This article cuts through the noise on six NFL backfields, identifying the best running backs backing up star RB1s. These backs are ideal handcuffs to target in fantasy football drafts this season.
| TEAM | RUNNING BACK | ADP |
|---|---|---|
| Bills Handcuff | Ray Davis | RB65 |
| Chargers Handcuff | Kimani Vidal | RB61 |
| 49ers Handcuff | Kaelon Black | RB69 |
| Jets Handcuff | Isaiah Davis | RB130 |
| Packers Handcuff | MarShawn Lloyd | RB67 |
| Colts Handcuff | DJ Giddens/ Seth McGowan | RB131/ RB132 |
James Cook Handcuff
The false handcuff in this case is Ty Johnson, whose technical distinction as the RB2 behind Cook smudges over the fact that Johnson plays an entirely different position than Cook. Johnson is not the replacement for Cook's functions. Johnson's functions are separate as an RB-WR tweener. Ray Davis is the true handcuff to Cook.
Ray Davis Fantasy Football Outlook
That Johnson plays more snaps than Davis is because the Bills offense features more snaps for Johnson's RB-WR hybrid position than it does for the true RB2. If Cook were to miss a game, though, the RB-WR hybrid position would be unlikely to see a meaningful increase in snaps. More likely, the RB-WR hybrid position (Johnson) would stay close to the same, while the RB2 would more or less replace Cook.
There's reason to believe Davis is prepared to start and play well if the call ever comes. At 5-foot-8, 211, Davis has a low, anchored build that lends well to withstanding volume, and he's a capable passing-down contributor. Davis was a workhorse in college and would be the same in the NFL if Cook's immovable talent weren't in the way.
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Omarion Hampton Handcuff
Keaton Mitchell is a good player as an off-the-bench speed specialist, but he's a false handcuff as it relates to Omarion Hampton. The true handcuff pick for the Chargers backfield is Kimani Vidal.
Kimani Vidal Fantasy Football Outlook
Vidal's 2025 season was a fair representation of what he is: a guy who get the job done, including on passing downs, but also a guy who won't raise the level of your offense. In other words, he's a close to ideal backup.
Vidal cannot match the one-play explosiveness of Mitchell, especially as a runner, but Vidal profiles better than Mitchell as a starter because Vidal (5-8, 213) is much better built to withstand volume than Mitchell (5-8, 179) and because Vidal is much better on passing downs than Mitchell.
Mitchell is neither trustworthy in blitz pickup nor as a pass catcher. If the Chargers don't have Hampton for a game, then they'll need Vidal to keep the offense on track while Mitchell otherwise continues to function as an explosive low-volume rushing specialist.
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Christian McCaffrey Handcuff
It's not yet known what the prognosis is for Jordan James as he recovers from a fractured rib, but if James is absent then the clear RB2 behind McCaffrey is rookie third-round pick Kaelon Black.
Kaelon Black Fantasy Football Outlook
Black (5-9, 211) ran a 4.46-second pro day 40 after he was snubbed by the NFL Combine, and he was generally productive with the football throughout his six-year collegiate career. He was never a starter in college, however, with undrafted rookie Roman Hemby starting ahead of Black in 2025 and the non-prospect duo of Ty'Son Lawton and Justice Ellison in 2024.
The fact that Black couldn't take snaps away from any of Hemby, Lawton or Ellison — all undrafted — implies Black might have passing-down limitations. If Black struggles on passing downs then he might not be able to seize the RB2 role behind McCaffrey, even if James stays out.
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Breece Hall Handcuff
We have at least one false handcuff here in Braelon Allen. The question is whether Isaiah Davis can emerge as a real RB2 behind Hall, or if Davis and Allen would work a timeshare in the event that Hall were to miss a game.
Isaiah Davis Fantasy Football Outlook
There is no serious question about who is better between Davis and Allen. Davis is a proven producer and Allen is merely a muscle meme.
Through two years Davis and Allen have the same rushing yardage total — 410 yards — but Davis did it on 73 carries (5.6 YPC) while Allen needed 110 tries to plod his way to the same total (3.7 YPC). As a receiver Davis has also been plainly better, turning 40 targets into 30 receptions for 251 yards and one touchdown (75.0 percent catch rate, 6.5 YPT). Allen's 30 targets resulted in 21 receptions for 165 yards and one touchdown (70.0 percent catch rate, 5.5 YPT).
Davis averaging 1.9 more yards per carry and a yard more per target than Allen makes sense, because Davis is an NFL-viable athlete at running back and Allen is not. Allen likely ran a 4.8 40 even before he bulked up to about 250 pounds from 235 previously, whereas Davis ran a 4.57-second 40 at 218.
Nobody sticks at running back while running a 4.8. Those are called fullbacks.
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Josh Jacobs Handcuff
This one is unclear, with former third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd competing against Chris Brooks, but it generally seems like Lloyd is the only one of the two who could thrive from scrimmage.
MarShawn Lloyd Fantasy Football Outlook
Although Brooks might rank ahead of Lloyd for some or all of the 2026 season, Brooks' role is mostly a nod to his reliability on passing downs, especially in blitz pickup. If Brooks is on the field the passing game can function as it normally would.
If Brooks is on the field the run game probably cannot function as it normally would, however. The Packers would likely need someone else to pick up that slack — Brooks is not conventionally threatening from scrimmage — and for now Lloyd is the only guy on the Packers roster who can do that.
Lloyd's remarkably long injury history isn't his only obstacle: Lloyd was a prolific fumbler in college and dropped way too many passes. But if Lloyd is healthy and somehow gets a hold of the football, few guys are tougher to tackle. Lloyd runs with a hot motor and has real raw strength and speed to work with. In short, in Green Bay it's probably true to say that it's either Lloyd at RB2 or it's nobody.
Jonathan Taylor Handcuff
The slight favorite is 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens, but this one is unsettled. According to Colts.com it was Giddens who took the majority of first-team reps while Jonathan Taylor sat Friday. Giddens is believed to be competing with 2026 seventh-round pick Seth McGowan to back up Taylor, but coach Shane Steichen previously said Giddens' advantage is due to his additional year in the Colts offense. Whether that advantage holds as time passes remains to be seen.
While Giddens or McGowan could win the RB2 job behind Taylor, it's possible the answer to this question is "neither," because the Colts are a prime candidate to acquire a veteran by trade.
DJ Giddens and Seth McGowan Fantasy Football Outlooks
Giddens (6-0, 212) is lighter than McGowan (6-0, 223) but only marginally faster, logging a 4.43-second 40 compared to McGowan's 4.49. In terms of size-adjusted athleticism, either Giddens and McGowan are roughly equal or McGowan is slightly better.
Both players are relatively unproven as passing-down options. Giddens did not earn the passing-down role in 2025 despite the opportunity being wide open. According to NFL.com's prospect profiles, both Giddens and McGowan struggled somewhat in blitz pickup in college.
Giddens was a highly productive runner at Kansas State, and McGowan started over and outplayed 2026 fourth-round pick Mike Washington when the two played at New Mexico State. If Taylor misses time then Giddens and McGowan could prove themselves something like equals – that's one way the answer to this question could be "neither," while the other way would be if the Colts decided to trade for a veteran back.
