Welcome to the 2026 Week 5 RB Handcuff Report! With several NFL teams continuing to shuffle their backfield depth charts due to injuries and the disappointing play of their fantasy football running backs, there are a few emerging fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuffs that we’ll need to talk about this week.   

With the fantasy football position being especially susceptible to injuries, we’ve got great resources at Fantasy Alarm that can help you maintain a competitive fantasy football roster. Jacob Parry covers all of the latest injury news from a fantasy football perspective in his must-read NFL Week 5 Injury Report, and Andrew Cooper has great advice on how to replace injured players on your fantasy football roster in his Week 5 Waiver Wire article.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so let’s take a closer look at some of the fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuffs that should be on your radar as you set your lineups ahead of your Week 5 fantasy football matchup. 

2026 Fantasy Football Week 5 Running Back Handcuff Report

The Seahawks made roster adjustments that will impact their fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff. They placed rookie RB Jadarian Price (chest) on IR on Saturday,  and they opened the 21-day practice window for Zach Charbonnet (ACL) on Thursday. Charbonnet began the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He is officially out for Week 5, and the Seahawks have 21 days from when they opened his practice window to add Charbonnet to their active roster. If they don’t, he’ll have to remain on the PUP list for the entire season. Price, who had early-season fumbling issues, had been the Seahawks’ primary fantasy football RB in what was a fluid backfield, but Emmanuel Wilson emerged as the team’s primary back in Week 4 (81 rushing yards, 39 receiving yards, two TDs). The Seahawks had explored adding Joe Mixon to their practice squad but decided against it after evaluating his physical, and it appears that for now, if Wilson becomes unavailable, George Holani would be their fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

The Eagles’ backfield is in flux ahead of Week 5 as Saquon Barkley is dealing with a hamstring injury. Tank Bigsby, who would have been Barkley’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff, was placed on IR and is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery. Will Shipley, who has never had more than 10 carries in his pro career, was the last man standing until the Eagles elevated Dameon Pierce from their practice squad. Jaydon Blue and Carson Steele are additional depth pieces on the team’s practice squad ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the Jaguars. As this article is being written, Barkley is considered week-to-week but is probably not going to be active in Week 5.

Unfortunately, there are NFL backfields using a committee or hot hand approach to managing their fantasy football running backs, making it almost impossible to identify their fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

The Chargers are a good example. Way back in August, Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel warned us that he would be using a hot hand approach in managing the team’s backfield, and he wasn’t kidding. Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal each played 25 snaps in Week 4, and Keaton Mitchell played 26. Mitchell led with 10 carries, and Hampton had nine. Vidal chimed in with five carries. 

Fantasy football managers and many analysts, for that matter, were trying to determine who would be the Dolphins’ lead back with De’Von Achane’s season ending prematurely. It appears to be Ollie Gordon. In Week 4, he played more snaps (22) than Jaylen Wright (12) and had nine carries compared to five for Wright. Wright didn’t help himself by averaging 1.4 YPC, and Gordon II rushed for 100 yards and added a TD. Gordon II’s usage increased as the game progressed based on his in-game performance. For now, Wright should be considered Gordon II’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

Breece Hall (quad), who was inactive in Week 4, is expected to also miss the next two weeks. In his absence, Braelon Allen took over as the team’s lead back. Look for that to continue with Isaiah Davis filling the role of Allen’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

 

 

 

How to Find the Best RB Handcuffs

Potential injuries to lead fantasy football running backs play a huge part in identifying fantasy football’s best RB handcuffs.

Rachaad White, who has been playing behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt this season as the Commanders’ passing-down back and is considered JCM’s fantasy football handcuff, was inactive in Week 4. The recently signed Austin Ekeler played a surprisingly high number of snaps in Week 4, and if White remains inactive, he should be considered Croskey-Merritt’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

Keep an eye on Rhamondre Stevenson’s game time status for Week 5. He is said to be dealing with an undisclosed injury. If he’s unavailable in Week 5, TreVeyon Henderson will be the Patriots’ lead back, with Corey Kiner likely filling the role of his fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff.

Following the news is another good way to find the best RB handcuffs.

Tyler Allgeier is often mentioned as a perennial top handcuff, and based on the news surrounding the Cardinals’ backfield after their Week 4 loss to the Giants, he’s a RB handcuff worth rostering. Heading into Week 4, it appeared that Jeremiyah Love had settled into a lead fantasy football running back role for the Cardinals, but Allgeier played more snaps than him (36 to 30) in their matchup against the Giants. There have been reports that Love, who suffered a preseason ankle injury and may have injured the other ankle last week, may need to have his snaps managed for the short term. Allgeier is already guaranteed some playing time every week due to his excellent pass protection skills, but with the Cardinals potentially limiting Love’s playing time, Allgeier may be a viable option in fantasy football lineups during bye weeks.

Top 5 RB Handcuffs for 2026 Ahead of Week 5

Mike Washington Jr., Raiders

Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders won’t admit it, but he is not playing at 100%. Jeanty has been dealing with an ankle injury since the preseason, and he tweaked it in Week 4. Jeanty left his Week 4 matchup against the Chiefs but was able to return. Washington Jr. is averaging 5.0 YPC and would immediately fill in if Jeanty becomes unavailable.

Brian Robinson, Falcons

The Falcons are running the ball at the highest rate of any team in football. Robinson Jr. has at least 10 carries in each of the Falcons’ last three games and has scored at least one TD in his last two games. Even though his main role is as Bijan Robinson’s fantasy football running back handcuff, Robinson Jr. has fantasy value of his own.

Kyle Monangai, Bears

Technically, Monangai is D’Andre Swift’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff, but Swift was benched after he fumbled in Week 4’s matchup against the Jets and Monangai took over as the team’s lead back for the rest of the game. Monangai is dealing with a thumb injury and is being described as day-to-day, but when healthy he’s a RB handcuff whose role in the Bears’ offense (and fantasy value) is on the rise.

Seth McGowan, Colts

As Jonathan Taylor’s fantasy football Week 5 running back handcuff, he already has a huge role, but it was interesting to see McGowan getting two red zone carries in Week 4.

Emmett Johnson, Chiefs

With Kenneth Walker and running the football being such a huge part of the Chiefs’ 2026 offense, Johnson would have a big role if Walker III were unavailable.