Welcome to the fantasy football running back depth charts and handcuffs page.
This is a guide for which running backs have the lead role and who is next in line in the backfield.
By deciphering each team’s depth chart, you’ll have an edge on your opponents when finding the next running back who can take the job and run with it, also known as handcuffs.
Let’s take a look at the running back depth charts for each NFL team.
Fantasy Football RB Handcuff Outlook
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You can also get a sense of where each running back stacks up among the broader player pool with our fantasy football rankings.
Now, on to the RB handcuff breakdowns, outlined in the table below.
NFL Week 15 RB Handcuff Ranks
| Rk | Team | Running Back | Next In Line | Watch | Job Security | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Jordan Mason | Elijah Mitchell (Q) | GREAT | |
| 2 | Rams | Kyren Williams | Ronnie Rivers | Royce Freeman | GREAT | |
| 3 | Buccaneers | Rachaad White | Chase Edmonds | Sean Tucker | GREAT | |
| 4 | Bills | James Cook | Latavius Murray | Ty Johnson | GREAT | |
| 5 | Saints | Alvin Kamara | Jamaal Williams | Kendre Miller | GREAT | |
| 6 | Lions | Jahmyr Gibbs | David Montgomery | Craig Reynolds | COMMITTEE | |
| 7 | Jaguars | Travis Etienne | D'Ernest Johnson | Tank Bigsby | GREAT | |
| 8 | Dolphins | Raheem Mostert | De'Von Achane | Jeff Wilson Jr. | COMMITTEE | |
| 9 | Falcons | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier | Cordarrelle Patterson | GREAT | |
| 10 | Giants | Saquon Barkley | Matt Breida | Eric Gray | GREAT | |
| 11 | Colts | JONATHAN TAYLOR | Zack Moss | Trey Sermon | GREAT | Taylor looks ready to return. |
| 12 | Chiefs | ISIAH PACHECO | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Jerick McKinnon | GREAT | Pacheco could be back in Week 16. |
| 13 | Raiders | JOSH JACOBS | Zamir White | Ameer Abdullah | GREAT | Jacobs is likely back this week. |
| 14 | Cowboys | Tony Pollard | Rico Dowdle | Deuce Vaughn | GREAT | |
| 15 | Jets | Breece Hall | Dalvin Cook | Israel Abanikanda | GREAT | |
| 16 | Eagles | D'Andre Swift | Kenneth Gainwell | Boston Scott | GREAT | |
| 17 | Bengals | Joe Mixon | CHASE BROWN | Trayveon Williams | GREAT | Brown's role is growing. |
| 18 | Titans | Derrick Henry | TYJAE SPEARS | GREAT | We could see more Spears. | |
| 19 | Cardinals | James Conner | Michael Carter | Emari Demercado | GREAT | |
| 20 | Panthers | CHUBA HUBBARD | Miles Sanders | Raheem Blackshear | GREAT | Hubbard is seeing heavy usage. |
| 21 | Vikings | TY CHANDLER | Alexander Mattison (Q) | Kene Nwangwu | GREAT | Chandler's role is no longer temporary. |
| 22 | Broncos | Javonte Williams | Samaje Perine | Jaleel McLaughlin | GREAT | |
| 23 | Packers | AARON JONES | A.J. Dillon (Q) | Patrick Taylor | COMMITTEE | Jones had a nice role in Week 15. |
| 24 | Patriots | Ezekiel Elliott | JaMycal Hasty | Rhamondre Stevenson (O) | GREAT | |
| 25 | Seahawks | KENNETH WALKER | Zach Charbonnet | Deejay Dallas | GREAT | Walker's status is in question. |
| 26 | Texans | Devin Singletary | Dare Ogunbowale | Dameon Pierce | GREAT | |
| 27 | Steelers | Najee Harris | Jaylen Warren | Godwin Igwebuike | COMMITTEE | |
| 28 | Browns | Jerome Ford | Kareem Hunt | Pierre Strong Jr. | COMMITTEE | |
| 29 | Chargers | Austin Ekeler | Joshua Kelley | Isaiah Spiller | COMMITTEE | |
| 30 | Ravens | Gus Edwards | Justice Hill | Melvin Gordon | COMMITTEE | |
| 31 | Bears | D'Onta Foreman | Khalil Herbert | Roschon Johnson | COMMITTEE | |
| 32 | Commanders | ANTONIO GIBSON | Chris Rodriguez | Brian Robinson (Q) | COMMITTEE | This looks like an ugly committee. |
Latest RB Handcuff News
Now, on to the latest happenings in backfields, which are all current as of Friday, Dec. 22.
Colts: Jonathan Taylor looks ready to return
Jonathan Taylor (thumb) has been practicing in full this week, making it look likely that he’ll be back in the lineup against the Falcons.
- Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Tip: Zack Moss has not been able to practice, so if he’s out, we could see a mix of Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson spelling Taylor. As always, temper your expectations on a star player in their first game back from injury.
Chiefs: Isiah Pacheco could be back in Week 16
Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) has also returned to full practices this week. We can project him back for the Chiefs against the Raiders.
- Isiah Pacheco Fantasy Tip: Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon performed well in Pacheco’s absence, so there’s a chance that he’ll have a bit of a reduced role in his first game back.
Raiders: Josh Jacobs is likely back this week
Josh Jacobs (quad) missed practice on Thursday, but interim head coach Antonio Pierce stated that he expects him to play in Monday Night Football.
- Josh Jacobs Fantasy Tip: We’ll have to monitor the practice reports leading up to Monday’s game, but it sounds like Jacobs is ready to return. We may see a bit more Zamir White than usual in Jacobs’ first game back.
Bengals: Chase Brown’s role is growing
Chase Brown had seven carries and three targets against the Vikings last week, while Joe Mixon 10 attempts and three targets.
- Chase Brown Fantasy Tip: Brown has a lot more burst than Mixon and it’s clear that the rookie has earned a role in this backfield. We may be witnessing a changing of the guard in Cincinnati.
Titans: We could see more Tyjae Spears
Derrick Henry has looked like he’s lost a step, most notably in their Week 16 loss vs the Texans, where he ran for only nine yards on 16 carries.
- Tyjae Spears Fantasy Tip: Tyjae Spears is an explosive runner and is likely to be the lead back for Tennessee in 2024. With the Titans eliminated from the playoffs, we could see them try to get the rookie more involved.
Panthers: Chuba Hubbard is seeing heavy usage
Chuba Hubbard has gotten 20 or more carries in each game since Frank Reich was fired, as the Panthers have gone run-heavy.
- Chuba Hubbard Fantasy Tip: Hubbard has entered the circle of trust as a rock-solid fantasy RB2. We could see a big game from him against a run-funnel Packers defense in Week 16.
Packers: Aaron Jones had a nice role in Week 15
Aaron Jones had 13 carries and four targets in the Packers’ loss to the Bucs in Week 15, which leaves me feeling hopeful going forward.
- Aaron Jones Fantasy Tip: Jones gets a great matchup against a vulnerable Panthers’ run defense in Week 16. A.J. Dillon (thumb) looks ready to return, but bet on Green Bay to lean on Jones.
Seahawks: Kenneth Walker’s status is in question
Kenneth Walker (shoulder) has missed practice this week, putting his status in question for the Seahawks’ game vs the Titans.
- Kenneth Walker Fantasy Tip: If Walker is able to play, we could see more touches for Zach Charbonnet. If Walker is out, Charbonnet becomes a rock-solid RB2.
Commanders: It’s an ugly committee in Washington
Antonio Gibson barely played in the second half of the Commanders’ loss to the Rams. We could see more of the same in Week 16.
- Antonio Gibson Fantasy Tip: There’s a chance that Washington leans on Chris Rodriguez against the Jets, making this a volatile situation.
