Welcome to the 2026 Week 8 RB Handcuff Report! Doesn’t it seem that with almost every NFL news update, another running back gets placed on Injured Reserve (IR)? With the number of fantasy football RBs dealing with injuries heading into Week 8, rostering your RB1’s RB handcuff feels like a must. In some cases, even third- and fourth-string fantasy football RBs may be worth a roster spot.

If injuries are depleting your fantasy football roster, Fantasy Alarm has resources to help your team remain competitive. Jacob Parry delivers the latest injury updates in his biweekly NFL Injury Report, and Andrew Cooper has the waiver wire covered in his Fantasy Football Streamers & Stashes article.

Injuries aren’t the only hurdles that fantasy football managers will be dealing with this week because the 49ers, Texans, Giants, and Saints are all on a bye in Week 8. 

The bye week will give Christian McCaffrey another week to recover from his mild Week 7 hamstring strain and Texans RB David Montgomery more time to heal his groin injury. The Saints and Giants’ backfield depth charts will likely look different after their Week 8 bye.  Travis Etienne (hamstring) is eligible to return from IR in Week 9, and the Giants will likely anoint a new RB handcuff. 

There is plenty of running back news to unpack. Let’s sort through the chaos and find the Week 8 RB handcuffs worth watching before you set your lineup.

2026 Fantasy Football Week 8 Running Back Handcuff Report

The Eagles now have three running backs on Injured Reserve (IR), with Dameon Pierce joining Will Shipley (partial plantar fascia tear) and Tank Bigsby (core muscle injury) after suffering an undisclosed injury Monday night. Saquon Barkley is still the lead back when healthy, but he missed Weeks 5 and 6 with a hamstring injury. With Shipley and Bigsby on IR, Pierce became Barkley’s RB handcuff and temporary starter. Barkley returned in Week 7 but was sidelined after reaggravating his hamstring and injuring his lower back. Practice-squad call-up Elijah Mitchell replaced Pierce and Barkley late in Monday night’s game. The Eagles appear confident Barkley will play in Week 8, making Mitchell his likely handcuff. Jaydon Blue, also elevated from the practice squad this week, would provide depth if Barkley sits out or cannot play a full game in Week 8.

Brian Robinson, who we’ve previously covered in this column, has the huge responsibility of being Bijan Robinson’s RB handcuff. He was inactive in Week 7 due to a hamstring injury and did not practice on Wednesday. Should he be inactive in Week 8, Khalil Herbert would be Bijan Robinson’s Week 8 RB handcuff.

Seahawks RB Emanuel Wilson has had at least 20 touches in three of the last four weeks, but with Zach Charbonnet’s (ACL) practice window open and Jadarian Price (chest) expected to return to practice this week, Wilson’s role is almost certainly about to change. As this article is being written, the Seahawks haven’t revealed how they’ll distribute touches among the three RBs should all three be active in Week 8. It’s a situation that needs to be watched closely as kickoff approaches. 

Josh Jacobs made his season debut in Week 7 and played the most snaps of any Packers RB. He was more effective as a pass catcher than a runner last week, but Jacobs is clearly the team’s lead RB. MarShawn Lloyd, who had six touches and two catches in Week 7, appears to have settled in as Jacobs’ Week 8 RB handcuff.

Cam Skattebo had a big Week 7 and appears to be out of coach John Harbaugh’s doghouse. He rushed for 124 yards and scored a TD. Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary also scored TDs for the Giants in Week 7, but unfortunately Tracy Jr. suffered a hamstring injury that caused him to be placed on IR. He will have to miss the Giants’ next four games. Singletary, who scored a game-winning OT TD in Week 7, will likely be Skattebo’s RB handcuff beginning in Week 9. The Giants added Greg Desrosiers to their roster as a depth piece this week as well.

Based on snaps played, Rhamondre Stevenson, at least for the time being, appears to be the Patriots’ lead RB. However, when actual touches are taken into consideration, the Pats’ backfield is starting to look like a three-headed monster. TreVeyon Henderson was second in snaps played among Pats RBs in Week 7, but Corey Kiner had the second most carries from among the group. Henderson should be considered Stevenson’s RB handcuff, but the Patriots use a hot hand approach in managing their backfield, making all three of their active RBs difficult to trust on a weekly basis. 

 

 

 

How to Find the Best RB Handcuffs

With the way the 2026 fantasy football season has played out so far, finding a RB without an injury designation is the best way to find a RB handcuff. However, due to the volatile nature of the position, there always seems to be RB handcuff who is ready to turn the fantasy football RB rankings upside down.

Broncos RB Jonah Coleman upended the team’s RB depth chart with his Week 7 performance. The Broncos offense needed a spark, and in his first game back from IR due to a high ankle sprain, Coleman provided it. He rushed for 54 yards on nine carries (6 YPC) and added two receptions for 15 yards. Head coach Sean Payton, who has taken over play- calling duties, acknowledged that Coleman has earned more opportunities moving forward. 

Dylan Sampson is another RB handcuff who had a productive Week 7. In his first game back since the Browns placed him on IR after suffering a Week 1 knee injury, Sampson rushed for 45 yards (7.5 YPC) and had three receptions for 32 yards. He scored just over 10 PPR fantasy points in Week 7 and, moving forward, should be considered Quinshon Judkins’ RB handcuff.

Top 5 RB Handcuffs for 2026 Ahead of Week 8

Mike Washington Jr., Raiders

Ashton Jeanty has been a productive pass-catching back, averaging just under five catches per game this season, but he has struggled when running the ball. He’s averaged just over nine touches and 2.3 YPC in his last three games. If the Raiders decide to reduce Jeanty’s role, Washington Jr. will likely be the Raiders’ RB who’ll get more touches. He only has 40 carries this season, but Washington Jr. has made the most of them, averaging 4.9 YPC. Washington Jr. has scored a rushing TD as well. 

Seth McGowan, Colts

With the Colts seemingly in rebuild mode, there’s been speculation that they might opt to move Jonathan Taylor before the November 10th trade deadline. That would leave McGowan as the team’s lead back. McGowan played a season-high 20 snaps in Week 7 and was surprisingly effective against the Vikings’ stout run defense. 

Tyjae Spears, Titans

We highlighted Spears as Tony Pollard’s RB handcuff, but he’s dealing with a knee injury that forced him to be inactive in Week 7. Pollard is another RB who could be moved prior to the NFL Trade deadline. When healthy, Spears has been the next man up in the Titans backfield. However, with Spears inactive in Week 7, Michael Carter was Pollard’s RB handcuff. Julius Chestnut and Nicholas Singleton are also depth pieces in the Titans backfield that should be on your watch list. Singleton is an intriguing rookie who’s only seen action in three games for the Titans but had good success in his college career at Penn State.  

Samaje Perine, Bengals

Chase Brown struggled again in Week 7 and is averaging just 3.5 YPC this season. He has a good matchup against the Titans in Week 8, but if he continues to underperform, Perine could see an increased role as the season progresses.

Roschon Johnson, Bears

With Kyle Monangai sidelined since Week 4 due to a turf toe and thumb injury, Johnson has temporarily replaced him as D’Andre Swift’s RB handcuff. The Bears love to run the football, and they try to avoid having Swift play more than 50 snaps per game. That gives Johnson the chance to play a meaningful number of snaps while Monangai is unavailable. There are reports that Monangai has a chance to play in Week 8, but while he’s out, Johnson is an important RB handcuff.