Fantasy Football Handcuffs

Usually when handcuffs and NFL players are in the same sentence it means someone got arrested.

In fantasy football of course, it means drafting the backup to your #1 running back or quarterback. This way if your star guy goes down with an injury or gets incarcerated you will have their replacement.

Somehow along the way this became good advice, and I do not know why. It is bad draft strategy on so many levels.

Look at Adrian Peterson for example. His backup, depending on what reports someone goes by is either Albert Young or Troy Gerhart. Not only is there a severe drop off in production, but there is uncertainty over who the replacement would actually be. Minnesota might even go with a running back-by-committee if All Day was out.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with taking the backup deep in a draft. The problem is the handcuff tactic usually makes an owner over-reach and pick them too early, thinking other teams are planning to do the same thing. 

Draft above the level of a player's value and a team is gonna have a bad time, like Ike in South Park...



And then what if the star running back or QB stays healthy all season? You've handcuffed yourself with one less roster spot. 

Pick depth at running back and a serviceable backup QB and you will avoid falling into the trap of fantasy football myths like the handcuff theory.