Welcome to the 2026 Week 2 RB Handcuff Report! In what was a high-flying start to the 2026 fantasy football season, we’ve already detected usage trends that will help us identify up-and-coming fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuffs. Some of those fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuffs need to be on your watch list and, in some cases, they should be added to your roster. Check out our Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Grid, which breaks down all 32 backfields, ranking the starter, the primary handcuff, and every rotational piece so you’ll know exactly who benefits when a team’s depth chart is updated.

Seven running backs rushed for at least 100 yards in Week 1, and one of them, namely Kyle Monangai, is an RB handcuff who could have some standalone fantasy value of his own. The NFL is still a passing league, but 10 teams ran the ball 50% or more of the time in Week 1. Similarly, nine teams ran the ball 50% or more of the time in Week 1 2025, but by the end of the season, overall season-long usage trends reverted back to teams relying on their passing game to move the ball. The Baltimore Ravens were the only team in 2025 that had a run play rate of over 50% for the entire season. 

2026 Fantasy Football Week 2 Running Back Handcuff Report

There are some NFL teams whose backfields remain a work in progress.

The Vikings appeared to be using a virtual 50/50 split in their backfield in Week 1. Jordan Mason played 44.6% of the Week 1 offensive snaps compared to 46.2% for Aaron Jones. Mason played more early downs (23) than Jones (17), and Jones dominated the passing-down snaps. However, Mason has been placed on short-term IR and will miss at least the next four games due to a small fracture in his thumb. We’ll need to monitor how the Vikings use their RBs in Week 2. However, Jones Sr. will almost certainly be their lead back, with Demond Claiborne mixing in and possibly becoming the team’s fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuff. DeeJay Dallas and Jerome Ford, who is currently on the team’s practice squad, could also be used should the Vikings opt to use more of a committee approach to managing their RB usage.  

Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich suggested that the Packers would be using a running back by committee to start the season, and while Chris Brooks played more snaps (38) than MarShawn Lloyd (30), Lloyd had more than twice as many carries as Brooks (13 to 7). However, Brooks ran more routes than Lloyd (10 to 7). With neither RB differentiating themselves on the field, neither Lloyd nor Brooks can be considered the Packers' lead back or fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuff. The Packers’ backfield should be avoided in fantasy football for now.

Cardinals RB Tyler Allgeier found himself in familiar territory when he was often referred to as the team’s preseason fantasy football RB handcuff after the Cards used a first-round pick to draft Notre Dame standout RB Jeremiyah Love. With Love still apparently slowly recovering from a preseason ankle injury, Allgeier and Love found their roles reversed in Week 1. Allgeier was the lead back on early downs, playing more snaps (44 to 32) than Love and outpacing Love in carries (17 to 11). Love did score a rushing TD. Love and Allgeier split third-down snaps evenly, with each catching two passes. It appears that the Cardinals are easing Love back into action, and while his usage will probably increase as the season progresses, he will likely be the Cardinals’ fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuff. 

 

 

 

How to find the best RB Handcuffs

In last week’s 2026 RB Handcuff Report, we described ball security as one of the main characteristics found in fantasy football RB handcuffs. 

Unfortunately, Giants RB Tyrone Tracy may have already secured his spot in coach John Harbaugh’s doghouse after losing a fumble in Week 1 against the Cowboys. Tracy Jr. was already coming off a poor preseason in which he failed to pick up the blitz seen around the world that caused QB Jaxon Dart to get crushed, and he also lost an unforced fumble on another play. Despite having a tough summer, Tracy Jr. was still considered Cam Skattebo’s fantasy football RB handcuff heading into Week 1. Tracy Jr. didn’t play another snap in Week 1 after his fumble late in the first half against the Cowboys, and with Najee Harris lurking in the background, we may soon see Harris getting his first action of the 2026 NFL season as the Giants’ fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuff.

There were a few Week 2 RB performances that can give us insight as to who may be the best Week 2 NFL RB handcuffs to focus on as we tweak our fantasy football rosters.

Top 5 RB handcuffs for 2026 ahead of Week 2

Sione Vaki, Lions

Vaki appears to be Jahmyr Gibbs’ 2026 fantasy football RB handcuff. Despite the Detroit Lions announcing that they planned to use a committee of Vaki and Jacob Saylors as backups behind Gibbs to start the 2026 NFL season, Vaki played 28.6% of the team’s offensive snaps and had two carries and a catch in Week 1. Saylors was used exclusively on special teams. No RB can truly replace Gibbs should he miss time, but it should be noted that Isiah Pachecho, who was originally slated to be Gibbs’ backup, had back surgery this past week and will miss at least the first four games of the 2026 NFL season while on short-term IR.

Woody Marks, Texans

Marks, who is the Texans’ fantasy football RB handcuff, is a good example of how ball security can positively affect an RB’s playing time and spot on a team’s backfield depth chart. Not only does Marks hold onto the football, but he’s also good at pass protection. David Montgomery dominated the Texans’ box score in Week 1, and he played 49.4% of the team’s offensive snaps. Marks might have only had nine carries compared to 20 for Montgomery, but he played 50.6% of the Texans’ offensive snaps and remains an important fantasy football Week 2 RB handcuff.

Kaelon Black, 49ers

We featured Black as one of fantasy football’s top RB handcuffs last week, and he didn’t disappoint. He played 43.1% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps in Week 1 and carried the ball 14 times for 65 yards (4.6 YPC). Black also caught a pass. Perhaps his extensive usage was influenced by the Niners’ domination of the Rams in Week 1, or maybe the 49ers are serious about lightening Christian McCaffrey’s load this season. If Week 1 is any indication, Black could have a significant role in the 49ers’ offense and not only as McCaffrey’s RB handcuff. He has the potential to develop into a 2026 fantasy football RB handcuff who has standalone fantasy football during the NFL’s bye weeks.

Emmett Johnson, Chiefs

Johnson is another RB who we featured as one of the top fantasy football RB handcuffs last week. Based on what we saw on Monday night, the Chiefs want to make running the ball a priority this season. Kenneth Walker had a great game against a Broncos team that gave up the fewest fantasy points per game to RBs last season, and there’s no doubt that when healthy, he is a premier lead back. However, he does have a history of dealing with a series of lower-extremity and soft-tissue injuries that have caused him to miss time throughout his NFL career. Johnson carried the ball eight times on Monday night and only averaged 3 YPC, but with two catches for 44 yards, he passed the eye test as a 2026 fantasy football RB handcuff who could be a force to be reckoned with should Walker III miss time. 

RJ Harvey, Broncos

Harvey is another 2026 fantasy football RB handcuff who looked good on Monday night. He plays behind J.K. Dobbins, who is also a lead back with an extensive injury history. Jonah Coleman is a rookie RB who gained a lot of attention as a sleeper this preseason, but he only played three offensive snaps in Week 1. With the Broncos’ poor showing against the Chiefs on Monday night, they may look to shake things up and get Harvey more involved in their offense. Coleman could eventually carve out a bigger role for himself this season, but for now, Harvey looks like the Broncos’ 2026 fantasy football RB handcuff to roster.