Week 1 had a bit of everything, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. There aren’t any big-name injuries to running backs, as the starters outplayed the wide receivers for fantasy by a wide margin with the top names.
In fantasy football, smart managers don’t just chase starters; they stash the backup handcuffs who could become league-winners overnight. Here’s your Week 2 handcuff RB rankings, spotlighting the most valuable insurance policies and upside plays.
Stash-Worthy Handcuffs
These backs may not be relevant this week, but they’re worth holding for long-term upside. They become an instant starting option if the starter goes down.
Trey Benson– Team: Arizona Cardinals
James Conner is still the good ole reliable back in Arizona, but the Cardinals might’ve found a running mate to complement him in Trey Benson this year. Although he wasn’t as impactful as a rookie, in year two, it looks like Benson can be the 1B back.
With his athletic traits, he was able to make a splash against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, with 69 yards on the ground on just 8 carries and a reception for 6 yards. This by far was his best performance so far in the NFL, as the Cardinals will look to continue to pound the rock with their dynamic duo.
Cam Skattebo– Team: New York Giants
2 carries for -3 yards and 2 catches for 12 yards isn’t anything to write home about. Far from it. However, Tyrone Tracy Jr. struggled with his 10 carries as well for just 24 yards. He had 2 catches as well, as the interior offensive line was terrible against the Commanders’ front seven. Cam Skattebo is still worth the stash in case they even up the workload, as he missed most of the preseason due to an injury in training camp.
Injury Watch
Even with Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols, it’s clear Bill is the most explosive player in the backfield. If Ekeler doesn’t suit up for Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers, Croskey-Merritt could be in for a good day as a definite flex player, maybe low-end RB2 if you have to start him. It is a tougher matchup.
Keep an eye on this situation. If the starter is ruled out, the handcuff or 1B back in Washington becomes a must-start.
Team Name: Washington Commanders
Starter Name – Austin Ekeler
Injury Status: Questionable
Handcuff: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka “Bill”
Top 10 Pure Handcuff Rankings
I only included running backs who are in defined backup roles to a known starter, so backs in ambiguous split or trio backfields I didn’t include for this list. I didn’t include players like Zach Charbonnet, who, based on his usage, seems to be the 1B back in Seattle. Week 1 gave us a few changes with the handcuff rankings, as Jordan Mason also saw way more usage to be just a handcuff on Monday Night.
Although Dylan Sampson had a great Week 1, it is unclear what his role is going to be with Raheim Sanders and Quinshon Judkins likely coming back as soon as Week 2. I took Will Shipley out (dealing with injury) with the recent trade of Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles to back up Saquon Barkley. Last mention is Ollie Gordon II, who was underwhelmed in limited touches.
- Trey Benson
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Tyler Allgeier
- Braelon Allen
- Blake Corum
- Cam Skattebo
- Rachaad White
- Kyle Monangai
- Kendre Miller
- Rico Dowdle
