# Evan Tarracciano: Tarracciano names several running backs he's avoiding at their current draft cost: Travis Etienne Jr. (whose upside he says Alvin Kamara will cap), Bucky Irving (who he expects to split carries with Kenneth Gainwell), Jaylen Warren (who he says stays a change-of-pace back behind breakout Rico Dowdle), and the entire Denver backfield of J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman.

**Claimed:** Aug 13, 2026
**Pundit:** Evan Tarracciano — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/evan-tarracciano
**Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/6-fantasy-football-busts-to-avoid-running-backs-2026/

8 checkable claims — 6 fantasy bust calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 sleeper call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

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

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> Yep, I said all of them.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Travis Etienne to fall short of his draft cost (Currently ranked as the RB18 atop the fourth tier at the position)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Travis Etienne, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Rico Dowdle to outplay his draft cost (being drafted behind Warren)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jonah Coleman to fall short of his draft cost**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Rico Dowdle to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **J.K. Dobbins to fall short of his draft cost (being drafted in near-identical positions)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **RJ Harvey to fall short of his draft cost (being drafted in near-identical positions)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jaylen Warren to fall short of his draft cost (being drafted ahead of Dowdle)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (currently ranked as the RB21)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Travis Etienne — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/travis-etienne
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints
- Rico Dowdle — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/rico-dowdle
- Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers
- Jonah Coleman — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonah-coleman
- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- J.K. Dobbins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/j-k-dobbins
- RJ Harvey — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/rj-harvey
- Jaylen Warren — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jaylen-warren
- Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Brockman on Baker Mayfield: Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d508736e-a824-4fa0-854c-df4ebdd9ef02 (scored 100)
- Jon Gruden on Baker Mayfield: The former Buccaneers head coach predicted that Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield are closer on a new contract than believed and that an extension will get done. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10bb8ff2-886c-488e-b693-fb4ea9dd5880 (scored 100)
- 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 100)
- Jason McIntyre on Baker Mayfield: Filling in for Colin Cowherd, McIntyre argued the 49ers' window is closed amid a brutal injury list and record travel, floated a Bijan Robinson trade to the Bears, predicted the Lions can win the NFC North, doubted Atlanta is even a playoff team, said Baker Mayfield's Tampa run ends after this season, and delivered a top-10 quarterback ranking. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3fa10b83-c7a3-489f-a011-76f2eb991e81 (scored 0)
- Danny Parkins on Trey Hendrickson: Parkins predicts Fernando Mendoza goes No. 1 overall to the Raiders, Trey Hendrickson signs in Tampa, Michael Penix Jr. wins Atlanta's QB competition, Jared Wilson takes over at center in New England, Mike Evans reaches 1,000 yards, and the Bears lose Byard and Brisker. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ca8ddcc3-733b-4a44-92b9-b90577e59c9c (scored 0)
- Evan Silva on Pittsburgh Steelers: In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/180b1036-60e5-494b-9b4d-90b5dc3d6528 (scored 100)

## More fantasy bust calls

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

- Mike Harmon on Joe Burrow: Harmon gave his Week 18 fantasy rankings — top five quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers — plus lists of 'hot plays,' 'cold sores' (players to avoid) and 'ninjas' (sneaky plays), and said Trevor Lawrence would land around a top-four fantasy quarterback finish for the season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e2e20c82-d482-48e6-90f3-929d0862fc0d (scored 100)
- Ryan Wormeli on Ashton Jeanty: Warmley predicted Kyle Pitts and Trey McBride both finish as top-five tight ends in the Cardinals-Falcons game, Justin Jefferson bounces back into the top 15 receivers, Quinshen Judkins finishes top 12 against Buffalo, the Ravens beat the Patriots, and the Raiders produce no startable fantasy players against Houston. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7c3c1a97-4a04-4870-8118-181815ff8c47 (scored 0)
- Marcas Grant on Michael Pittman: Grant calls Christian Watson the Packers' clear No. 1 receiver and RJ Harvey Denver's lead back, while labeling Mike Gesicki's and Tony Pollard's big weeks mirages to avoid; he also wants no part of Colts pass catchers with Philip Rivers signing. For Week 15 he picks Matthew Stafford as the top quarterback and Puka Nacua among the top receivers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d990340b-36f2-4842-81d8-d08a5f3db65a (scored 0)
- Andrew Erickson on Cooper Kupp: Erickson reiterated his prediction that Jordan Mason will lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns, backed the Broncos to blow out the Titans in Week 1, called Garrett Wilson a sell and Jacoby Myers a buy-low, expects little from Cooper Kupp, and made several depth-chart calls (Thornton starting in New England, Myers as Vegas' No. 1 receiver, Croskey-Merritt eventually taking the Commanders' 'A back' role). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3809e587-6fa2-464b-ab98-fd96d353c1bd (scored 100)
- 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)

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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

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=evan-tarracciano