Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Report: Week 5
Published: Oct 06, 2021
This week we’ll focus on how injuries, offensive scheme changes and a rookie’s growing pains can affect overall fantasy RB production.
The Bears lost their bell cow back for a few weeks, but with a very good veteran RB and an exciting rookie RB on their active roster, they should be able to weather the storm. Drew Brees’ retirement seems to have negatively impacted the fantasy production of one of the best RBs in the game. The Ravens don’t care about your fantasy football team. They benched their highly productive rookie RB in favor of a few veteran RBs, just because they can pass block and don’t fumble. Please enjoy this week’s fantasy football running back handcuff report.
Bears
As has been widely reported David Montgomery is expected to miss four to five weeks due to a knee injury. Damien Williams is expected to be the Bears’ lead back while Montgomery is sidelined. Williams suffered a thigh bruise in Week 4 and is expected to play in Week 5. Rookie Khalil Herbert, who had a college career 6.1 YPC and caught coach Matt Nagy’s eye this preseason, will likely be Williams’ primary backup. The Bears could also choose to activate Ryan Nall or Artavis Pierce from the practice squad.
Saints
The fact that Alvin Kamara wasn’t targeted in the Saints’ passing game in Week 4 is shocking and could be an ominous sign when it comes to Kamara’s future fantasy production. Kamara has been one of the best fantasy RBs in PPR scoring, averaging 81.5 catches per season since his 2017 debut, but with QB Drew Brees retiring, the Saints just aren’t throwing the ball as much as they used to. Kamara is currently on pace to catch just over 42 passes for the 2021 season. New Saints QB Jameis Winston’s 86 pass attempts are the 30th fewest in football. In his first four games of the 2020 season Kamara has been targeted just 14 times and he’s caught 10 passes. In comparison, Kamara was targeted 35 times and caught 30 passes in his first four games of the 2020 season. Having QB Taysom Hill vulture some of Kamara’s rushing TD opportunities hasn’t helped matters. Hill has three rushing TDs in the past two weeks. Kamara, who had 16 rushing TDs last season, has zero in 2021. It’s no wonder that he’s RB17 in PPR scoring this season. Kamara’s 26 carries in Week 4 were a career high and with Tony Jones Jr. expected to miss three to four weeks due to an ankle injury Kamara could continue to see an increased workload and that could translate into more fantasy production. Dwayne Washington is expected to be Kamara’s handcuff with Jones sidelined but the Saints have worked out Lamar Miller, Duke Johnson, Brian Hill, Ito Smith, and Ryquell Armstead this week, so more help might be on the way.
Ravens
With rookie RB Ty’Son Williams a healthy scratch in Week 4, the Ravens used Latavius Murray as their lead back against the Broncos’ tough run defense. Murray played 62% of the Ravens’ offensive snaps, carried the ball 18 times for 59 yards (3.28 YPC), and scored a TD. Most importantly he didn’t fumble. Williams has an impressive 6.1 YPC average this season and has looked good as a pass catcher, but he needs to do a better job of holding on to the ball and providing protection for his QB. We haven’t heard the last of Williams this season, but he’ll be watching Ravens games from the sidelines until he shows improvement in those areas. For now, the Ravens will roll with a few veterans in their backfield. Murray should get most of the early down work with Le’Veon Bell also getting a few carries per game. He’ll also likely have a role as a pass catching back. Devonta Freeman has also been on the Ravens’ active roster and has enjoyed good success as a pass catching back in his NFL career.
Team | Primary RB | Change of Pace | 3rd Down Back | Handcuff |
ARI | James Conner | Chase Edmonds | Chase Edmonds | Chase Edmonds |
ATL | Mike Davis | Wayne Gallman | Cordarrelle Patterson | Cordarrelle Patterson |
BAL | Latavius Murray | Le'Veon Bell | Le'Veon Bell | Le'Veon Bell |
BUF | Zack Moss | Devin Singletary | Devin Singletary | Devin Singletary |
CAR | Chuba Hubbard | Royce Freeman | Rodney Smith | Royce Freeman |
CHI | Damien Williams | Khalil Herbert | Damien Williams | Khalil Herbert |
CIN | Joe Mixon | Samaje Perine | Chris Evans | Samaje Perine |
CLE | Nick Chubb | Kareem Hunt | Kareem Hunt | Kareem Hunt |
DAL | Ezekiel Elliott | Tony Pollard | Ezekiel Elliott | Tony Pollard |
DEN | Melvin Gordon | Javonte Williams | Melvin Gordon | Javonte Williams |
DET | Jamaal Williams | D'Andre Swift | D'Andre Swift | D'Andre Swift |
GB | Aaron Jones | A.J. Dillon | Aaron Jones | A.J. Dillon |
HOU | Mark Ingram | Phillip Lindsay | David Johnson | David Johnson |
IND | Jonathan Taylor | Marlon Mack | Nyheim Hines | Marlon Mack |
JAX | James Robinson | Dare Ogunbowale | James Robinson | Carlos Hyde |
KC | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Darrel Williams | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Darrel Williams |
LVR | Josh Jacobs | Kenyan Drake | Josh Jacobs | Peyton Barber |
LAC | Austin Ekeler | Larry Rountree III | Justin Jackson | Larry Rountree III |
LAR | Darrell Henderson Jr. | Sony Michel | Darrell Henderson Jr. | Sony Michel |
MIA | Malcolm Brown | Myles Gaskin | Salvon Ahmed | Myles Gaskin |
MIN | Dalvin Cook | Alexander Mattison | Dalvin Cook | Alexander Mattison |
NE | Damien Harris | J.J. Taylor | Brandon Bolden | J.J. Taylor |
NO | Alvin Kamara | Dwayne Washington | Alvin Kamara | Dwayne Washington |
NYG | Saquon Barkley | Devontae Booker | Saquon Barkley | Devontae Booker |
NYJ | Michael Carter | Tevin Coleman | Ty Johnson | Ty Johnson |
PHI | Miles Sanders | Kenneth Gainwell | Kenneth Gainwell | Kenneth Gainwell |
PIT | Najee Harris | Benny Snell Jr. | Najee Harris | Benny Snell Jr. |
SF | Trey Sermon | Jacques Patrick | Kyle Juszczyk | Jacques Patrick |
SEA | Chris Carson | Alex Collins | Chris Carson | Alex Collins |
TB | Leonard Fournette | Ronald Jones | Giovani Bernard | Ronald Jones |
TEN | Derrick Henry | Jeremy McNichols | Jeremy McNichols | Jeremy McNichols |
WAS | Antonio Gibson | J.D. McKissic | J.D. McKissic | J.D. McKissic |