Handcuffs - Love 'Em or Leave 'Em Alone?

If Clowntown managers learned anything last year, it was that backup running backs can and will have a huge impact on fantasyland. Injuries are frequent in the NFL, and workhorses take more pounding than Olympic gymnasts on the parallel bars. No less than 20 starting backs missed games due to injury last year, including Steven Jackson, Joseph Addai, Frank Gore, Larry Johnson, Laurence Maroney, Travis Henry, Willie Parker, Shaun Alexander, Rudi Johnson, Reggie Bush, Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown.

As a result, lesser-knowns like Ryan Grant, Earnest Graham, Selvin Young and Justin Fargas suddenly became fantasyland fill-ins - and helped some of us into and out of the playoffs in the process. Others, such as Kenton Keith, Kenny Watson and Ahmad Bradshaw, provided a flash-in-the-pan lift for those owners lucky enough to insert them into their starting lineups at the right time.

In fantasy language, these backups have come to be called "handcuffs," a term reserved fairly exclusively for running backs. After all, backup quarterbacks are rarely worth drafting - with the possible exception of Kurt Warner in Arizona (right Bob) - and there always seems to be enough starting tight ends, kickers, and wide receivers to go around.

When considering the merits of drafting a handcuff, three factors should be in your mind:

1. The relative quality of the backup. Is he talented enough to pick up where the starter left off, or is the team's running game likely in the toilet without its star? The backfields in Arizona, Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco come to the Commish's to mind.


2. The injury history of the starter. While even the most durable back can crumble on any given play, some have proven to be more brittle than others. If you invest a premium pick on a player returning from serious injury, the risk is magnified.


3. The backup's path to the top. Is the depth chart order clear in the event of emergency, or would the starter's loss prompt a heated competition for the job? If you ain't certain who would get the nod, the Commish says don't risk wasting a draft pick on the wrong guy.

So, let's take a quick look at a couple of backup rushers who should - and shouldn't - be on your draft radar. The following offer a few examples of essential insurance for owners drafting the respective starters:

Chester Taylor, Vikings: arguably the most important insurance policy in Clowntown fantasyland, Taylor is a proven commodity lost in the shadow of a superstar. Adrian Peterson has a well-earned reputation for missing time due to injury; so if you make him your top pick, you might not want to allow a competitor to snare Taylor. But be advised: he'll cost you a mid-round selection.

Lorenzo Booker, Eagles: acquired from Miami with an eye on keeping Brian Westbrook fresh, Booker will get a handful of carries each game. And since Westbrook has yet to play a full 16-game season in his entire career, it's a safe bet the dual-threat reserve will get a starting turn at some point.

Chris Johnson, Titans: the Titans didn't use the 24th pick in the April draft on the explosive runner to let him sit on his butt. Johnson should get a big share of the carries even if LenDale White is productive, especially after his 66-yard scoring romp in the preseason opener.

Fred Jackson, Bills: He filled in capably when fellow rookie Marshawn Lynch injured his ankle and should do so again if called upon this season.

On the other side of the fantasyland coin, the Commish says to let the following relievers slide:

Tatum Bell, Lions: few believe the veteran will hold off Kevin Smith in the competition to start. And should the rookie falter, even fewer would race to acquire Bell.

Andre Hall, Broncos: now that promising rookie Ryan Torain is in jeopardy of missing the season with a broken elbow, Hall is the current favorite to back up Selvin Young. But fantasy veterans know that Denver's backfield depth chart is a fluid beast, making Hall's lock on the No. 2 position tenuous at best.

DeShaun Foster, 49ers: he never scored more than four times in any of his four seasons in Carolina. How much more could you reasonably expect from him in San Francisco?

Several teams have no obvious successor in place should their starting tailback meet disaster. Most are likely to move to a committee arrangement, where neither backup offers much value. Until the Commish changes his noggin, avoid drafting reserve rushers from the following teams: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New England, San Diego and Tampa Bay.