This is the penultimate handcuff report as we are winding down for the 2023 season. Week 12 saw a few running backs finally pop off, another (Kyren Williams) make his return in grand fashion and one who returned in a reduced role (Dameon Pierce). As we roll on toward the fantasy playoffs, keeping tabs on trends with snap and touch counts is important. In the blurbs below, I will highlight one player who needs to be added this week.
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Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Rankings (Week 13)
Handcuff Notes From Week 12
Now, for what I saw at the position this week, followed by the handcuff ranks for Week 13. Some injuries could open up playing time for a few backfields, so we need to monitor those this week:
- Devin Singletary played 81% of the snaps in a competitive game against Jacksonville on Sunday. Dameon Pierce was relegated to mostly spot duty and appears to have taken the back seat for Houston.
- Bijan Robinson appears to have taken the reigns of Atlanta’s backfield, garnering a 63% snap share and getting all of the third-down snaps. Robinson parlayed that into 19 touches for 123 total yards and two scores. If you were patient, you could be paid handsomely down the stretch.
- Jonathan Taylor had a nice day, finishing with 91 yards and two touchdowns. He did cede some work to Zack Moss (roughly a 60/40 split on snaps), but Taylor getting there in a tough matchup is a net positive. However, according to Ian Rapoport, Taylor picked up a thumb injury in Sunday’s contest. If he were to miss time, this is once again Moss’s backfield.
- Kyren Williams is back, and he smashed on Sunday, totaling 204 yards and three touchdowns. Sean McVay has always favored a bell-cow running back, so Williams will be a weekly RB1 down the stretch. For what it’s worth, Royce Freeman rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown in the game, so if you need the handcuff, Freeman would be the guy.
- Rhamondre Stevenson has some life, even as the Patriots seem to be tanking their season. Stevenson received 26 touches on Sunday, rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown. In PPR leagues, his five receptions were nice to see, even if they are a bit of an outlier this season.
Handcuff Rankings
- Zack Moss (IND)
- Zach Charbonnet (SEA)
- Jaylen Warren (PIT) – Still in a 50/50 timeshare
- D’Ernest Johnson (JAX) – Season high 47% snap share Sunday
- Rico Dowdle (DAL)
- Keaton Mitchell (BAL) – Season-high 46% snap share Sunday
- AJ Dillon (GB)
- Ty Chandler (MIN)
- Tyler Allgeier (ATL)
- Elijah Mitchell (SF)
- Kareem Hunt (CLE)
- Tyjae Spears (TEN)
- Dameon Pierce (HOU)
- Miles Sanders (CAR)
- Joshua Kelley (LAC)
Other names to consider: Ty Johnson (BUF), Kenneth Gainwell (PHI), Michael Carter (ARI)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Starter: Travis Etienne
- Handcuff: D’Ernest Johnson
Perhaps the Jaguars are trying to keep Travis Etienne fresh (although his 24 touches suggest otherwise). Perhaps Doug Pederson is trying to add a new wrinkle. Whatever it is, D’Ernest Johnson’s snap rates over the last two weeks have climbed significantly. Jacksonville’s offense is starting to take off, and Johnson is a worthwhile piece to invest in, especially if you have Etienne. Tank Bigsby has been a non-factor, as he had just one touch on Sunday. Johnson has shown the ability to be serviceable in the past (he rushed for 534 yards with Cleveland in 2021), and I would venture to guess Pederson prefers a veteran in this spot. Johnson is well worth a look if he is available in your league.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Committee: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren
I feel compelled to touch on the Steelers here because they looked much improved as a unit in their first game without Matt Canada. Najee Harris ran for 99 yards and a touchdown, looking much closer to the 2021 version of himself than he has in quite some time. Jaylen Warren was still plenty involved with 16 touches for 62 yards, although that was a bit disappointing coming off his big game against Cleveland last week.
The surface-level analysis is that this is still a 50/50 split. However, it should be noted that Harris scored after Warren got the ball down inside the 10-yard line on three straight carries. If Pittsburgh’s offense continues to improve, both backs are viable. With the Steelers facing a soft upcoming schedule (Arizona, New England, Indianapolis and Cincinnati), they could be in positive gamescripts to help these two along.
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Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.
