I draft a lot of running backs.

But I don't want to fill my bench with backups just because they're listed second on a depth chart.

The handcuffs I want need something more.

If the starter disappears tomorrow, can this player realistically become someone I would put into my fantasy lineup?

That's the question.

A good handcuff can go from barely usable to a weekly fantasy starter because of one injury, suspension or depth-chart change.

And late in drafts, that's exactly the type of upside I'm looking for.

These rankings are based on:

• Potential workload if the starter misses time
• Quality of the offense
• Receiving and touchdown upside
• Competition behind the starter
• Talent
• Current cost
• Whether the player already has any standalone value

Here are my Top 10 RB handcuffs for 2026 fantasy football drafts.

1. MarShawn Lloyd — Green Bay Packers

Starter: Josh Jacobs

MarShawn Lloyd is my No. 1 handcuff.

And right now, he has something almost nobody else on this list has:

Two different paths to becoming significantly more valuable.

The first is obvious.

Josh Jacobs could get hurt.

The second is unique to this situation.

Jacobs could still face NFL discipline stemming from his offseason legal situation.

Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has publicly acknowledged that the Packers have prepared for the possibility of Jacobs being suspended.

No suspension has been announced.

That distinction matters.

But the uncertainty is real.

And Lloyd appears positioned to benefit if Jacobs misses games.

Why Lloyd Is No. 1

Lloyd has spent the summer healthy after injuries essentially erased his first two NFL seasons.

More importantly, Green Bay has actually given him opportunities with the starting offense.

During preseason action, Lloyd played five of the seven snaps on the Packers' opening drive with the starters.

That's the type of usage I want to see from a handcuff.

I don't need to guess which young running back the coaching staff likes most.

They're showing us.

The Risk

Lloyd doesn't necessarily inherit every Josh Jacobs touch.

Chris Brooks is still in the room.

Green Bay could also add another veteran if Jacobs receives a lengthy suspension.

And Lloyd's own injury history cannot simply be ignored.

But no other cheap back gives me this combination of:

• Potential immediate opportunity
• Good offense
• Receiving ability
• Injury upside
• Possible suspension upside

If I'm drafting Jacobs, I'm aggressively trying to leave with Lloyd.

Even if I don't draft Jacobs, Lloyd is one of my favorite late-round RB bets.

Handcuff Rank: 1

2. Blake Corum — Los Angeles Rams

Starter: Kyren Williams

Blake Corum might be the cleanest traditional handcuff on this list.

We already know Sean McVay trusts him.

We already know Los Angeles is willing to give him carries.

And we know what being the lead running back in a McVay offense can mean for fantasy.

Kyren Williams handled 259 carries for 1,252 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns last season.

Corum spent the year firmly behind him.

That's exactly what makes Corum interesting.

Why I Want Corum

If Williams misses time, the Rams do not need to completely redesign their offense.

Corum can step into a large portion of the rushing role.

He's not some developmental rookie we're hoping the coaching staff suddenly trusts.

He has already been in the system for multiple seasons.

That makes him easier to project than most handcuffs.

The Rams also just traded Jarquez Hunter to Miami.

One less back in the room only strengthens Corum's position.

The Risk

Williams remains one of McVay's favorite players.

As long as he's healthy, Corum's standalone ceiling is limited.

That means Corum could spend most of the season sitting on your bench.

I'm fine with that.

That's what a true handcuff is supposed to be.

If Williams misses games, Corum immediately becomes someone I'm comfortable starting.

Handcuff Rank: 2

3. Brian Robinson Jr. — Atlanta Falcons

Starter: Bijan Robinson

Brian Robinson is probably too good to feel like a normal backup.

But that's exactly why he's this high.

Atlanta brought him in to replace Tyler Allgeier as the physical complement behind Bijan Robinson.

The Falcons themselves have pointed out that Brian has already proven capable of handling more than 200 carries in an NFL season.

That's significant.

He Already Has a Role

Brian Robinson doesn't need a Bijan injury to touch the football.

Atlanta has discussed using him as the physical element of the backfield, including potential short-yardage and goal-line work.

That gives him a better weekly floor than several players on this list.

But the real appeal is what happens if Bijan misses time.

Brian has already demonstrated he can handle NFL volume.

There wouldn't be much projection involved.

Kevin Stefanski's History Is Interesting

Stefanski has experience managing a backfield with a superstar starter and another useful running back.

In 2022, Nick Chubb handled 329 touches in Cleveland.

Kareem Hunt still received 158.

That doesn't mean Atlanta copies those exact numbers.

It does show that Stefanski doesn't need to completely erase the second running back.

Brian Robinson could already have some value.

If Bijan misses time, the ceiling becomes much larger.

Handcuff Rank: 3

4. Tank Bigsby — Philadelphia Eagles

Starter: Saquon Barkley

Sometimes the offense is half the reason I want the handcuff.

That's the case here.

Philadelphia's current depth chart lists:

Saquon Barkley — RB1

Tank Bigsby — RB2

That's all I really need to get interested.

The Eagles Running Environment

If Barkley misses time, I want whoever gets the first opportunity behind this offensive line and alongside Jalen Hurts.

Bigsby has already shown he can handle legitimate NFL rushing volume.

He's physical.

He can run between the tackles.

And Philadelphia has now had more than a year to integrate him into the offense after acquiring him during the 2025 season.

Will Shipley could still be involved, especially in the passing game.

But I'm betting Bigsby gets the first opportunity to handle the bulk of the traditional rushing work.

The Jalen Hurts Problem

There is one downside.

Goal-line work in Philadelphia is never as valuable for a running back as it would be elsewhere because Hurts is always a threat to score himself.

That lowers Bigsby's absolute ceiling.

It doesn't eliminate it.

If Barkley misses games, Bigsby becomes immediately interesting.

Handcuff Rank: 4

5. Ray Davis — Buffalo Bills

Starter: James Cook

This is another offense I want access to.

James Cook rushed for 1,621 yards last season.

Buffalo knows how to create rushing production.

If Cook misses time, Ray Davis becomes extremely interesting.

We've Already Seen Enough

Davis isn't an unknown rookie.

He averaged 4.7 yards per carry last season on limited volume.

And he's continued contributing both as a runner and receiver this preseason.

That's important because I don't want a handcuff whose only path to fantasy production is 20 carries.

Davis can catch passes too.

Why He's Not Higher

Buffalo has two major touchdown problems for any backup RB.

First:

Josh Allen.

Allen will always take some valuable rushing opportunities himself.

Second:

Ty Johnson can remain involved in passing situations.

So a Cook injury probably doesn't turn Davis into a 90% snap player.

It doesn't need to.

A meaningful rushing role in Buffalo is still valuable.

Handcuff Rank: 5

6. Mike Washington Jr. — Las Vegas Raiders

Starter: Ashton Jeanty

This one is getting interesting quickly.

Las Vegas traded up in the fourth round to draft Mike Washington Jr.

He then went out and had one of the better preseasons of any rookie running back.

And now Ashton Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury.

The Physical Profile Is Ridiculous

Washington measured around 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds.

Then he ran a 4.33 forty at the Combine.

That's an absurd size-speed combination.

The Raiders didn't draft him simply to fill out the depth chart.

Their official depth chart currently has him directly behind Jeanty.

And when Jeanty left practice injured, Washington received exclusive first-team opportunities.

He even caught a touchdown during red-zone work.

If Jeanty Misses Time

Washington would be my favorite Raiders running back.

Could Las Vegas add another veteran?

Absolutely.

That's one reason he isn't ranked alongside Lloyd or Corum.

But based on the current roster, Washington has the clearest path to replacing Jeanty's early-down workload.

The fact that he's already flashing as a receiver makes the ceiling even better.

If you drafted Jeanty, I strongly prefer having Washington too.

Handcuff Rank: 6

7. Kaelon Black — San Francisco 49ers

Starter: Christian McCaffrey

This could eventually look too low.

The upside is obvious.

Christian McCaffrey had an enormous workload last season and is now 30 years old.

If anything happens to him, the running back behind him immediately becomes one of the most discussed waiver-wire players in fantasy.

The problem?

We don't completely know who that player is yet.

Why I Prefer Black

Kyle Shanahan said San Francisco had Kaelon Black graded as the second-best running back in the entire 2026 draft class.

Only Jeremiyah Love ranked ahead of him on their board.

That is one of the strongest coach evaluations we've gotten on any rookie back.

San Francisco then selected Black in the third round.

He has also finished the preseason strongly after working back from an adductor injury.

Jordan James Is the Problem

The 49ers' current depth chart lists both Jordan James and Black behind McCaffrey.

That's why Black isn't inside my top five.

A McCaffrey injury could create a committee rather than one automatic replacement.

But if Black separates from James during the regular season?

He could fly up this ranking.

There are very few late-round running backs with a potential Kyle Shanahan lead-back role sitting on the other side of one injury.

I'm willing to make that bet.

Handcuff Rank: 7

8. Emmett Johnson — Kansas City Chiefs

Starter: Kenneth Walker III

This one requires more projection.

Kansas City's current depth chart actually has:

1. Kenneth Walker
2. Emari Demercado
3. Emmett Johnson

So why is Johnson on this list?

Because I'm betting on the rookie eventually becoming more valuable than the current depth chart suggests.

Johnson Keeps Producing

In his first two preseason games:

19 carries

84 rushing yards

1 rushing touchdown

4 receptions

Andy Reid has already publicly praised what Johnson has shown.

His college profile is even more interesting.

At Nebraska last season:

1,451 rushing yards

46 receptions

370 receiving yards

15 total touchdowns

That's a three-down profile.

Demercado Can't Be Ignored

If Walker gets hurt tomorrow, I don't think Johnson automatically receives 20 touches.

Demercado likely remains involved.

That keeps Johnson below the cleaner handcuffs.

But fantasy football isn't only about what the depth chart looks like today.

I'm betting Johnson eventually earns more trust.

If he becomes Kansas City's clear No. 2 during the season, his contingent value skyrockets.

At his price, I'm willing to draft before that happens.

Handcuff Rank: 8

9. Jaylen Wright — Miami Dolphins

Starter: De'Von Achane

Jaylen Wright is beginning to separate in Miami's RB2 battle.

When Achane sat during the preseason, Wright started.

He played every snap on Miami's opening drive and 12 of its first 16 offensive snaps.

That's much more useful than simply reading an unofficial depth chart.

The Dolphins were actually treating him like the next back up.

We've Seen the Contingent Upside Before

When Achane left a game last season with a rib injury, Wright handled 24 carries.

He turned them into:

107 yards

1 touchdown

That is exactly the evidence I want from a handcuff.

We've already seen Miami give Wright significant volume when Achane isn't available.

Miami Just Added Another RB

The Tutu Atwell trade adds a new variable.

Miami acquired Jarquez Hunter from Los Angeles.

Ollie Gordon II is still in the room too.

That makes Wright less secure than he looked a week ago.

But Hunter is arriving extremely late in camp and Wright has already spent the summer earning the No. 2 role.

For now, Wright remains the Dolphins handcuff I want.

Handcuff Rank: 9

10. Tyler Allgeier — Arizona Cardinals

Starter: Jeremiyah Love

Allgeier is different from most players on this list.

He already has standalone value.

Arizona plans to use him even when Jeremiyah Love is healthy.

That's part of why I like him.

We've Already Seen Allgeier Handle Volume

Allgeier has a 1,000-yard rushing season on his NFL résumé.

We don't need to project whether he can handle 15-plus carries.

He's done it.

Arizona signed him before drafting Love, and Allgeier spent much of training camp working with the first-team offense before Love gradually took over more of those snaps.

Even after that transition, the two continued rotating.

Love's Ankle Adds Another Reason

Love is currently working back from an ankle injury.

Recent reports have been encouraging for his Week 1 availability.

That's good news for Love.

It doesn't change why I like Allgeier.

If Love is eased into the season, Allgeier could have additional early opportunity.

And if Love misses time at any point?

Allgeier has already demonstrated that he can handle an NFL rushing workload.

James Conner creates another variable in this room, which keeps Allgeier at No. 10.

But at his price, I still want him.

Handcuff Rank: 10

My Top 10

1. MarShawn Lloyd — Josh Jacobs
2. Blake Corum — Kyren Williams
3. Brian Robinson Jr. — Bijan Robinson
4. Tank Bigsby — Saquon Barkley
5. Ray Davis — James Cook
6. Mike Washington Jr. — Ashton Jeanty
7. Kaelon Black — Christian McCaffrey
8. Emmett Johnson — Kenneth Walker III
9. Jaylen Wright — De'Von Achane
10. Tyler Allgeier — Jeremiyah Love

My Fantasy Read

I don't draft handcuffs because I'm trying to predict injuries.

I draft them because I'm trying to build a bench where every player has a path to becoming significantly more valuable.

That's the difference.

A low-ceiling backup receiver might sit on your bench for six weeks and never enter your lineup.

A running back like MarShawn Lloyd could go from a late-round pick to someone you're considering starting immediately if Josh Jacobs misses games.

That's asymmetric upside.

It's also why I don't necessarily need to handcuff my own running backs.

If I draft Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson makes sense.

But if I don't have Bijan and Brian falls?

I still want him.

The best outcome isn't simply protecting your starter.

It's rostering the player whose value can explode if somebody else's starter goes down.

And right now, MarShawn Lloyd is the handcuff I want most in 2026 fantasy drafts.