PRO Trashman’s 2021 Fantasy RB Handcuff Guide
Members of RosterWatch Nation looking to “handcuff” one of their front-line running backs (to handcuff means to draft or acquire a star player’s backup as insurance in case that player loses time do to injury or other circumstances) can check out Trashman’s Handcuff breakdown sheet below.
Please also note that “handcuffing” is not just for your own players. It is perfectly fine to draft the handcuffs of players drafted by other members of your league so as not to allow your league-mate to. This is a more aggressive and high-upside way of rostering backup running backs as you can technically add an extra viable starter to your roster WITHOUT LOSING ANOTHER, while traditional handcuffing is a more conservative tactic, as it basically only serves as insurance should trouble strike with one of your own key starters.
As for explanation of the tool: A few years back, one of our PRO members asked in the comments section of an article for a running back handcuff tool to use in drafts as a supplement to the cheat sheet. Since, Trashman has made this little sheet every year as a quick reference. It’s taken the top 25-or-so running backs and assigned each one a “level” of handcuff viability. The sheet should be pretty easily understood, but it basically lets you know if the running back you are considering has a “handcuff” you should aim to select at some point during the draft, and the general level of importance in aiming to secure that handcuff. The three levels are “must handcuff,” “might want to handcuff,” and “low priority handcuff,” along with a section with notes if there is no true handcuff. As with all supplemental draft tools, this is not a substitute for the cheat sheet and is merely reference material to aid in identifying whether or not to handcuff players. It is a personal decision depending on your risk aversion regarding how/when to handcuff as outlined above. If you must “reach” a small bit for certain players in the “valuable handcuff” cell, you are allowed to deviate ever so slightly from the sheet at the appropriate time to make that happen if you are dead set on making sure your important early round investments are insured to some degree. BUT REMEMBER – you do not have to handcuff players you have drafted. If a player is labeled as a “Valuable Handcuff”, it only means that the player should be OWNED in most 12 team leagues due to his value should the starter go down. The decision to handcuff is always left up to you.
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I have a 12 team full point ppr league drafting this Friday on ESPN. We start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 K, 1 DEF, and have 5 bench spots. We are forced to draft a kicker and a defense in the draft. Since our draft is roughly two weeks before the regular season begins, what do you think about dropping the kicker and defense after the draft to grab some additional upside RBs or WRs? Is this a bad idea?
That is a great idea unless you draft a super elite def / k by chance
Yo Trashman…. Adam Kaplan is claiming Hubbard will not be the player to own behind CMC…. He says it is Smith…. Thoughts???
Trashman is so disgusting KW. Still, if I take anything from Caplan’s comments- there’s not really any handcuff worth owning or at least going out of the way for in CAR. Which basically confirms what I’ve always thought. Also, Hubbard isn’t a great prospect.
Thanks for the input! Let’s just hope he makes it through the whole season unscathed!
I keep doing mock drafts and Julio Jones keeps coming up, can you tell me why I need to pick him in the forth round? Am I missing something? He is 32 years old has an injury and who know.
If you hate him, take the next guy on the sheet
Thank you just trying not to bastardized the magical cheat sheet
Starting in a new 12 team standard league. Should I go with the standard .5ppr sheet or 2QB one, only reason I’m asking it’s 6 points per TD plus bonus points for yards? Thanks for everything over the last few seasons.
Once I’d grab my first QB I could always go back to standard sheet.
Just use the STD sheet- I have QBs up a little higher this year. If you need to “reach” for a QB a little as the daft progresses and your roster is filling out- that’s fine
Thanks for all the great work
10 team standard league with 2 keepers. No round alignment – just two keepers that become picks 1 and 2. Absent a trade, my keepers would be Dalvin Cook and either Kittle or Carson. I have two offers for Cook: Ekeler/Ridley or any 2 of Mixon, Diggs, and CEH. Any of those offers a big enough upgrade to deal Dalvin?
Yeah, I would take Cook for any of those deals. I’d prob go Ekeler Ridley – but the other options are totally fine too. Diggs + either of those RBs is solid.
*I mean I would trade Cook for either of those deals
12 team 1 ppr.
A.J. Brown in the 4th
T.J. Hocks son in the 13th
Usually I go with the best player but I’m just curious if I am crazy to pass up that value on Hock. Thanks guys! Excited for another year
I’d prob keep Hock
Hey Bryon King in the north here… What round is too early for Javone Williams??In love with this guys talent and you guys are the kings of being ahead of the crowd..Thanks
I’m not ready to take him in RD4, yet. I think if you love him in a 12 tm you can go RD5. But, I would like to get him in RD6+ if at all possible
Will this continue to be updated as we get closer to the season start? Will it be updated through out the season? This seems to remain valuable throughout.
On another note, I’m not sure which comment box to put this, but I’m in a league where we will be drafting approximately 264 offensive players, team defenses and kickers. Is there a list this long of players? Thank you.
So I was running simulations with ppr v7.3 cheat sheet for upcoming draft I have. League setup is 1qb, 2rb, 2wr, te, flx, k, def, with typical ppr scoring. I already know I am picking the 11 slot. Most simulations I have been able to get hill/diggs to start wr/wr. However I ran one tonight and had a very interesting choice. I got Hill in pick 1.11 and with pick 1.02 my choice per cheat sheet should have been Kelce. I typically never take a te that early. I know I wouldn’t get Mahomes as my qb to have just an ungodly stack. So I took najee.
Was that the right choice?
This is Eaglesfan3535 btw BHB commish. Yeah I gotta throw that in there!
So I have another question regarding drafting Julio Jones. Same league setup as above and scoring. 1qb, 2rb, 2wr, te, flx, k, def, with typical ppr scoring. I already know I am picking the 11 slot. As mentioned above as well I generally get diggs/hill to start.
I have almost always got Julio Jones per cheat sheat at 3.11. Researching seems the cheat sheet is suggesting Jones higher when he could be drafted several spots later if not maybe a full round later. Looking at the WR and QB SOS/Fast Start schedule, TEN has a score of 4 for fast start. Is it that plus having AJ Brown on the other side that has RWNation higher on Jones?
You still show Sony on New England. Can we get some updated info with drafts happening
Will this updated soon? I’m drafting tomorrow and will use it.