Value of RB handcuffs in 2020 (1 Viewer)

Assuming you handcuffed your stud RBs, at what point do you trade the handcuff?  

I don't want to make this a rate this trade type thread, so I won't name players, but if you could get an upgrade at your flex position, but you'd lose your handcuff to your stud RB, what value makes you do that?

Bayhawks said:

Assuming you handcuffed your stud RBs, at what point do you trade the handcuff?  

I don't want to make this a rate this trade type thread, so I won't name players, but if you could get an upgrade at your flex position, but you'd lose your handcuff to your stud RB, what value makes you do that?

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Your own handcuff? I keep. Someone else's handcuff? Can be had for the right price.

In roughly 23 years of playing this game, I can't think of a single instance where holding onto a handcuff has paid dividends for me.  I normally draft one or two of them and by mid-season they are on free agency for the remainder of the season.

perbach said:

In roughly 23 years of playing this game, I can't think of a single instance where holding onto a handcuff has paid dividends for me.  I normally draft one or two of them and by mid-season they are on free agency for the remainder of the season.

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I agree with you and have a similar experience but I don't think that necessarily proves the strategy a bad one. When you are at a point in your season when you can let your handcuffs go, it means you're confident enough to do so.

perbach said:

In roughly 23 years of playing this game, I can't think of a single instance where holding onto a handcuff has paid dividends for me.  I normally draft one or two of them and by mid-season they are on free agency for the remainder of the season.

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Same with me, although holding on to a handcuff of another team's stud RB has paid off for me in the past.

To me it depends on if the rest of your roster and its solid depth allows you to burn a roster spot or not. 

This is not the year for me to do that for sure.

I’m currently holding Edmonds and Mattison because I think they can be great if the guy in front of them goes down. I don’t own either. I’ve tried to push Mattison to the cool owner with no luck. He’s riding Cook as the hot hand.

On the same team, I own CEH and have D Williams on my bench. I think he’s cuttable when I need something else, but am holding for now, as I think the starting running back on that offense will produce... although I haven’t seen much out of him.

I always try to handcuff my best players… I wouldn’t trade them away because they’re my insurance policy. and they don’t have great value before the starter goes down. So you’re selling a lottery ticket. 

I think it’s a pretty polarizing strategy. A lot of folks merely want to grab other handcuffs while leaving their own best players exposed. It’s been explained to me that if one of those handcuffs hits then they have their elite player and a bonus RB - where as if they’re own handcuff hits it’s really just a downgrade at the position for them. .

last week I had a bad fortune of trading for Chris Carson. An hour after I landed him, I went after Carlos Hyde and paid with a future pack. I just had the feeling that since I spent that much dynasty equity to get a top running back, I needed to protect the asset. that happened to work out well this time. I could’ve also worked out the Carson was fine all year and Hyde was a waste of a 2022 third round pick. So I can see both sides to the handcuffs logic.

I don’t see it as being a whole lot more relevant in 2020 than any other year. Some folks handcuff, some folks don’t. If you did, hang onto them. 

Hot Sauce Guy said:

I always try to handcuff my best players… I wouldn’t trade them away because they’re my insurance policy. and they don’t have great value before the starter goes down. So you’re selling a lottery ticket. 

I think it’s a pretty polarizing strategy. A lot of folks merely want to grab other handcuffs while leaving their own best players exposed. It’s been explained to me that if one of those handcuffs hits then they have their elite player and a bonus RB - where as if they’re own handcuff hits it’s really just a downgrade at the position for them. .

last week I had a bad fortune of trading for Chris Carson. An hour after I landed him, I went after Carlos Hyde and paid with a future pack. I just had the feeling that since I spent that much dynasty equity to get a top running back, I needed to protect the asset. that happened to work out well this time. I could’ve also worked out the Carson was fine all year and Hyde was a waste of a 2022 third round pick. So I can see both sides to the handcuffs logic.

I don’t see it as being a whole lot more relevant in 2020 than any other year. Some folks handcuff, some folks don’t. If you did, hang onto them. 

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I approach this completely opposite depending on redraft or dynasty.

In dynasty, where you have years and years to build a team and gain an advantage over your opponents I absolutely handcuff my studs when they have a clear handcuff.  In that format I believe I can put together a strong enough team that having 80% of that stud's production replaced along with the rest of my team can still be an advantage over the rest of the league.

In redraft where everyone starts on such equal footing I don't bother to handcuff my studs (unless they are REALLY injury prone) and instead focus on high upside handcuffs of other backs.  My basic feeling is like you mentioned, adding another stud to my team.  Since teams are starting so equal I think this is far more important in redraft than dynasty and basically if you don't have whoever that insta-stud is at the end of the year you're probably going to be playing against them in the playoffs.

My guess would be that over time those insta-stud handcuffs that hit are found on a lot more redraft championship teams than dynasty championship teams.  In dynasty some of my teams are good enough that I can withstand my opponent getting 80% of CMC (Mike Davis) plugged into their RB2 for free.  In redraft that is going to be much more likely to be the difference maker.

I guess another way to look at it, I have several dynasty teams where I lost Saquon and I feel like I still have a good shot at winning a title.  In my redraft leagues where I lost Saquon I have basically capitulated to it being a lost league and there's very little chance of me competing.  Losing a stud or gaining a free near stud like Davis/Mattison if you got to play them during playoff time I think has a much larger affect in redraft than it does in dynasty.

In dynasty I would rather have CMC/Mike Davis combo.  In redraft I'd rather have CMC/Mattison.

In dynasty I would rather have CMC/Mike Davis combo.  In redraft I'd rather have CMC/Mattison.

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makes sense