Top 5 RB Handcuffs in 2014 Fantasy Football

When he gets into the open field, Spiller is one of the hardest players to tackle in the NFL. However, he struggles to stay on the field, so it would be a good idea to take the dependable Jackson as an insurance policy. If Jackson isn’t available, consider drafting one of the newcomers in the Buffalo Bills’ backfield — Anthony Dixon or Bryce Brown.

The Oakland Raiders’ questionable approach in free agency — overpaying fading veterans — actually pays off here for fantasy owners. While Jones-Drew is past his prime, he will be a good complement to McFadden in a more limited role. If you manage to acquire this tandem, start both of them each week and watch the points add up. If MJD has been taken, then fascinating sophomore Latavius Murray is another good option.

Ridley could quite possibly be the most frustrating running back in fantasy football. One week, his yards per carry average is through the roof and he’s reaching the end zone multiple times; the next, he’s fumbling on every other possession. Just to be safe, make sure you draft Vereen, who is an excellent receiver to boot. If Vereen isn’t on the board, think about rookie James White, who has been turning heads in training camp.

Unless you have a top-three pick, you should take Peterson if he’s still available with your first round pick — he’s still the best overall running back in the league. But you should really make it a priority to take on Asiata as well, because Peterson is fast approaching 30 and his over 2,000 career carries could catch up with him in 2014. Or, if Asiata doesn’t excite you, there’s the intriguing rookie Jerick McKinnon.

From a fantasy standpoint, the duo of McCoy and Sproles is simply mouthwatering. McCoy is second only to Adrian Peterson as the best running back in football, and Sproles is one of the most dynamic playmakers the NFL has to offer. If you want to have bulletproof running back production on a weekly basis, pull all the necessary strings to draft this tandem. Third-stringer Chris Polk would be a good pick in later rounds.