Now it’s time for Gus Edwards to be the Chargers’ RB1

Popular ideas are not always the smartest ideas. Sometimes the masses are just completely wrong. And there are times when, even when they’re right, they don’t have the best plan to get to the right place.

Going against the grain can invite doubt and even ridicule from the gallery. How dare you think otherwise! Didn’t you know that the masses are never wrong?

Only sometimes they are. For example, be prepared because this could cause divisions – handcuffing running backs rarely works.

That’s right. It’s a popular strategy. On the surface it makes sense. If you have the real-world support for an RB on your fantasy roster, you probably won’t have to worry about finding a solution if your guy gets hurt – that solution is already on your roster.

However, it doesn’t always work out, even if you plan and prepare with this insurance system in mind. Check out some examples from this season.

Handcuffing Travis Etienne with Tank Bigsby didn’t work on either front. With Etienne out, Bigsby was a bust, and he too was injured for most of the season, and neither was particularly good anyway.

If you handcuffed Isiah Pacheco, who did you handcuff? We’re pretty sure it wasn’t Kareem Hunt, who was added by the Chiefs after Pacheco’s injury. Zach Charbonnet was OK when Kenneth Walker was out, but nothing great. Many have remained completely unused.

There’s one that will work soon, but even if you’ve handcuffed this backfield, there’s a chance you’ll cut the cuff at some point between the draft and now.

That player is Gus Edwards. When you drafted, you might have even drafted Edwards expecting him to be the Chargers’ No. 1 pick at the start of the season and then pegged him to JK Dobbins. It turned out that Dobbins was the alpha.

If you’re keeping Edwards or have recently acquired him, congratulations. Now you can use it.

Dobbins, who has a lengthy injury history, is questionable for Sunday with a knee problem. Coach Jim Harbaugh had no comment, saying Dobbins would “miss some time.”

It’s annoying having to try to decipher injury information, but we translate that to probably mean more than just a week. Dobbins’ injury history reinforces that feeling. And without him, Edwards will get the bulk of the work.

To be clear, what you’re going for here is volume, because Edwards isn’t nearly as dynamic as Dobbins. Last week, when Dobbins was sidelined in the first half, Edwards scored nine runs. He gained only 11 yards but scored a touchdown.

Betting on the NFL?

That sounds terrible, but the Chargers trailed most of the game against the Ravens and Baltimore doesn’t have a bad run defense for fantasy purposes. Therefore, we expect better, perhaps mediocre, efficiency.

The Falcons should provide an easier sled game, and the Chargers probably won’t fall as far behind as they did last week. We like Edwards enough to slot him in front of Etienne, Nick Chubb, Javonte Williams or another Commander RB when Brian Robinson Jr. isn’t playing.

So, rejoice. A handcuff is about to be rewarded. Even if this strategy didn’t really turn out as planned.