Welcome to the Week 12 Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Report! As usual, injuries are once again a focal point of this column. The Green Bay Packers got some good news about Josh Jacobs’ knee injury. He suffered a knee contusion in Week 11, and while he didn’t practice on Wednesday, he is considered “day to day”. If he’s inactive in Week 12, Emanuel Wilson would likely be the Packers’ lead back, and Chris Brooks would be his RB handcuff.

Pittsburgh Steelers lead RB, Jaylen Warren (ankle), was removed from his Week 11 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, but there’s a chance he could suit up against the Chicago Bears. If Warren is inactive, look for Kenneth Gainwell, his RB handcuff, to lead the Steelers’ backfield in Week 12. 

Here are a few other NFL fantasy football backfields to keep tabs on as Week 12’s kickoff approaches.

 

 

 

2025 Fanstasy Football NFL Week 12 Running Back Handcuff Report

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals’ backfield has been a mess ever since Trey Benson (knee) hit the IR, and it’s about to get a bit murkier in Week 12. The Cardinals opened Benson’s 21-day practice window on Wednesday. It doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll play in Week 12, but the Cardinals have 21 days to add him to their active roster, and if they don’t, he’ll need to be placed on season-ending IR. 

We already know that Emari Demercado (ankle) will not play in Week 12. We’ll have to keep a close eye on Benson’s progress as Week 12’s kickoff approaches. Even if Benson is active, he might be on a restricted snap count, so Zonovan Knight might have the most secure role in Week 12. If Benson is inactive in Week 12, Knight would probably be the team’s lead back, and Michael Carter would be his RB handcuff. 

Denver Broncos

Since our last article, J.K. Dobbins has been placed on season-ending IR. As expected, RJ Harvey was the Broncos’ lead back in Week 11. He played 61.3% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps. He also led Broncos RBs with three catches. Jaleel McLaughlin, who was inactive for much of the season, had the second-most carries among the Broncos’ RBs. 

McLaughlin had six carries compared to 11 for Harvey, and he played just under 13% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps. Based on his pass-blocking skills, I suggested that Tyler Badie would be considered Harvey’s RB handcuff, but he didn’t record a single carry in Week 11, and it now appears that McLaughlin will fill that role.

Washington Commanders

It seems that Chris Rodriguez has at least temporarily taken over as the Commanders’ lead back. He played a season-high 30 offensive snaps in Week 11, compared to 18 for Jacory Croskey-Merritt. With Croskey-Merritt only averaging 3.0 YPC over his last six games, it makes sense for the Commanders to give Rodriguez a larger role in their offense. 

In his limited role so far this season, Rodriguez is averaging 4.7 YPC. When the Commanders get back from their Week 12 bye, expect Croskey-Merritt to still have a significant role in the Commanders’ offense, but most importantly, he’ll have a direct path to a lead-back role as Rodriguez’s RB handcuff.

Dallas Cowboys

Trying to figure out who Javonte Williams’ RB handcuff is has gotten a little harder lately after the Cowboys made Jaydon Blue a healthy inactive for a second straight week in Week 11. Before their Monday night matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys waived RB Malik Davis, then signed him to their practice squad and ultimately activated him and made him Williams’ RB handcuff in Week 11. 

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer isn’t afraid to discipline his players, as shown by his benching George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb for the first offensive series of Monday night’s game, but Blue being inactive might not have been for disciplinary reasons alone. Based on his comments, Schottenheimer feels that Davis is a better all-around back than Blue right now. It looks like Blue’s got some work to do before his role increases, and for the short term, it appears that Davis will continue to be Williams’ RB handcuff.

 

 

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) has returned to practice this week, and while he’s been limited, it sounds like there’s a chance he might suit up in Week 12. How many snaps he plays remains to be seen, but fantasy football managers who have been sliding Rachaad White into their lineups over the past few weeks better start making other plans. 

With Sean Tucker having had a breakout game in Week 11, White was already in jeopardy of losing playing time in the near future. It’ll be interesting to see what the Bucs’ depth chart looks like once Irving is fully healthy and able to take on a full load of reps.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Keep an eye on the Jaguars’ running back depth chart. Bhayshul Tuten played a season-high 32.4% of the team’s offensive snaps. Part of his increased usage in Week 11 could have been caused by the fact that the Jaguars had a huge lead in their matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Jags ran the ball on over 68% of their offensive plays in Week 11. However, it was the third straight game in which Tuten’s offensive snap play rate increased.

I don’t think Travis Etienne is in any immediate danger of losing his role as the team’s lead back, but Tuten’s recent increase in playing time makes him an important RB handcuff to be aware of, and who may have some fantasy value moving forward. Both Tuten and Etienne Jr. were limited in practice this week. They’re likely to play, but if one of them is inactive, LeQuint Allen would have an increased role in Week 12.

Carolina Panthers

Fantasy football managers like me couldn’t wait for the Panthers to anoint Rico Dowdle as the team’s primary lead back. Unfortunately, Dowdle’s production has regressed, and over the past two weeks, he’s only averaged 2.6 YPC. Chuba Hubbard, who has been relegated to being Dowdle’s RB handcuff, has recently suggested that he wasn't fully healthy when he returned from his calf injury.

Hubbard has only had seven carries over the past two games, but he’s averaging 5.0 YPC during that time span. Is Hubbard making excuses about his poor play (2.6 YPC in his first three games back) once he initially returned to action? Is he angling to get his lead RB role back? Will Dowdle’s Week 11 pass protection blunder cause him to yield some snaps back to Hubbard? Stay tuned!

New England Patriots

The Patriots’ backfield is another one that needs monitoring. Before Rhamondre Stevenson’s toe injury, which forced him to miss the last three games, he was clearly the team’s lead back, and TreVeyon Henderson was his RB handcuff. With Henderson scoring two touchdowns in each of his last two games, he has earned a larger role in the Patriots’ offense. However, since Stevenson has returned to the practice field, if he’s active in Week 12, it will be interesting to note if those roles are reversed.