# Mike Fanelli: Fanelli names 10 must-have fantasy running backs for 2026 drafts, arguing James Cook should be the third back drafted, that Chase Brown repeats as a top-seven back, that Judkins and Jadarian Price can crack the top 12, and that Swift, Dowdle and Brooks hold or seize lead-back roles, with Jonah Coleman as his favorite late sleeper. **Claimed:** Aug 31, 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/2026/08/10-must-have-running-backs-2026-fantasy-football/ 9 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls, 3 positional finishes and 3 sleeper calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 6 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > Coleman is my favorite sleeper running back candidate and someone I want to draft in every league. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jonathon Brooks to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jonah Coleman to outplay his draft cost (ADP 168.2 | RB 53)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chase Brown to finish top 7 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Quinshon Judkins to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadarian Price to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **D'Andre Swift to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadarian Price to outplay his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB 26)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **James Cook to outplay his draft cost (ADP 9.6 | RB 5)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: James Cook, Buffalo Bills - 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 ## Who this take is about - Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers - Jonah Coleman — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonah-coleman - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Chase Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/chase-brown - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Quinshon Judkins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/quinshon-judkins - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns - Jadarian Price — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jadarian-price - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - D'Andre Swift — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/d-andre-swift - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - James Cook — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/james-cook - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills - Rico Dowdle — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/rico-dowdle - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers ## What others said about the same people - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (scored 0) - Paul Keren on Teven Jenkins: Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/86b36112-724c-4f9c-a4fd-cf74a38be8e4 (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on Ozzy Trapilo: Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdfe5f0f-6783-4730-b9bb-d942e28b037a (scored 0) - Pete Martuneac on Ozzy Trapilo: After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d42f10ad-a71c-4ea9-95e8-2b53fde77971 (scored 0) - Michael Hanich on Bud Clark: Hanich suggests Nick Emmanwori may miss Week 1 after ankle surgery, and that Noah Igbinoghene is making a strong case to be the Seahawks' Week 1 starting nickel, with Bud Clark also possibly stepping into a starting role if Emmanwori is out. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c15b8321-a10e-421f-8076-039ca96a05a8 (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0) - Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0) --- 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=mike-fanelli