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I took off the handcuffs this season


PaulOttCarruth
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Over the past couple years, I had a tendency to want to handcuff my starting RBs to their backups. But what I found was that when it came to making free agent acquistions, my hands were tied and I didn't have much room to make roster changes. Plus, the guys I owned never got hurt, so the backups never saw my starting lineup. And they had no value on the trade market since I owned the starter. They were basically wasted space.

 

This season in my drafts I went with a contrarian approach and didn't handcuff any of my starting RBs. Perhaps, I went too far, but right now it feels pretty good actually. I was able to land more of my sleepers in the draft. And if those sleepers don't pan out, I can more easily shop the waiver wire.

 

What happens if one of my starting RBs gets hurt?

 

Maybe I'm screwed. Maybe not. Fact is, if guys like LJ or Rudi or R. Brown or any of my other mainstay RBs get hurt, chances are their backups won't come anywhere near the starter's production. Pretty much ending my season anyway.

 

The way I figure it, I'm better off stocking up on young guys who appear to be on the brink of big things (i.e. Jerrious Norwood, Marques Colston, etc.) versus sitting there waiting for my stud to get hurt. If one of them hits, I've instantly upgraded my roster--and can make a trade to improve even further.

 

Anyone else steer clear of the handcuff approach?

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In leagues with shallow to "normal" bench depth (6 or fewer bench spots) the only handcuffs I've added were M. Turner to LT2 and C. Cobbs to Mike Bell. In leagues with deeper benches, I added M. Anderson to J. Lewis, and A. Peterson to T. Jones. But that was largely because there were no better RBs options 12+ picks in.

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Anyone else steer clear of the handcuff approach?

 

I'm in 8 leagues and I handcuffed only 1nce. I picked Foster in a local league and picked Williams next. Half the guys I was drafting with were complete idiots so I knew I could still pick good players later.

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Over the past couple years, I had a tendency to want to handcuff my starting RBs to their backups. But what I found was that when it came to making free agent acquistions, my hands were tied and I didn't have much room to make roster changes. Plus, the guys I owned never got hurt, so the backups never saw my starting lineup. And they had no value on the trade market since I owned the starter. They were basically wasted space.

 

This season in my drafts I went with a contrarian approach and didn't handcuff any of my starting RBs. Perhaps, I went too far, but right now it feels pretty good actually. I was able to land more of my sleepers in the draft. And if those sleepers don't pan out, I can more easily shop the waiver wire.

 

What happens if one of my starting RBs gets hurt?

 

Maybe I'm screwed. Maybe not. Fact is, if guys like LJ or Rudi or R. Brown or any of my other mainstay RBs get hurt, chances are their backups won't come anywhere near the starter's production. Pretty much ending my season anyway.

 

The way I figure it, I'm better off stocking up on young guys who appear to be on the brink of big things (i.e. Jerrious Norwood, Marques Colston, etc.) versus sitting there waiting for my stud to get hurt. If one of them hits, I've instantly upgraded my roster--and can make a trade to improve even further.

 

Anyone else steer clear of the handcuff approach?

 

 

You actually make a very good point here. I recently cuffed Cadillac w/Michael Pittman, as he's already aching and I had the roster space (after I cut Brett Favre beans and a nice Chianti). If another young prospect hits our waiver wire though, I'll definately consider giving him a shot. Good advice. :D

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i hate the handcuff method.

 

i'd only handcuff if two situations are not just probable but more than likely...

 

1) the production at that position doesn't entirely rely on the RB skill (see eg. NE, Atlanta and Denver RBs)

2) the backup is pretty damn good (see eg. Larry Johnson [last year], Michael Turner, J.Norwood, D.Williams etc.)

 

i didn't bother handcuffing Betts to Portis because neither of the above apply...

 

1) Redskins o-line and system don't allow for any Joe Schmoe to be worth a weekly starting RB spot.

2) Betts is not a good RB.

 

in this case, i'd rather draft any other tier 2 or tier 3 RB in good situations with nice upside to fill-in. I wouldn't ever want to rely on a backup RB that doesn't meet one of the above two criteria.

 

just my $0.02

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I never handcuff them, it's only burnt me once in the 14 years I've been playing so........I always thought it was overrated, better to have good depth than dead space, if someone has Michael Bennett on there roster and LJ goes down and Bennett tears up the league.....good for him cause I wouldn't have ever thought it to happen. FWIW Bennett has looked decent thus far :D We all know he'd get hurt in his first game anyway :D

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I never handcuff them, it's only burnt me once in the 14 years I've been playing so........I always thought it was overrated, better to have good depth than dead space, if someone has Michael Bennett on there roster and LJ goes down and Bennett tears up the league.....good for him cause I wouldn't have ever thought it to happen. FWIW Bennett has looked decent thus far :D We all know he'd get hurt in his first game anyway :D

 

 

i think Rule #39 in ESPN/Sportscenter's Rules for FF is... always handcuff your handcuff. :lol:

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Last year I did NOT handcuff Holmes and paid a very dear price...however LJ was a special case, and I only handcuff based on that case. He is good, and was in a perfect spot. I did attempt to handcuff Foster/Williams this year, but if Foster was gone, I drafted Williams anyway.

 

I have not handcuffed LT2/Turner but with the amount of work LT2 is getting, I believe I'll go grab him out of the FA pool promptly.

 

I also grabbed Jurious and L. Maroney (however you spell their names) without having the starters, just because of the upside.

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also, I'm VERY fast when it comes to getting to the FA pool when new information is available (thanks to the Huddle, and being self employed)

So if a starter goes down, I usually will have first choice at getting the backup.

 

Last year I got both Caddy AND Willie Parker out of the FA pool after week1 before anyone even had a chance.

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the only handcuff i made in 4 regular sized leagues was getting thomas jones a couple rounds after ced benson in one league. which really was more of a hedge than a handcuff. i always found that when i drafted handcuff guys like toefield or michael turner, they ended up as waiver wire fodder a week or two into the season. so why even bother.

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I have one league where roster spots are capped at 5 for WR and RB so handcuffing is only an option for 1 guy. And I don't. This is the first year I tried and that was in a league with rather large rosters...don't like the looks of it. I understand the concept and can see how it helps you...

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What happens if one of my starting RBs gets hurt?

 

Maybe I'm screwed. Maybe not. Fact is, if guys like LJ or Rudi or R. Brown or any of my other mainstay RBs get hurt, chances are their backups won't come anywhere near the starter's production.

:D

 

Wow somebody else finally gets it. There are (precious few) exceptions, but mostly "handcuffing" is freaking stupid.

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I don't mind getting someone elses' handcuff, but don't really look to get my own, if that makes sense. If fact, in one league I ended the draft with TJ Duckett, Ladell Betts and Michael Turner...

 

 

yep, me too. if i have a couple good backs and a little room at the back of my roster I'll take the backup to the other guys starters.

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What a bunch of retards. If the backup would do well as the starter, draft him, period@@! If your guy gets hurt, you do just fine!!! Wow!! Imagine that!!! For the backups that would not do anything with their time, why would you ever want them in the first place?? This isn't brain surgery guys.

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What a bunch of retards. If the backup would do well as the starter, draft him, period@@! If your guy gets hurt, you do just fine!!! Wow!! Imagine that!!! For the backups that would not do anything with their time, why would you ever want them in the first place?? This isn't brain surgery guys.

 

Easy big fella. What are you? Seahawks37's dad or something?

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I changed my philosophy this year on handcuffing. Have Lamont, SJax, and Ronnie Brown. I have their backups. If one of them go down, I still have a starting back. If they go down and I have someone else's handcuff of a player that hasn't gone down. Then what? Seems to me like I'm hedging my bets.

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I changed my philosophy this year on handcuffing. Have Lamont, SJax, and Ronnie Brown. I have their backups. If one of them go down, I still have a starting back. If they go down and I have someone else's handcuff of a player that hasn't gone down. Then what? Seems to me like I'm hedging my bets.

 

nah..not this year anyway. It was entirely possible to get all your main starters, and then get other backups that would still see work loads. ie: Norwood, Brandon Jacobs, D Williams.

 

Not to mention all the RBBC this year, It was actually possible to solidfy your backfield with a Moroney or Tatum type RB in the mid rounds. Then if one of your starters go down, you have another starter ready to plug. Then you can probably grab the backup off the WW if you're not in a real deep league. Which, if you were, you wouldn't be able to get LaMont, SJax, Brown AND all their backups.

 

This year definitely not the year to consider handcuffing except in the most perfect of situations.

Edited by LooGie
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I am in a league where we can keep 4 players. I handcuffed D. Williams with Foster because I see a lot of upside. Not to mention that Foster doesn't last the whole season. I was very glad the guy who had Holmes last year didn't handcuff LJ, because LJ led me to the superbowl.

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I have also steered clear of the handcuffs this year, and I think I'm in better shape for it. In a keeper league, I have Rudi Johnson, Brian Westbrook, Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney, Jerious Norwood, and Wali Lundy. The last couple years I took up a roster spot with Chris Perry as the handcuff to Johnson, Moats as a handcuff to Westbrook, etc.

 

I'd much rather have Maroney and Norwood than those two backup stiffs any day. :D

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