Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Report: Week 17

Welcome to championship week in season long fantasy football leagues!! With over 230 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as this article is being written, the virus will continue to play a huge factor in lineup construction in Week 17. There is some potential good news on that front. The NFL has cut the isolation period for asymptomatic players who tested positive for the virus from 10 days to five days which could help lower the number of inactive players this week. Fantasy managers also have several injuries that will cause them to scramble to field a championship worthy lineup this week as well. Veteran fantasy football managers should be used to it by now, but it’s another season where some unlikely players will carry teams to a fantasy championship.

It’s too early in the week to know if Clyde Edwards-Helaire (collarbone) will play in Week 17, but it doesn’t seem likely. We’ll leave him as the Chiefs’ primary back just in case he plays this week but if he doesn’t, Darrel Williams will lead the way. Williams, who is an excellent pass catching back, has a good matchup against the Bengals who’ve given up the fourth most receptions (100) to RBs on the season. 

With James Robinson (Achilles) and Carlos Hyde (concussion) done for the season it’ll be Dare Ogunbowale carrying the rock for the Jaguars in their last two games. He takes on the Patriots this week, and while they’ve only given up five TDs to RBs on the season, they give up 4.5 YPC to the position. The Pats have given up the ninth most receptions (86) and fourth most receiving yards (764) to RBs, and Ogunbowale is known for his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Eagles RB Jordan Howard has been surprisingly good this season, averaging 5.1 YPC. With Miles Sanders suffering a broken hand this past Sunday against the Giants Howard should get the bulk of the work out of the Eagles backfield against the Washington Football Team. Howard is dealing with stinger, but his MRI looks good, and the Eagles are optimistic that he’ll play in Week 17. Keep an eye on Howard’s progress. Boston Scott would likely be the Eagles’ go to guy out of the backfield if Howard suffers a setback. 

Rams RB Darrell Henderson, who lost his starting job to Sony Michel, was placed on the IR due to a right MCL sprain and will be out three to five weeks. Head coach Sean McVay hinted that Cam Akers, who suffered a tear to his right Achilles tendon prior to the start of the season, might be active for Week 17. We’ve added him and Jake Funk to our RB handcuff grid, but the Rams are hoping that Michel will continue to take on a full load this week. 

How many fantasy football playoff team managers had Texans RB Rex Burkhead (149 rushing yards and two TDs) in their starting lineups? How many have the guts or the need to start him again? His Week 17 opponent the 49ers, are tied for having given up the fifth most rushing TDs (13) to RBs but have yielded the second lowest average fantasy points to the position over the past two weeks. Burkhead would be an interesting play, especially if David Johnson (quad) is out again in Week 17. For the record, Burkhead has a higher PPR fantasy points per game average than Saquon Barkley over the past three weeks. Burkhead has 15.1 and Barkley has just 11.2.

Monitor Lions RB D’Andre Swift’s injury (shoulder) status as the week progresses. There’s a chance that he could play against the Seahawks, who give up the second highest average of fantasy points to RBs this season. We’ll keep Jamaal Williams as the lead back on our RB handcuff grid for now, but if Swift is active, he should be in your lineup.

Jeff Wilson Jr., who has scored TDs in his last two games for the 49ers, has a juicy matchup against the Texans this week. They’ve given up the most rushing yards to RBs (1822) on the season and the second most rushing TDs (18) to the position as well. Keep an eye on Elijah Mitchell’s status (knee) as gametime approaches. If Mitchell is out again in Week 17 Wilson is a must start.