# Derek Brown: Brown names six running backs he wants in 2026 fantasy drafts, projecting Chase Brown, Javonte Williams, Omarion Hampton and Kenneth Walker III as RB1s, David Montgomery as a strong RB2 with RB1 upside, and Tony Pollard as an RB2 value being drafted as an RB3. **Claimed:** Aug 15, 2026 **Pundit:** Derek Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/derek-brown **Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/fantasy-football-6-must-have-running-backs-2026/ 15 checkable claims — 6 positional finishes, 6 sleeper calls and 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 9 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 5 and below it on 4. > Brown is a solid RB1 with top-five upside this season. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Tony Pollard to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Omarion Hampton to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Javonte Williams to finish top 15 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Javonte Williams to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tony Pollard to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **David Montgomery to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: David Montgomery, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chase Brown to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **David Montgomery to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: David Montgomery, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Omarion Hampton to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tony Pollard to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chase Brown to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **David Montgomery to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: David Montgomery, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Tony Pollard — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tony-pollard - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/titans - Omarion Hampton — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/omarion-hampton - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Javonte Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/javonte-williams - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - David Montgomery — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/david-montgomery - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Chase Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/chase-brown - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Kenneth Walker III — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kenneth-walker-iii - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs ## What others said about the same people - 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 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Trey Hendrickson: Fitzmorris made picks 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 in the 2026 mock, ranked the top three receiver prospects Tate-Lemon-Tyson, said Caleb Downs won't fall to Day 2, and predicted Trey Hendrickson won't be back in Cincinnati. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c3d0242f-bda2-45fd-82b3-7782bd29c69f (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on Kansas City Chiefs: Prisco is the lone expert cited picking Kansas City, 20-17 over Denver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bea2711b-1066-488c-9180-75b8af7b8ab8 (scored 57.14) - Mike Florio on Kansas City Chiefs: Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b20f46e-ebc0-462f-9e7a-2ab82f91a2ea (scored 57.14) - John Pluym on Kansas City Chiefs: Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e7e5c159-21f2-4766-92de-857294ef51cf (scored 100) - Matt Verderame on Kansas City Chiefs: Verderame's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4f51f97-310d-4665-a47e-fdab93ff1fd1 (scored 100) ## More sleeper calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Chad Ochocinco Johnson on Saquon Barkley: Johnson says the Steelers aren't legitimate Super Bowl contenders even with Aaron Rodgers back, and that Saquon Barkley can have a bounce-back season in year nine with the Eagles competing for a championship if the offensive line stays healthy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd0eab3d-1392-41f3-a9b6-026860f9ffa5 (scored 0) - Ross Jackson on Devaughn Vele: Ross Jackson agreed to the same Saints mock draft board — Jeremiah Love at eight, Akeem Mesador in the second, Keonte Scott at 73, Keelan Rutledge and Ted Hurst in the fourth, Xavien Harris at 148, Aaron Anderson in the fifth and Bryce Boettcher in the sixth — and also called Devon Vellet a 2026 breakout candidate. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b4c58f9f-23b8-4857-8505-17c213d3a342 (scored 0) - Andrew Erickson on Malik Nabers: Erickson gave his 2026 first-round board, leaning on running backs early with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja'Marr Chase as his WR1 and Christian McCaffrey slipping to 12. He also touted Malik Nabers as a buying opportunity, projected big touchdown numbers for Burrow and Chase, and called Barkley a buy-low. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/abd0628c-1338-467b-9ac3-d89c922468eb (scored 0) - Jake Ciely on Saquon Barkley: Sealey laid out his projected first round for 2026 fantasy drafts, opening with Bijan Robinson followed by three wide receivers, then a tier of running backs, and closing with Rashee Rice, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Omarion Hampton. He also called Saquon Barkley a buy-low. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b63cc1db-f999-42de-9255-55ffa7d8d29f (scored 0) - Mike Harmon on Zay Flowers: 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) - Andrew Erickson on Audric Estimé: Erickson predicted the Chiefs could lose outright at Tennessee in a flat spot, with Tony Pollard finishing as a top-24 running back for a third straight week; he also called Darren Waller a likely TE1 in Week 16, Tetairoa McMillan a top-20 receiver against Tampa Bay, Omarion Hampton the week's RB1, Isaiah Likely a top-12 tight end in a Patriots win over the Ravens, and Audric Estime a smash flex play for the Saints. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9a86737a-7153-4055-8e85-9e8e11d49f0b (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=derek-brown