necessary handcuffs

[bobbing_headz]

While I don't disagree it's nice to have handcuffs on your bench my problem is that you shouldn't reach for handcuffs, and that's what most people end up doing. You have to factor in the likeliness the handcuff will play but also how well he play if he plays. Using Yahoo ADP (which I don't like doing) Betts is being taken ahead of Lamont and KJones as well Morency, White and Foster, all "starters". Now Washington is a bit of a muddled situation and may be a RBBC but until I know that for sure Betts is probably going too high for me.

[Axl's Army]

Handcuffs suck. Afterall, fantasy football is won on luck. How on earth can you win your league if you have to take betts in the 6-8th rounds as portis' (a 3rd round pick) handcuff? Arent' you better off avoiding some of these situations all together?

The league I am thinking about where this is esp true (for me) is one where we only have 15 total roster spots (6 bench positions). Tying up another bench position is annoying.

[shawngee03]

and of course the day i start this thread yahoo posts a column regarding handcuffs, accompanied by a nice little list...amazing how well that works. i guess its time to post a thread regarding how hard it would be for me to date jessica biel

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nfl/new ... ierarchy07

[bagobonez]

Look at my situation. I got teh #2 pick in our draft. By the time I got to pick in the second round, I was looking at a few RB's. Edgerrin James, Thomas Jones, MJD, and Portis. Portis has the most upside of any of those guys, so I took him.

By the end of the 8th round, I had my starting QB (McNabb) 3 RB's (S-Jax, Portis, Ahman Green) and 3 WR's (Owens, R.Moss, H.Ward). So at the end of round 8, I can take a backup QB, another RB or WR, or get a TE even though they are a dime a dozen after Gates is gone. So why not take Betts? YOu know Steven Jackson's gonna be money in the bank and you know Portis is too as long as he's healthy. Betts just sets in stone that your'e gonna get production out of your RB's. For the cost of an 8th round pick, I don't think that's too much. WHo else am I gonna take? Jerricho Cotchery or L.J. SMith? Give me Betts please.

[knapplc]

the way i usually look at it is, IF my starter went down, is his backup a better pickup than the other remaining running backs out there and can i afford to have a guy ride the bench "just in case", or do i want to take a chance on grabbing someone like a Morency or Chris Henry and hope i strike gold

normally i dont try to do it, in fact i'm usually the guy snatching up other people's handcuffs before they do but if it's the right situation i'll grab a handcuff only if i think said handcuff can provide similar production to the starter (Turner and Betts are the only 2 that come to mind right now) and not grab 2 RBBC guys (i.e. Jones/Barber, Morency/Jackson, Tennessee, Deangelo/Deshaun)

Exactly. You should be drafting a RB#3 before you draft a guy who's going to ride the pine all season unless the off chance that the starter gets hurt comes up.

I think guys like Betts fall into the RBBC category rather than Handcuff, so drafting him hoping for vulture TDs isn't a bad move. Morency and Brandon Jackson should split a lot of time, so drafting either as RB#2 is a bad idea, but not so bad as RB#3.

[BigMusky]

Betts and Turner are the only handcuffs worth having. I drafted Alexander in one league last year and his handcuff (name escapes me)...but he was horrible as a handcuff and I dumped him. My experience has been that usually one of your #3 or 4 starters will produce better then a handcuff.

[BigNoise]

If you guys are curious, I wrote a nifty little column on handcuffs yesterday.

Bring on the ridicule...

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nfl/new ... ierarchy07