# Mike Fanelli: Fanelli names eight fantasy football busts to avoid drafting in 2026, arguing each will not return value at his current average draft position: Christian McCaffrey, De'Von Achane, Justin Jefferson, Bucky Irving, Jameson Williams, Harold Fannin Jr., Courtland Sutton and Jake Ferguson. **Claimed:** Aug 29, 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/2026/08/8-fantasy-football-busts-to-avoid-2026/ 8 checkable claims — 8 fantasy bust 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. > Therefore, let’s look at eight fantasy football busts to avoid drafting. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Courtland Sutton to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 76.6 (WR33))** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos - 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 - **Harold Fannin Jr. to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 70.2 (TE5))** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Justin Jefferson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 11.8 (WR6))** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jake Ferguson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 112.4 (TE12))** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **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 - **Jameson Williams to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 57.2 (WR26))** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions - 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 ## Who this take is about - Courtland Sutton — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/courtland-sutton - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Harold Fannin Jr. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/harold-fannin-jr - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns - Justin Jefferson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/justin-jefferson - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Jake Ferguson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jake-ferguson - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Jameson Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jameson-williams - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers ## What others said about the same people - Trevor Ripley on Dillon Bell: Ripley expects Max Brosmer to return to the Vikings on the practice squad after being waived, and thinks Dillon Bell may draw waiver interest but is also a practice squad candidate for Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/529718b4-3310-4bc4-949a-09c9600f3c48 (scored 0) - Randy Gurzi on Justin Barron: Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player he expects Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. He also predicts Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a37588ef-f76e-4f06-a951-a85a563271d5 (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 0) - Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (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) --- 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