Popular ideas aren't always the smartest ideas. Sometimes the public is completely wrong. And even if it's right, sometimes you don't have the best plan to get you to the right place.
Going against common sense can arouse suspicion and even ridicule from the gallery. It's okay to think differently! Don't you know that the public is never wrong?
But sometimes it happens. For example, it can lead to disagreements, so be prepared. Handcuffing a running back rarely ends well.
That's correct. It's a popular strategy. On the surface it makes sense. If you have a real-world RB backup on your fantasy roster, you probably won't have to scramble to find a solution if your opponent gets injured. That solution is already in your roster.
However, even if you plan and prepare with this insurance plan in mind, things don't always work out. Let's look at some examples from this season.
Even handcuffing Tank Bigsby to Travis Etienne didn't work on either front. Bigsby was a huge failure when Etienne went down, and he too had been injured for most of the season and wasn't in great shape either way.
If you handcuffed Isaiah Pacheco, who did you handcuff? I'm sure it wasn't Kareem Hunt, who wasn't added to the Chiefs until after Pacheco's injury. Zach Charbonnet filled in when Kenneth Walker went down, but nothing great happened. Many are no longer used at all.
There are things that are starting to work, but even if you handcuff this backfield, there's a good chance the handcuffs will hang up at some point between the draft and now.
That player is Gus Edwards. In fact, when you drafted, you might have drafted Edwards expecting him to be No. 1 to start the Chargers' season, and then take him over J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins was Alpha, after all.
If you retained Edwards or recently acquired him, congratulations. Now you can use him.
Dobbins has been plagued by injuries over the years, but a knee problem makes him questionable for Sunday. Coach Jim Harbaugh was elusive, saying Dobbins “will be out for a while.”
Having to decipher the injury information is annoying, but it's probably meant for more than a week. Dobbins' injury history amplifies that feeling. And with his departure, Edwards will take on the bulk of the work.
To be clear, Edwards isn't as dynamic as Dobbins, so volume is what we're chasing here. Last week, Edwards had nine carries with Dobbins out for the first half. He only gained 11 yards, but scored a touchdown.
Do you want to bet on the NFL?
As bad as it sounds, the Chargers were trailing for the majority of the game against the Ravens, and Baltimore's run defense is anything but fantastic. Therefore, efficiency is expected to increase, perhaps to mediocre levels.
The Falcons should have an easier time sledding, and the Chargers are unlikely to take a big step back like they did last week. If Brian Robinson Jr. doesn't play, we like Edwards enough to start him over Etienne, Nick Chubb, Javonte Williams, or any other Commanders running back.
So, rejoice. Handcuffs are about to be given as a reward. Even if the strategy doesn't develop as planned.
