place finish in fantasy points.
Should Davis go down, McDonald, a 2013 second-round pick, would step into a similar role. McDonald isn't quite the dominant player Davis is, but he's actually one inch taller and 17 pounds heavier. The 49ers' projected top six wide receivers are all 6-2 or shorter. If called upon to replace 30-year-old Davis, McDonald would produce back-end TE1 numbers.
Bryce Brown, RB, Buffalo Bills
It's rare to see a No. 3 running back worth handcuff consideration, but it makes sense when the player's team runs a lot of plays, makes heavy use of two backs and leans on its running game more than any other club. The 2013 Bills fit all three categories and figure to do so again in 2014. As evidence, the Bills paced the NFL last season with 546 running plays and were the only team with two backs with more than 200 carries.
C.J. Spiller is Buffalo's primary back between the 20s, but he rarely sees work near the goal line. At age 33, Fred Jackson is well over the hill for a 21st-century NFL tailback. Brown is just one injury away from a shot at double-digit touches in a run-friendly offense.
By Mike Clay | Pro Football Focus
ESPN INSIDER
Ask 100 casual fantasy football players how to correctly draft handcuffs and 95 will give you the same advice: Pick the dude backing up the running back you got in the first round.
Although that's basically the concept behind handcuffing, it's really not that cut-and-dried. Some No. 2 tailbacks are good, while others aren't. Some have a clear path to a workhorse share of the backfield touches, while others work out of a committee. And what about wide receivers and tight ends? Most of your opponents won't be thinking about handcuffs at other positions, which is an area where you can beat them on draft day. With our picks below, we've got you covered.
<offer></offer>
When drafting handcuffs, the best game plan is to select players with high ceilings should the player ahead of them on the depth chart miss time. For example, should Jamaal Charlesget hurt, Knile Davis would see 20-plus touches in a tailback-friendly offense. If Adrian Peterson goes down, however, Matt Asiata would take hold of the Minnesota backfield, but would surely share touches with explosive rookie Jerick McKinnon. If you were the guy who picked Peterson, don't cross Davis off your list in favor of upgrading Asiata. In short, pick the guy who can win you a league championship, not a guy barely worth flex consideration.
Below are 10 handcuffs worth monitoring in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft. The fantasy value of each will skyrocket if the teammate above him on the depth chart is injured. You'll notice that I ignored players already expected to play a significant role (i.e.Terrance West, Jeremy Hill, Jordan Matthews, etc.).
Beat your league mates to the punch by stashing these players on your bench.
Knile Davis, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Last season, Chiefs lead back Charles played a grand total of five snaps during the team's final two games. In his place, Davis racked up a whopping 54 touches. That 27.0 touches-per-game average actually ranked well ahead of Charles' season average of 21.9, which was enough for Charles to easily lead all running backs in fantasy points.
And while 27 touches per game isn't sustainable over a full season, the message here is that Davis is viewed by Andy Reid as a feature back in the event of a Charles injury.De'Anthony Thomas, Anthony Sherman and Cyrus Gray wouldn't pose a threat to Davis' snaps. He'd produce RB1 numbers.
Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers
After being selected with the No. 57 pick in the 2014 draft, Hyde seemed destined for a redshirt rookie season. Instead, Kendall Hunter went down with a torn ACL and Marcus Lattimore has yet to gain clearance from a knee injury suffered back in 2012.
That leaves only overworked 31-year-old Frank Gore between Hyde and a massive workload in an offense that prefers to lean on its running game. In the event of a Gore injury, LaMichael James wouldn't be a serious threat to Hyde for snaps. The rookie would immediately enter the RB1 conversation.
Cody Latimer, WR, Denver Broncos
Powered by its record-setting 2013 production, the Denver offense was one of just two in the league (Pittsburgh) with three top-36 fantasy wide receivers. Entering 2014, Latimer sits fourth on the club's WR depth chart. Latimer's 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame, excellent hands and borderline 4.4 40-yard speed intrigued the Broncos enough that they traded up to select him with the No. 56 overall pick in May.
When active as the team's No. 3 wideout last season, Wes Welker ran slightly less than 90 percent of the team's routes. That's the role Latimer would handle should Welker,Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders miss action. With only Andre Caldwell in his way, the rookie would certainly be in the WR3 mix.
Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
Over the past two offseasons, the Packers have lost standout pass-catchersGreg Jennings, James Jones and Jermichael Finley. In an effort to replace some of that production, the team selected Adams in the second round this May. Adams currently sits fourth on the depth chart but would assume a major role in a high-scoring offense if Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb or Jarrett Boykin missed time.
A possession receiver who will do a ton of damage with the ball in his hands, Adams would enter the flex conversation in the event of a promotion. In fact, it's not a stretch to think he'll simply pass Boykin on the depth chart at some point this season. Note that no team had three or more wide receivers on the field more often than Green Bay did last season.
Gavin Escobar, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Of the 10 players selected to this list, Escobar may be the boldest. After all, Escobar, a 2013 second-round pick, is stuck behind fantasy football's "Iron Man." Jason Witten has appeared in every one of Dallas' games over the past 10 years. You may recall that it took Martellus Bennett until his fifth professional season to finally break out. That's because he spent his first four years buried behind Witten. It's very possible the same happens to Escobar. Of course, Witten is now 32 years old. If the injury bug finally catches up with him, Escobar will step in as Tony Romo's No. 3 option in an offense expected to rank near the league lead in pass attempts. He'd immediately enter the TE1 mix.
Note that only the Broncos had two or more tight ends on the field more often than the Cowboys did last season. Scott Linehan has since taken over as Dallas' offensive coordinator, but the team's suspect depth at wide receiver suggests he'll keep his talented second-year tight end plenty involved. However, Escobar simply won't be able to reach his fantasy ceiling unless Witten misses time.
Christine Michael, RB, Seattle Seahawks
I hesitated putting Michael on this list because he does not have a clear path to a workhorse role in the event of an injury to Seattle feature back Marshawn Lynch. Still, I believe he's one of the best handcuffs in fantasy for two reasons: (1) He's talented enough to quickly overtake current No. 2 back Robert Turbin; and (2) the Seattle offense will rank near the top of the league in rushing attempts.
Even if forced to share snaps, Michael would see enough volume to produce borderline RB1 numbers. And, in a best-case scenario where he takes complete control of the Seattle backfield, Michael would enter the top-five conversation. A 2013 second-round pick, Michael has shown flashes of his ability to be a dominant producer at the NFL level.
James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers
At 28 years old, Starks is easily the oldest player on this list. Still, he's a handcuff worth your consideration. Last season, Starks was outstanding in a situational role behind Eddie Lacy. The veteran's 5.5 yards-per-carry average led the position. Starks was also very good at avoiding tackles and producing after contact.
Green Bay is expected to lean more on its running game going forward, which means Starks would be in for a heavy workload in one of the league's highest-scoring offenses. DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn wouldn't demand many snaps behind Starks. If asked to lead the Green Bay backfield, Starks would make for a strong RB2 option.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Now that we've covered the oldest player in our list, we can shift to the youngest. Selected in the third round in May, Moncrief turned 21 earlier this month. The Ole Miss standout is considered raw, but he stands at 6-2, 221 pounds and has 4.4 wheels. Moncrief finds himself fourth on Indianapolis' wide receiver depth chart, but he's closer to every-down snaps than most bench players.
T.Y. Hilton has stayed relatively healthy for Indianapolis and is locked in as the club's top receiver. Reggie Wayne, however, turns 36 this year and is coming off a torn ACL. Hakeem Nicks is only 26 but has struggled with injuries and effectiveness each of the past two seasons. The Colts' offense is primed for a breakout in Andrew Luck's third season. With the situation above him on the depth chart very fluid, Moncrief is a worthy late-round flier.
Vance McDonald, TE, San Francisco 49ers
I'm not particularly high on Vernon Davis this season, but if we know one thing for sure, it's that Colin Kaepernick loves going to his big tight end when the end zone is in range. Davis ranked just 14th at the position in targets last season, but 13 touchdowns powered him to a second-place finish in fantasy points.
Should Davis go down, McDonald, a 2013 second-round pick, would step into a similar role. McDonald isn't quite the dominant player Davis is, but he's actually one inch taller and 17 pounds heavier. The 49ers' projected top six wide receivers are all 6-2 or shorter. If called upon to replace 30-year-old Davis, McDonald would produce back-end TE1 numbers.
Bryce Brown, RB, Buffalo Bills
It's rare to see a No. 3 running back worth handcuff consideration, but it makes sense when the player's team runs a lot of plays, makes heavy use of two backs and leans on its running game more than any other club. The 2013 Bills fit all three categories and figure to do so again in 2014. As evidence, the Bills paced the NFL last season with 546 running plays and were the only team with two backs with more than 200 carries.
C.J. Spiller is Buffalo's primary back between the 20s, but he rarely sees work near the goal line. At age 33, Fred Jackson is well over the hill for a 21st-century NFL tailback. Brown is just one injury away from a shot at double-digit touches in a run-friendly offense.
