# Mike Fanelli: Fanelli names five running backs he expects to bust relative to their 2026 draft cost: Christian McCaffrey (age/injury risk), De'Von Achane (passing-game dependence with Malik Willis at QB), Cam Skattebo (crowded Giants backfield), Bucky Irving (regression, injury, Gainwell competition), and TreVeyon Henderson (limited role with Stevenson healthy).

**Claimed:** Sep 2, 2026
**Pundit:** Mike Fanelli — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/mike-fanelli
**Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/09/5-fantasy-football-busts-to-avoid-running-backs-2026/

5 checkable claims — 5 fantasy bust calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

> Let's look at five potential running back bust candidates that I would rather avoid drafting in 2026.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 10.8 | RB6)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Cam Skattebo to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 39.4 | RB19)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Christian McCaffrey to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 5.8 | RB3)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 45.8 | RB20)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **TreVeyon Henderson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB25)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Cam Skattebo — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cam-skattebo
- New York Giants — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/giants
- Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey
- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers
- Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- TreVeyon Henderson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/treveyon-henderson
- New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots

## What others said about the same people

- Joel Corry on Baker Mayfield: The unsigned CBS Sports analysis lays out the contract it believes Tampa Bay will have to give Mayfield at minimum: a two-year extension averaging $50 million per year with $110 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a840ff4-f1e5-48ca-bec6-ba41e9ef2396 (scored 0)
- Steven Ruiz on A.J. Brown: Ruiz expects the Eagles to trade A.J. Brown once the June 1 dead-cap threshold passes, most likely to New England, and thinks Baker Mayfield will get a Buccaneers extension making him the league's highest-paid quarterback within a month or two. He also argues the Lions may have to let one or two of their 2023 draft class leave, and that Houston should extend C.J. Stroud. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f6c3a28-18bb-4f4d-beb5-061d863b4e28 (scored 100)
- Mike Tannenbaum on Stefon Diggs: Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f7a29c18-face-49c0-b84f-33715b4c6678 (scored 0)
- Brandon Carney on A.J. Brown: Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c4d477da-4fb8-4a25-a904-c5057a249a70 (scored 100)
- Jeremy White on A.J. Brown: Jeremy White expects the Patriots to acquire AJ Brown, calling the trade likely inevitable within about a month. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a8701720-01eb-4a29-8bf1-5a8555f0d1ed (scored 100)
- Chris Brockman on A.J. Brown: Brockman predicted only Stafford and Josh Allen of last year's MVP vote-getters get votes again, Fernando Mendoza starts and wins Rookie of the Year, the Colts win the AFC South, AJ Brown is traded to New England leaving DeVonta Smith as Philadelphia's clear No. 1 and a breakout star, five running backs top 1,600 yards, George Pickens breaks a Cowboys receiving record, and Justin Fields starts for Kansas City in September. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2307f474-6a3d-405e-b048-7b023ffda1be (scored 100)

## More fantasy bust calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Ryan Wormeli on Zay Flowers: Host Ryan Warmley endorsed Ricky Pearsall as a bet worth making and put his rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at his cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/192d6e67-2e0e-49b3-bc82-4c8a77bd5950 (scored 0)
- Derek Brown on Zay Flowers: Derek Brown ("Debro") laid out a slate of wide receiver breakouts — Ricky Pearsall, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Joshua Palmer, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter — while fading Xavier Worthy, Tyreek Hill and the cheap Cleveland/late-round types, and gave his own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/effe2fda-3dcb-489f-a1e1-f8fa5b11ada7 (scored 0)
- Chris Welsh on Austin Ekeler: Welsh drafted Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, the Rams and Saints receivers, Justin Fields (a top-10 QB), Drake Maye (QB10-14), Travis Kelce and Tyler Warren, while passing on Joe Mixon, the Commanders backfield, Tyreek Hill, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9f0f2132-f3b8-4813-b2b1-374b827d86a8 (scored 100)
- Joe Pisapia on Rashee Rice: Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: he passed on Christian McCaffrey at pick 7, Breece Hall, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Travis Hunter and Chris Olave, while drafting RJ Harvey, Tyreek Hill, Tetairoa McMillan, Puka Nacua, Tyler Warren and a late-round Joe Mixon. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c3c95c1c-64a4-42b6-9389-58d5fb5b27d1 (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Breece Hall: Pat Fitzmaurice gave draft-or-pass calls: reluctant drafts on Christian McCaffrey, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan (his WR16), Rashee Rice at a ninth-round price, Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, Chris Olave, Drake Maye (his QB8) and Tyler Warren, with passes on Breece Hall, Joe Mixon, Croskey-Merritt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Hunter, the Rams receivers and Justin Fields. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e36f1287-466c-4889-a7ea-c9d86f4b5182 (scored 0)
- Derek Brown on Chuba Hubbard: Derek Brown ("Deebro") names three busts to avoid in 2025 fantasy drafts: Kyren Williams at an RB1 price, Chuba Hubbard as a top-20 RB, and Xavier Worthy as his ultimate bust, arguing Rashee Rice is the clear No. 1 receiver in Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9cc5c06e-e0c5-45bd-8b93-fa089f8673a8 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

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