In some ways, the idea of picking up a backup running back and expecting him to play a major role on your fantasy team is a recipe for disaster. In order for players at this position to make an impact, they need consistent touches. In the pass-first NFL we see today, it's hard to justify expecting a backup to put up the necessary touches.
However, there are handcuff options that turn into fantasy dynamo's every single season. Whether it's the starter going down or the team making an effort to get two backs involved, the one constant around fantasy football has been the handcuff.
Here are three players who represent the best handcuff option to starting running backs. In all of these cases, the player can be had in the sixth round or late at their current ADP.
1. C.J. Spiller, New Orleans Saints
Mark Ingram will definitely get a bulk of the attempts on base downs, but there's no reason to expect New Orleans to avoid putting Spiller in on obvious passing situations. Heck, the team could decide to go with two-back sets multiple times throughout the game. Prior to an injury-plagued 2014 campaign that saw him touch the ball 97 times, Spiller had been a fantasy dynamo—averaging 0.74 fantasy points per touch. With that pace, Spiller will put up RB2 numbers with just 10 touches per game. Now take into account the turf at the Superdome and a Saints offense that does a tremendous job featuring running backs from a PPR standpoint, and he's a tremendous handcuff option with an ADP in the sixth round.
2. Shane Vereen, New York Giants
Even in a crowded backfield, Vereen is an outlier of sorts. He's not going to necessarily be competing with Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams for carries. Instead, he's going to be the team's top receiving running back on passing downs. Considering Vereen's past success (99 receptions over the past two seasons) in this role, there's no reason to believe he won't be a stud from a PPR standpoint. Despite just 140 rush attempts over the past two seasons, Vereen has put up FLEX numbers both years. The idea here would be to nab Jennings at his current ADP (end of the sixth round) while picking Vereen up in the ninth or 10th round.
3. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Jeremy Hill's current ADP has him as a mid second-round pick. That makes him a safe bet to be relied on as a top-10 fantasy running back, at least when it comes to expectations the fantasy world has for him. Considering he averaged 15.6 touches per game last season, this makes sense. Hill's touches will definitely increase in his second season in the NFL. Though, we can't discount what Bernard has done when on the field during his two seasons with the Bengals. The former second-round pick has put up at least 1,000 total yards and seven touchdowns each season. He also averaged over 16 touches per outing last season. The good news here is that Bernard is averaging 0.72 points per touch in his career and has tallied 99 receptions in two seasons. With the same level of touches in 2015, he will be an absolute steal at his current ADP (top of the seventh round).