Handcuffing ranks among the most overrated and incorrectly utilized strategies in fantasy football.
OK, maybe that wasn't the best way
http://www.coltsshopauthentic.com/shop-by-players-13-ty-hilton-jersey-c-1_5.html to lead an article about handcuffs.
Let's try this again: Handcuffing can be a valuable tool in fantasy football, if you do it correctly.
That's better.
In a nutshell, some backups are very good players, while others are not. In the event of an injury, some would be positioned for a clear path to a large share of touches, while others would see only a slight uptick in work. Most of your opponents will be thinking about handcuffs only at running back, so you can gain an advantage by selecting those at other positions as well.
When considering handcuffs, the best game plan is to select players with high ceilings should the player ahead of them on the depth chart miss time. For example, should Ezekiel Elliott get hurt (or suspended, due to recent developments), Darren McFadden would take on a workhorse role in Dallas. If Jay Ajayi goes down, however, the likes of Damien Williams and Kenyan Drake would split backfield duties. If you were the guy or gal who picked Ajayi, don't cross McFadden off your list in favor of upgrading Drake or Williams. Pick the guy who can win you a league championship, not a player barely worth flex consideration.
Below are 10 handcuff situations worth
http://www.officialchargesshop.com/shop-by-players-jason-verrett-jersey-c-1_25.html monitoring in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft. The fantasy value of each will skyrocket if the teammate above him on the depth chart is injured. You'll notice that I ignored players who will be drafted too early to be considered value picks (e.g. Derrick Henry, Tevin Coleman, Adrian Peterson). As the likes of Ben Tate and Christine Michael have shown in past years, Henry and Coleman are prime examples of handcuffing gone wrong. You should be focusing on maximizing your starting lineup early and taking high-ceiling fliers later.
For updated handcuff information and advice throughout the season, be sure to check out our fantasy depth charts: QB | RB | WR | TE
Beat your league mates to the punch by stashing these players on your bench.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Likely to be a midround pick, Hunt borders on "too expensive" for a handcuff, but there are a few reasons he makes the cut. For starters, similar to Coleman in Atlanta, Hunt is positioned for an offensive role even with Spencer Ware healthy. In fact, ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher recently predicted that Hunt would lead the team's backfield in both rushing and receiving as a rookie. That's certainly a bold prediction, but at a
Zack Martin Womens Jersey minimum it shows that Hunt will undoubtedly be in for a huge workload in the event of a Ware injury. Hunt is an extremely elusive back who can contribute on all three downs. Over the years, Andy Reid has made heavy use of, and had tons of success with, versatile backs -- LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, Jamaal Charles -- and Hunt is positioned to follow in their footsteps.
