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Fantasy football · running backs

Own the next man up before the starter goes down.

Before every NFL game window we name the one backup most likely to take over each backfield. Grab him with your last bench spot. If the starter gets hurt, you already own the league-winner everyone else is bidding on Tuesday.

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1. Spin

Each window we score every RB room: depth chart, practice reports, designations, and a Claude-written read on committee backfields.

2. Stash

Pick up the top spin with a bench slot before kickoff. Players lock when their game starts, so you move early.

3. Keep or re-spin

Starter hurt or your guy popped? Keep him. Nothing happened? Drop him and spin again for the next window.

Who is your starter’s handcuff?

Explore player portraits, backup candidates, recorded stats and the reasoning behind each backfield pick.

Find my running back’s handcuff

One spot open this Sunday?

Compare afternoon stashes, filter by kickoff and hide players already rostered in your league.

Explore Sunday afternoon stashes

Who is banged up this week?

Every running back on the injury report, the designation he carries, and the backup next in line.

See the RB injury report

Does stashing actually work?

We grade every pick against the box score, misses included, and explain the strategy behind the wheel.

Week 5 boards · 1 window

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Top handcuffs this window · Monday Night

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Get him if you can

Rostered in 50% or more of ESPN leagues. The best stashes, but check your wire first.

  1. 1
    Blake Corum
    LA vs BUF · 8:15 PM EDT · behind Kyren Williams
    lottery ticket65% rostered
    72
    stash

Free long shots

Rostered in under 10% of ESPN leagues. Free almost everywhere; a no-cost dart throw.

  1. 2
    Ray Davis
    BUF vs LA · 8:15 PM EDT · behind James Cook III
    lottery ticket4% rostered
    57
    stash

Ranked by stash priority among games that have not kicked off; numbers are each back’s rank in the whole window, and roster percentages are from ESPN public leagues, so your league may differ. Scores are rankings, not probabilities.

Monday Night · Week 5

First kickoff Mon, Oct 12, 8:15 PM EDT · 1 gameboard v14
BUF @ LA8:15 PM EDT
Buffalo Bills
lottery ticketreview needed
James Cook III
Starter· history rating 25/100
James Cook III
Ray Davis
Next man up
Ray DavisRB3early down4% rostered · free long shot

Davis gets the carries if Cook sits

Write-up updated Mon, Oct 12, 4:40 AM EDT.

63
successor score
Rest of the stableTy Johnson (RB2)Expand
  • Ty Johnson
    Ty JohnsonRB2receiving1% rostered · free long shot

    Passing-down specialist and core special-teamer, back in a clear receiving role since Week 3, when he caught all four targets for 50 yards vs. the Chargers. Listed ahead of Davis, but he is not a volume runner: reporting still names Ray Davis as the main beneficiary if Cook missed time.

    Injury history: No long absence in the prior three seasons. 2026: a leg injury in August camp - Joe Brady said on Aug. 25 that Johnson had resumed running - and dated reporting describes him as returning to his role in the Week 3 win over the Chargers, so he missed earlier time this season. The exact number of games missed is not established by the sources reviewed.

    53
    score
Full depth chart & player scouting
Los Angeles Rams
lottery ticketreview needed
Kyren Williams
Starter· history rating 35/100
Kyren Williams
Blake Corum
Next man up
Blake CorumRB2change of pace65% rostered · if he's free

Corum is the premium handcuff to Kyren

Write-up updated Mon, Oct 12, 4:40 AM EDT.

79
successor score
Rest of the stableDean Connors (RB3)Expand
  • Dean Connors
    Dean ConnorsRB30% rostered · free long shot
    51
    score
Full depth chart & player scouting
Monday Night with full analysis →

Coming soon: the Wheel

Connect your Yahoo league and designate one bench slot as the wheel. We check which spins are actually free agents in your league, tell you exactly who to add before each kickoff, and stop the wheel the moment it hits. Automated add/drop follows as soon as Yahoo grants write access.