Jaylen Warren being unexpectedly inactive on Sunday in Dublin is a perfect example of the importance of rostering your primary fantasy football RB’s handcuff. If you rostered Warren and his RB handcuff, Kenneth Gainwell (and didn’t sleep in), you could have avoided getting a dreaded zero in your RB slot and simply slipped Gainwell into your fantasy football lineup. 

If you roster Warren, the good news is that the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Green Bay Packers, are all on a bye in Week 5. Warren could use the week off to rest and recuperate.

There are other injuries to RBs that had fantasy implications and fantasy football managers scrambling to the waiver wire in search of viable RB handcuffs to start in Week 5 that we’ll cover later in this article 

In other RB-related news, the Kansas City Chiefs plan on getting rookie RB Brashard Smith more involved in their offense moving forward. With Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt struggling, Smith played a season-high 19 offensive snaps in Week 4. Smith is probably worth picking up off your league’s waiver wire if he’s available.

Tyjae Spears, who was expected to open the season as Tennessee Titans RB Tony Pollard’s RB handcuff, has been designated to return from the IR. Spears can now practice with the team and be activated at any point over the next three weeks. 

We still don’t have much clarity with regard to the Seattle Seahawks’ RB depth chart. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet are still splitting snaps evenly (33 for Walker III and 31 for Charbonnet in Week 4). It’s tough to trust either one of them when both are active. Walker III did get more carries than Charbonnet in Week 4 (19 vs 12) and was more effective (4.3 YPC vs 3.3 YPC), but Charbonnet scored a TD.

We are also unclear as to who the RB1 is for the New England Patriots. Rhamondre Stevenson led Patriots RBs with 28 snaps played and had nine carries in Week 4. He was also the Patriots’ primary third-down back. However, Treyveon Henderson had seven carries and scored a TD, and Antonio Gibson had six carries and scored a TD. Gibson had four of six goal-line carries. No Patriots RB fumbled in Week 4, so at least they’re making progress in that area.

We’ve got a lot more to cover. The following NFL backfields need your attention in this week’s RB handcuff report.

 

 

 

Fantasy Football NFL Week 5 Running Back Handcuff Report

Arizona Cardinals

Trey Benson, who started the season as James Conner’s RB handcuff, was placed on IR after he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks. Head coach Jonathan Gannon didn’t commit to naming one RB as his RB1 while Benson is inactive. According to Gannon, Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Bam Knight could all have a role moving forward. Despite Gannon’s not wanting to name a starter, Demercado and Carter will probably split most of the offensive snaps from the Cardinals’ backfield in Week 5. Demercado has had 10 or more carries in a game only three times in his career. He’s been used as more of a third-down option in his career. Michael Carter has experience as an every-down back and averaged just over 33 catches per season from 2021 to 2023. Carter announced that he'll be the starting RB for the Cardinals in Week 5. It makes sense, but remember, just because he might be the starter, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll play the most snaps among Cardinals RBs. Logic would dictate that Carter plays the early downs and that Demercado would be the team’s passing-down back, but we’ll have to wait to see how things shake out.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucky Irving was spotted using crutches and wearing a protective boot on his left foot on Wednesday and had an MRI. The Bucs haven’t made a formal announcement regarding Irving’s Week 5 availability, but if you roster him, check to see if Rachaad White or Sean Tucker is available on your league’s waiver wire. White lost his starting role as the Bucs’ RB1 to Irving towards the end of last season. He is especially good at catching balls out of the backfield, averaging 55 catches from the 2022 to 2024 seasons. Don’t be surprised if Tucker is used as the early down back while Irving is out. In Week 6 of the 2024 season, Tucker rushed for 136 yards (9.7 YPC) and caught three passes for 56 yards. He scored a rushing and receiving TD in that game and is capable of taking over RB1 duties from White.

 

 

 

New York Jets

Braelon Allen, who has been Breece Hall’s RB handcuff, is dealing with a sprained MCL but is seeking a second opinion regarding that diagnosis. As this article is being written, he hasn’t yet been put on the IR, but there appears to be no chance that Allen can suit up for Week 5. That would leave Isaiah Davis as Hall’s RB handcuff. Kene Nwangwu, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, could also eventually provide RB depth for the Jets moving forward. Allen’s injury is a big blow to the Jets’ rushing attack. Allen has been highly effective, rushing for 76 yards on 18 carries and scoring a rushing TD this season.

Dallas Cowboys

Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams’ RB handcuff, may be inactive in Week 5. He’s dealing with a knee and ankle injury that forced him from his Sunday Night Football matchup against the Green Bay Packers. If Sanders were to be inactive in Week 5, rookie RB Jaydon Blue would be Williams’ RB handcuff.  Blue has been a healthy scratch for the Cowboys in each of their first four games. There have been whispers about Blue’s work ethic keeping him off the field, but he may have a chance to prove himself in Week 5. Monitor Sanders’ progress.