# Nathan Jahnke: A PFF Fantasy piece names running backs drafted outside the elite tier who have the ceiling to finish as fantasy's top-scoring back in 2026, arguing De'Von Achane is undervalued but capped, Kenneth Walker has top-five upside in Kansas City, Chase Brown is a high-upside option with a healthy Joe Burrow, and Omarion Hampton could break out under Mike McDaniel.

**Claimed:** Aug 28, 2026
**Pundit:** Nathan Jahnke — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/nathan-jahnke
**Outlet:** Pro Football Focus — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/pro-football-focus
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.pff.com/news/fantasy-football-running-backs-who-could-finish-no-1-overall/

8 checkable claims — 5 positional finishes and 3 sleeper calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

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.

Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.

> If his usage expands in the passing game or Andy Reid leans more heavily on the run than in recent seasons, Walker has the upside to finish as a top-five fantasy running back.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Christian McCaffrey to finish top 1 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Christian McCaffrey
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Omarion Hampton to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 2.07)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jonathan Taylor to finish top 1 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jonathan Taylor
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **De'Von Achane to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 1.12)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jahmyr Gibbs to finish top 1 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jahmyr Gibbs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kenneth Walker III to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 2.06)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Bijan Robinson
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **De'Von Achane to finish top 10 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey
- Omarion Hampton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/omarion-hampton
- Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers
- Jonathan Taylor — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonathan-taylor
- De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Jahmyr Gibbs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jahmyr-gibbs
- Kenneth Walker III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kenneth-walker-iii
- Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs
- Bijan Robinson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bijan-robinson

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0)
- Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0)
- Gilberto Manzano on Josh Downs: Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/67d5af78-94ea-4ee2-a277-5e68347022de (scored 100)
- Joshua Poniatowski on Josh Downs: Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d1752582-a799-48b9-984b-39bf7cb8b709 (scored 100)
- Andrew Erickson on Josh Downs: Erickson floated Kansas City as the landing spot for Josh Downs and said a trade there would make them at least a WR3 rest of season; they also expect Rashee Rice to leave the Chiefs after this season as a free agent. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e97e28f2-31fc-4702-915c-63c38477e97d (scored 100)
- Jordan Dajani on Josh Downs: After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f5af1657-8608-4071-a63e-0e7d6124e627 (scored 100)

## More positional finishes

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

- Nick Wright on Puka Nacua: Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d48b8521-6883-4f25-99f1-6f552bfe5a94 (scored 75)
- Rich Hribar on Matthew Stafford: Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9d1e15ad-f96d-457c-ad9f-25882182e28b (scored 100)
- Chris Brockman on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 100)
- Pat Gustavson on Josh Allen: Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/06884586-5b21-40c8-9439-e303a3e8a806 (scored 16.67)
- Rich Eisen on George Pickens: Eisen called the Rams-winning-it-all take an overreaction but expects Los Angeles to win the NFC West, said they don't see how Myles Garrett fails to win Defensive Player of the Year, and called George Pickens perhaps the third-best receiver in the NFL this season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2b6828d6-b24c-4c65-ac95-56bf45c4ebf7 (scored 100)
- Chad Ochocinco Johnson on Christian Gonzalez: Ochocinco says Christian Gonzalez belongs in the top-five DB conversation, believes Kyler Murray will be elsewhere next year, expects Chase to get a one-game suspension, backs Sam Darnold to bounce back, and floats Jaxon Smith-Njigba reaching 2,000 receiving yards. They also remind listeners they called the Bears and Panthers as teams to watch before the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c6469c58-b508-48d9-b72f-fe6e0d7d4da5 (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.co/methodology

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