Jaydon Blue RB – Dallas Cowboys
Dallas used a 5th-round pick to select Blue in the 2025 NFL Draft. Javonte Williams joined Dallas as a free agent, and while he may open the season as Dallas’ RB1, an ineffective start to the season could see him on a short leash. Williams has seen his yards per carry decrease in each of his four seasons. He’s coming off back-to-back seasons posting a YPC below 4.0, and Jaydon Blue is an effective runner and possesses inept passing catching skills. During his final year at Texas, Blue rushed for 730 yards (5.4 YPC) with eight touchdowns and caught 42 passes for 368 yards and six touchdowns.
DJ Giddens RB – Indianapolis Colts
In his final season at Kansas State, Giddens rushed for 1,343 yards (6.6 YPC) and seven touchdowns. He will battle Tyler Goodson for the backup role behind Jonathan Taylor, but Giddens possesses the better size and attributes. Taylor played 82% (14 games) last season after missing 13 of 34 games (2022-2023) following his breakout 2021 campaign. If anything were to happen to Indianapolis’ RB1, Giddens is the handcuff to have on a fantasy football roster.
Najee Harris RB – Los Angeles Chargers
Following his final season at North Carolina, where he rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns, the Chargers selected Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 draft. Hampton’s current ADP is the 4th round, and Najee Harris is the perfect handcuff given his 10th-round ADP. Only 27 years old, Harris has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first four NFL seasons. Given Jim Harbaugh’s run-heavy offensive style, Najee Harris will be one of the more coveted handcuffs in upcoming drafts.
Isaac Guerendo RB – San Francisco 49ers
Guerendo fared well last season when he received RB1 snap usage during the four games Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason missed. He averaged over 100 total yards while posting 5.0 YPC. Jordan Mason was dealt to Minnesota this offseason, and Guerendo is the top backup in San Francisco. McCaffrey has seen his fair share of injuries, with last season’s four games played his lowest since the 2020 season. It’s easy to accept Guerendo’s 12th-round ADP when Christian McCaffrey is likely to miss games in the upcoming season.
Jordan Mason RB – Minnesota Vikings
Last season, Mason was highly efficient as San Francisco’s RB1 while Christian McCaffrey recovered from nagging calf and Achilles injuries. In 12 games, he rushed for 789 yards (5.2 YPC) and three touchdowns. An offseason trade sent him to Minnesota, where he will be the primary backup to Aaron Jones. Jones has dealt with occasional minor injuries, but he’s played in all 17 games in two of the past three seasons. Mason’s 8th-round ADP is a bit high, but Minnesota may lean on the run often while J.J. McCarthy becomes acquainted with the NFL.
Zach Charbonnet RB – Seattle Seahawks
Charbonnet saw an uptick in usage during his second NFL season while starting in six games that Kenneth Walker III missed. In those games, Charbonnet totaled 433 yards and six touchdowns. Walker III’s 2024 season was the first time he missed more than two games in his three-year career. Charbonnet will play second fiddle to Walker III, but he’s arguably the most elite handcuff to have on fantasy football rosters.
Will Shipley RB – Philadelphia Eagles
Will Shipley becomes one of the most sought-after handcuffs entering 2025 fantasy football drafts. He will be the main backup to Saquon Barkley and will provide crucial insurance to a player who has dealt with injuries at different parts of his career. The elephant in the room is how Saquon Barkley follows up a high-volume season that saw him set career-highs in carries (345), yards (2,005), and touchdowns (13). He will be the first running back selected in the upcoming drafts, and Will Shipley is the ultimate must-have handcuff in 2025.
Additional players that warrant handcuff status, but are not necessarily must-drafts:
Trey Benson RB – Arizona Cardinals (Primary backup to James Conner)
Rico Dowdle RB – Carolina Panthers (Primary backup to Chubba Hubbard)
Roschon Johnson RB – Chicago Bears (Primary backup to D’Andre Swift)
MarShawn Lloyd RB – Green Bay Packers (Primary backup to Josh Jacobs)
