Running back strategy

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

I wanted to do this in at least one league with a deep bench. I did my best to take every backup RB that if thrust into the starting role would have similar RB1 production, minus Ben tate.

 

After my first four RBs my bench includes

 

Bryce Brown

Bernard Pierce

Roy Helu

 

I know some like this strategy and others don't, but being able to carry 7 RBs I felt this was the better alternative than taking guys with big question marks, or players with marginal impact.

 

Do you see this as a waste of roster space? I just feel that if I replace one of those RBs with someone else from the draft it will end up being someone like Stevie Johnson or a Danny Woodhead. Their ceiling is very limited pretty much no matter what imo.

[BufordT 371]

Not sure if I would pass up Steve Johnson who is a very solid WR3, maybe better, for the backup RB's but I like the fact that you went into the draft with a certain strategy in mind and stuck to it. Odds are one of your backup RB's will get a chance to prove himself so it may work out for you. The only question would be this: if Brown/Pierce/Helu were thrust into a starting role, would you start them over your 4 other RB's?

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Not sure if I would pass up Steve Johnson who is a very solid WR3, maybe better, for the backup RB's but I like the fact that you went into the draft with a certain strategy in mind and stuck to it. Odds are one of your backup RB's will get a chance to prove himself so it may work out for you. The only question would be this: if Brown/Pierce/Helu were thrust into a starting role, would you start them over your 4 other RB's?

Probably. One is Mendy which I don't think he will be a consistent RB2. Murray May be hurt by week three so there is always that possibility. Vereen I am not sure what to expect. It's a ppr so Vereen should remain useful as a flex, but not over someone like one of the three backups in a featured role.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

not a fan. im cool with grabbing 1 highly touted handcuff but to take 3 (if we even consider helu as highly touted) seems risky and a waste of bench spots. ofcourse if Rice, McCoy and Morris go down, then BAM you win your league but does it really make sense to approach the season that way? no sure.

 

and whats to say that these guys are any more valuable than Lance Dunbar etc..

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

not a fan. im cool with grabbing 1 highly touted handcuff but to take 3 (if we even consider helu as highly touted) seems risky and a waste of bench spots. ofcourse if Rice, McCoy and Morris go down, then BAM you win your league but does it really make sense to approach the season that way? no sure.

 

and whats to say that these guys are any more valuable than Lance Dunbar etc..

I don't think Dunbar is nearly as talented, and I don't think he will be the primary beneficiary if/when Murray goes down. I understand it seems like a waste, but like I said I don't like taking marginal impact players.

 

Stevie Johnson was mentioned as a solid WR3 after I threw his name out. I don't need or want a WR3 on my team. I have two of those in DHB and Shorts. I do rarely guess right when it comes to securing the right handcuff, as do most of us, but I just feel the potential is there for a huge reward for the risk. A risk that imo isn't that great considering the other options that would be on my bench.

 

Say I was to replace one of those handcuffs with a different RB for depth, who else is there? Everyone else was taking RBs that were pretty much backups anyway. There are usually WR3/4 players scattered all over the WW, or at least in the early parts of the season. Andre Roberts is still out there who I also think is a great WR3 option. If I need one of those marginal players to get me through I will be dropping a backup, but not before sending out some trade feelers to the other end of the handcuff.

[BufordT 371]

I'll say this to FBN, your man-love for Helu is unquestioned. If he becomes fantasy relevant this year, I may have to put you on my top 10 posters-to-read list.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

I'll say this to FBN, your man-love for Helu is unquestioned. If he becomes fantasy relevant this year, I may have to put you on my top 10 posters-to-read list.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

I don't think Dunbar is nearly as talented, and I don't think he will be the primary beneficiary if/when Murray goes down. I understand it seems like a waste, but like I said I don't like taking marginal impact players.

 

Stevie Johnson was mentioned as a solid WR3 after I threw his name out. I don't need or want a WR3 on my team. I have two of those in DHB and Shorts. I do rarely guess right when it comes to securing the right handcuff, as do most of us, but I just feel the potential is there for a huge reward for the risk. A risk that imo isn't that great considering the other options that would be on my bench.

 

Say I was to replace one of those handcuffs with a different RB for depth, who else is there? Everyone else was taking RBs that were pretty much backups anyway. There are usually WR3/4 players scattered all over the WW, or at least in the early parts of the season. Andre Roberts is still out there who I also think is a great WR3 option. If I need one of those marginal players to get me through I will be dropping a backup, but not before sending out some trade feelers to the other end of the handcuff.

 

depending on how your team is built, i might agree. But i rarely find myself deciding between marginal players and those handcuffs. Might just be the way i tend to build my teams.

 

when those type of RB's are being drafted, I am usually grabbing my backup QB, my WR4, my TE2 etc. and i already have 5 RB's on my roster. I might grab one of those guys as my 6th or possibly my 5th if i own McCoy or Rice

[BigMilk 40]

I dot think this is a horrible strategy if you can carry that many backs, although it would be nice to have a decent #2 WR or a guy with high upside in the mix rather than doing WW plug and play every week. That doesn't usually work out as well as it should if other owners are paying attention.

 

If I was going to do this, Helu would be the guy I would target, even before Tate. I think he is better than Morris and we could see some Shananagins pretty early on this season. If Morris goes down for a week or two, watch out.

[Apollo Creed 9]

Stupid strategy, IMO... You have to play the waiting game and its not even certain that they'll see significant playing time. Sure they might get tossed into 1-3 games bc the starters are banged up but not every injury is season ending... you'll be losing games bc overall your team isn't good enough...

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Ok I am going to post my team to defend my strategy.

 

Luck, Bradford

Spiller, Murray, Vereen, Mendy, Helu, Bryce, Pierce

Roddy, Garcon, Shorts, Givens

Graham, Julius

 

Ppr 10 team, qb rb rb wr wr wr wr/rb te

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

Ok I am going to post my team to defend my strategy.

 

Luck, Bradford

Spiller, Murray, Vereen, Mendy, Helu, Bryce, Pierce

Roddy, Garcon, Shorts, Givens

Graham, Julius

 

Ppr 10 team, qb rb rb wr wr wr wr/rb te

 

again, not a bad team and its definitely a strategy that is easier to deploy in 10 team formats. In 12 teamers, BBrown and Pierce will be 10th/11th rounders.

 

off the bat i can say i would rather have a more solid TE2 in a 10 teamer. yeah i know you can say "when will i ever bench Graham". still i'd much rather have some TE insurance than another handcuff RB. and i would MUCH rather have a better WR than Givens.

[Mile High Magic 8]

McCoy, Mcfadden, Gio, but then took Pierce, Bush,Jennings and hope for 10 games out of McFadden.

[clarkevii 0]

You always want a few players on your bench with high upside. I think it's a good move

[p00h 85]

i usually grab all potent backups at the back end of a draft. ALWAYS! While dudes are grabbing the likes of malcolm floyd or whoever at the back end, I'm taking all these guys. Especially in deep bench leagues. I play in a 10 teamer with 18 rounds. Once I have 3 solid WRs, which isn't hard to have in a 10 teamer, and I have 2 qbs and a solid TE locked up on top of the 3 or 4 starting rbs I'll draft, it's time to get the browns, and helus, and bush and joquiel bell and etcetcetc. These dudes, even if they rot on your bench all year, are far more valuable than that 4th or 5th wr you take, or even worse, a scrub 2nd TE. Never understood people that do that. But then again, I play in fairly casual leagues even though we play for decent bucks. Most people are just programmed to get their 4 rbs, adn 4 wrs, and 2 te and a kicker and D before they start going after other stuff. I'll take these guys all day and at least 1 will get a chance to start, though often it's one starting at any given time, which is always nice. Also makes for solid trades to the guys who have the starter whose handcuff you stole. Get great value for a bush of forte goes down, etc. Tate's cost is too high this year but there are at least 6 solid dudes you can get...

[roroco 75]

By the time bye weeks hit, you are going to be dropping those guys for point scorers. The problem you will have is that other players drafted the RB4-5 point scorers while you were drafting handcuffs that are not serviceable as bye week fillers unless the primary back goes down. I don't like drafting handcuffs because you are completely relying on a specific back to get injured early on...

 

Not only is that bad mojo, but it is completely unpredictable.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

By the time bye weeks hit, you are going to be dropping those guys for point scorers. The problem you will have is that other players drafted the RB4-5 point scorers while you were drafting handcuffs that are not serviceable as bye week fillers unless the primary back goes down. I don't like drafting handcuffs because you are completely relying on a specific back to get injured early on...

 

Not only is that bad mojo, but it is completely unpredictable.

Who are these awesome rb4/rb5 guys I passed on to draft a few backups? After 32 rbs are gone the rest being drafted are backups anyway.

 

I posted my team because I have four viable starting rbs before I have to rely on a backup. My receivers could be a little deeper, but I don't see the point in wasting a potential gold mine for, like pooh said, Malcolm Floyd.

[TimHauck 1,801]

Couldn't Vereen be pretty much in the same group? So that's essentially 4 handcuffs. Sure, there's probably a decent chance one of them works out, but that's a lot of roster space to take up for that hope, and as has been mentioned, you may need to drop one of them as a bye-week fill-in, so you also have to hope that's not the guy that breaks out at the end of the season.

 

Did you consider taking Fred Jackson? Seems like you were too busy handcuffing everyone else's RB's you didn't handcuff your own #1 pick who has a backup (yes, an aging one) who has already proven to be a capable RB when given the opportunity.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

By the time bye weeks hit, you are going to be dropping those guys for point scorers. The problem you will have is that other players drafted the RB4-5 point scorers while you were drafting handcuffs that are not serviceable as bye week fillers unless the primary back goes down. I don't like drafting handcuffs because you are completely relying on a specific back to get injured early on...

 

Not only is that bad mojo, but it is completely unpredictable.

Yes I will be dropping them for players who pop up with more fantasy potential. Everyone does that though. No one drafts that perfect roster where they are not willing to drop a later draft pick for a ww gem/necessity.

[roroco 75]

Who are these awesome rb4/rb5 guys I passed on to draft a few backups? After 32 rbs are gone the rest being drafted are backups anyway.

 

I posted my team because I have four viable starting rbs before I have to rely on a backup. My receivers could be a little deeper, but I don't see the point in wasting a potential gold mine for, like pooh said, Malcolm Floyd.

 

Who are these awesome rb4/rb5 guys I passed on to draft a few backups? After 32 rbs are gone the rest being drafted are backups anyway.

 

I posted my team because I have four viable starting rbs before I have to rely on a backup. My receivers could be a little deeper, but I don't see the point in wasting a potential gold mine for, like pooh said, Malcolm Floyd.

 

Chris Ivory, Mendenhall, Law Firm, Fred Jackson, Hillman, Redman, Vereen etc. Those guys will put up some numbers in a bye week and available much deeper in the draft. They are not sexy picks, but they are more valuable during a bye week than a pure handcuff.

 

You might luck out and have an injury to a primary back of you handcuffs, but if you don't, you are going to have to drop them and pick up scraps from the WW for your bye weeks.

[kcBlitzkrieg 17]

Who are these awesome rb4/rb5 guys I passed on to draft a few backups? After 32 rbs are gone the rest being drafted are backups anyway.

 

I posted my team because I have four viable starting rbs before I have to rely on a backup. My receivers could be a little deeper, but I don't see the point in wasting a potential gold mine for, like pooh said, Malcolm Floyd.

 

 

Couldn't Vereen be pretty much in the same group? So that's essentially 4 handcuffs. Sure, there's probably a decent chance one of them works out, but that's a lot of roster space to take up for that hope, and as has been mentioned, you may need to drop one of them as a bye-week fill-in, so you also have to hope that's not the guy that breaks out at the end of the season.

 

Did you consider taking Fred Jackson? Seems like you were too busy handcuffing everyone else's RB's you didn't handcuff your own #1 pick who has a backup (yes, an aging one) who has already proven to be a capable RB when given the opportunity.

 

I support this strategy 100% and have employed it myself this season. Get your 3 or 4 core starting RBs and then take the back ups with the highest upside. The players mentioned are all talented enough to put up RB1 numbers if starting, would much rather have that and reap the rewards if the time comes than some srubs that play in a time share that will get scrub points every game regardless of the situation.

 

Vereen doesn't fit this "handcuff BS", especially not in PPR. Should be an every week Flex play at the least this season. Confidant in that statement, I believe I have him as my 3rd or 4th RB in all of my leagues this year.

 

FJax - only have Spiller in my keeper league but I did draft FJax as insurance...I dropped him days later in a trade over B.Brown and C.Michael. Even if Spiller gets injured I don't believe Fjax is going to put up the points worth keeping him over more talented players.

[TimHauck 1,801]

 

 

Chris Ivory, Mendenhall, Law Firm, Fred Jackson, Hillman, Redman, Vereen etc. Those guys will put up some numbers in a bye week and available much deeper in the draft. They are not sexy picks, but they are more valuable during a bye week than a pure handcuff.

 

Well I guess it's a good thing OP already has two of those guys then...

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

 

 

Chris Ivory, Mendenhall, Law Firm, Fred Jackson, Hillman, Redman, Vereen etc. Those guys will put up some numbers in a bye week and available much deeper in the draft. They are not sexy picks, but they are more valuable during a bye week than a pure handcuff.

 

You might luck out and have an injury to a primary back of you handcuffs, but if you don't, you are going to have to drop them and pick up scraps from the WW for your bye weeks.

I already have mendenhall and vereen....

 

I guess we just have differing strategies. I don't want extremely marginal players that will give me 5 points in a bye week pinch.

[p00h 85]

Who are these awesome rb4/rb5 guys I passed on to draft a few backups? After 32 rbs are gone the rest being drafted are backups anyway.

 

I posted my team because I have four viable starting rbs before I have to rely on a backup. My receivers could be a little deeper, but I don't see the point in wasting a potential gold mine for, like pooh said, Malcolm Floyd.

exactly. a rb 4 by default is gonna be a non starter. IF we're talking even 10 team league, that's 30 rbs gone as rbs1-3. What i see is people picking up the wr4s and what not, which is a total waste. TE2, total waste. Dudes are picking up kickers and defenses in like the 10th round. WTF. I'll sit on the stud backups all day. been doing it for years and it always pays dividends. Further to that, I have major turnover on my roster every year anyway, with the WW. I grab hot players, see if they can sustain, etc. So if after a few weeks I need to drop a helu or joquiel, no problem. I'd rather still be holding onto them than vincent brown or malcolm floyd. ALl day, every day...

[terpsez11 3]

I don't think Dunbar is nearly as talented, and I don't think he will be the primary beneficiary if/when Murray goes down. I understand it seems like a waste, but like I said I don't like taking marginal impact players.

 

Stevie Johnson was mentioned as a solid WR3 after I threw his name out. I don't need or want a WR3 on my team. I have two of those in DHB and Shorts. I do rarely guess right when it comes to securing the right handcuff, as do most of us, but I just feel the potential is there for a huge reward for the risk. A risk that imo isn't that great considering the other options that would be on my bench.

 

Say I was to replace one of those handcuffs with a different RB for depth, who else is there? Everyone else was taking RBs that were pretty much backups anyway. There are usually WR3/4 players scattered all over the WW, or at least in the early parts of the season. Andre Roberts is still out there who I also think is a great WR3 option. If I need one of those marginal players to get me through I will be dropping a backup, but not before sending out some trade feelers to the other end of the handcuff.

DHB a WR #3?--- thats news to me-- my fellow Terp has a long way to go to attain top 36 status

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

This is a sound strategy that i use yearly. All depends on your bench spots..

[Fantasy Noob 10]

I agree a sound strategy if your bench is deep enough.

 

I think it might really shine in a hyper competitive league with a deep bench since everyone would be comptetent enough to grab all the late round upside guys and you might be hurting for who to grab. I have done this once before and it didnt work out for me in that none of my guys starters got injured (plus it kinda feels icky cheering for an injury) but it makes it easy to churn the waiver wire.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

DHB a WR #3?--- thats news to me-- my fellow Terp has a long way to go to attain top 36 status

Maybe the Colts say fock it and ditch the game planning they had of getting the ball into Beys hands and try to let him with in space.

 

Or, maybe they liked what they saw and continue trying to get him involved, which would probably put him at least at wr3 status.

[snatchit 108]

Probably. One is Mendy which I don't think he will be a consistent RB2. Murray May be hurt by week three so there is always that possibility. Vereen I am not sure what to expect. It's a ppr so Vereen should remain useful as a flex, but not over someone like one of the three backups in a featured role.

you can throw Hunter in their too

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

you can throw Hunter in their too

If hunter is given the majority of the carries he would be good. I am just not sure how Harbaugh would divide the touches between the backs.

[Djgb13 2,338]

It's not a bad strategy just not one for me. I'm more of the type to grab some upside players or some back ups than handcuffs. However I don't see the harm in grabbing maybe ONE handcuff. Someone like pierce, Tate, helu, or hunter would be the only ones I would grab. But just one cause I'd rather have depth than handcuffs. I'm not including giovani Bernard in this because by mid season he will already be the main starter for that offense

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

It's not a bad strategy just not one for me. I'm more of the type to grab some upside players or some back ups than handcuffs. However I don't see the harm in grabbing maybe ONE handcuff. Someone like pierce, Tate, helu, or hunter would be the only ones I would grab. But just one cause I'd rather have depth than handcuffs. I'm not including giovani Bernard in this because by mid season he will already be the main starter for that offense

What's the difference between a backup and a handcuff? Do you mean you only like to handcuff one of your starters and then grab other owners handcuffs?

[ampheels 3]

after i have my top 3 backs drafted, i look to draft back-ups who will receive 70%+ of that teams carries if an injury occurs to the main guy, think of bryce brown, bernard pierce, kendall hunter, roy helu, christine michael, knile davis

 

to me they are much more valuable than guys locked into 6-10 touches a game like woodhead, redman, quizz rodgers, pierre thomas, etc...would much rather play a high upside wr3/4 as a flex than any of those guys once the bye weeks come

[Djgb13 2,338]

What's the difference between a backup and a handcuff? Do you mean you only like to handcuff one of your starters and then grab other owners handcuffs?

Backup as in deangelo Williams will be a back up on my roster in case one of my other rbs goes down. Handcuff as in if a teams starter goes down he slides in as the starter. And no I won't necessarily get my rbs handcuff. In one league I have lynch however I don't own any of his handcuffs. I'd rather get someone like pierce, Tate, or Bryce brown

[throttlers 0]

I don't mind the strategy in a deeper league. I grabbed Pierce, J.Bell and C. Michael all in one league. I'm not as big on Helu. I've only been able to get Brown in one dynasty, because he goes a little higher than I like.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

I don't mind the strategy in a deeper league. I grabbed Pierce, J.Bell and C. Michael all in one league. I'm not as big on Helu . I've only been able to get Brown in one dynasty, because he goes a little higher than I like.