Top 10 Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Rankings - Backups RBs to Target in Drafts (2025)

June 15, 2025

Dave Ventresca's top 10 fantasy football backup running backs handcuffs to target and draft. His best draft values include Jordan Mason, Zach Charbonnet, Isaac Guerendo, Tank Bigsby, Bhayshul Tuten, Jaylen Wright, more.

Summer has arrived. While you should enjoy the warm weather and any summer activities you’ve planned, it's also important to remember that the start of summer also means the start of the NFL season is just beyond the horizon.

One important aspect of fantasy football, which often goes overlooked, is stashing bench players with upside. Usually, these players are nothing more than lottery tickets. However, if you can identify the correct players to target, you might end up finding a few gems. Ideally, you want to target several backup running backs with your late-round picks. Running back is notoriously the most fragile position in football. That means it’s never a bad idea to stash a few handcuffs in hopes they become something more.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Let’s dive into the top 10 backup running backs who gamers should target in their 2025 fantasy football drafts.

10. Will Shipley - Philadelphia Eagles

After Kenneth Gainwell signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Shipley appears set to begin the 2025 season as Philadelphia’s RB2. Saquon Barkley is the Eagles' clear RB1, and Shipley doesn’t offer any standalone value to gamers. However, Barkley touched the football 482 times last year. That is an absurd amount of touches for a running back.

All that work may catch up to Barkley this year, and he could miss time due to injury. That would mean RB1 duties would fall to Shipley. He didn’t show much in his rookie year in 2024, but he is in a great situation and could surprise if Barkley ever misses time.

9. Trey Benson - Arizona Cardinals

Benson’s rookie season was also disappointing. He looked hesitant and indecisive as a rusher and was clearly behind James Conner in the pecking order for touches. Arizona also signed Conner to a contract extension last year, so it’s clear this remains his backfield.

However, the team did not make any notable additions to the running back room this offseason. That is good news for Benson and suggests the organization may not have lost all faith in him. Conner is coming off arguably the best year of his career and does have a history of injuries. Benson will have to fend off Michael Carter for the RB2 job, but that’s a battle Benson can win.

If Conner ever misses time, Benson can emerge as a viable RB2 or flex play. He’s a fine dart throw later in drafts.

8. Ray Davis - Buffalo Bills

With James Cook seemingly dug into his stance of wanting a new contract, Davis becomes a highly intriguing target for fantasy gamers. Davis is a good player and showcased his ability at times during his 2024 rookie year. He performed well in a Week 6 spot start for Cook and totaled 152 scrimmage yards on 23 touches.

If Cook’s contract situation drags on into the regular season, then Davis would be in line to start in a highly potent offense. Either way, Davis is a talented rusher and would be a viable flex play if Cook misses action.

7. Rachaad White - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

White was replaced as Tampa Bay’s RB1 last year by Bucky Irving. Inefficiency as a rusher and an inability to make defenders miss in space ultimately cost White his starting job.

While that is true, the coaching staff had no issues making White the clear RB1 the year prior in 2023, and he accumulated 1,539 scrimmage yards on 336 touches.

This doesn’t mean that White will reclaim the RB1 throne from Irving anytime soon, as the latter is a more talented player. But it does show the coaching staff would have no issue making White the team’s bell-cow back should Irving suffer an injury.

6. Jaylen Wright - Miami Dolphins

Miami moved on from Raheem Mostert this offseason and appears content to roll with Wright as its RB2. He didn’t get much run as a rookie last year, but that could change in 2025.

Expect De'Von Achane to lead this backfield in touches as long as he’s healthy, but Wright should have a role as well. Achane played all 17 games last year but missed multiple games with injuries in 2023. Should he miss time, Wright would be an immediate plug-and-play option for gamers in all formats.

5. Tank Bigsby/Bhayshul Tuten - Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars' running back situation has been one of the tougher ones to decipher this offseason. Reports emerged that Jacksonville was in the market for rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, and it was later reported the team was set to take RJ Harvey in the third round before the Denver Broncos beat it to the punch. It sure sounded like the new regime wasn’t too keen on Travis Etienne Jr.

However, new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen seemingly put any doubt to rest with recent comments on Etienne.

#Jaguars HC Liam Coen on Travis Etienne:

"He's done everything we've asked him to do, and more. There's been a consistency. He can shine in ways in space… He’s done a great job. I don’t really understand some of the stuff I’ve kind of seen out there. That’s absolutely… pic.twitter.com/31HoOBWrH2

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) June 2, 2025

Maybe the new Jacksonville regime has come around on the idea that Etienne is the best option. Even if that’s the case, Bigsby outperformed Etienne on the ground and in many advanced metrics last year, and the team is reportedly quite bullish on Tuten. If Etienne’s efficiency struggles from the last two seasons continue, then Bigsby or Tuten could supplant Etienne as the starter.

Given the success Bucky Irving had in Coen’s system in Tampa Bay last year, this is a backfield gamers should target. So, regardless of where you fall on Etienne, it’s not a bad idea to snag Bigsby or Tuten later in your draft.

4. Blake Corum - Los Angeles Rams

Despite a lot of preseason hype, Corum failed to carve out a meaningful role in the Rams offense last year and was clearly behind starter Kyren Williams. Corum now enters his second season and is poised to back up Williams once again.

The team did add rookie Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Los Angeles is reportedly quite bullish on the rookie, but it’s unclear what kind of role he’ll have in Year 1.

If we go off HC Sean McVay’s previous actions with rookie backs (Williams and Corum saw little action as rookies), then Hunter probably doesn’t have a large role right away. That means Corum is the preferred handcuff for Williams. He would be in line for a huge workload if Williams misses time and would be a borderline RB1 candidate.

3. Isaac Guerendo - San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey is locked in as San Francisco’s RB1, but he has missed extended action multiple times throughout his career. He also enters his age-29 season in 2025. Guerendo is a speedy back who played well in limited action last year. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry, ran for 420 yards, and scored four rushing touchdowns as a rookie.

The 49ers start off the 4th quarter with a Isaac Guerendo TD!

📺: #CHIvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/D4PKMHxzZc

— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024

With San Francisco moving on from Jordan Mason, Guerendo is next in line for RB2 duties. Given McCaffrey’s injury history, it’s very possible Guerendo sees an extended run as a starter in 2025. If he does, he’ll be a hot waiver wire commodity. So, it's better to get ahead of things now and stash him on your bench with one of your last picks.

2. Zach Charbonnet - Seattle Seahawks

Charbonnet filled in nicely for Kenneth Walker III last year. He ran for 569 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. His season was highlighted by a 134 rushing yard, two-touchdown effort in Week 14 against the Arizona Cardinals.

ZACH CHARBONNET 51-YARD TD!

📺: #SEAvsAZ on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/P492n4pkXU

— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024

Walker has struggled with injuries during his career, and Charbonnet’s rushing style could mesh well with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s system. If he sees extended action again in 2025, Charbonnet will offer fantasy gamers RB1 upside. He’s a priority target in the later rounds of all fantasy drafts.

1. Jordan Mason - Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota acquired Mason this offseason in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings did re-sign Aaron Jones to a two-year contract extension, but have been very open about scaling back his workload this year.

Mason was highly effective while filling in for an injured Christian McCaffrey in 2024. In 12 games, he ran for 789 yards and scored three touchdowns. His advanced metrics were also strong. Among 46 backs with 100+ carries, Mason finished third in Next Gen Stats' rush yards over expected, 10th in PFF elusive rating, and 19th in PFF rushing grade.

The Jordan Mason touchdown managers were waiting for!

He has 93 yards and a TD so far! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lhubclHsVx

— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) September 10, 2024

While it’s unlikely Mason completely takes over the starting job, he should receive plenty of touches as part of a committee with Jones. This means Mason will provide standalone value and could be a viable flex play.

Should Jones miss time due to injury, Mason would be in line for a massive workload. All of this makes Mason the top backup running back to target in drafts.

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