Nic BodifordAug 28, 2026
A PFF fantasy piece names Chase Brown, Javonte Williams and Bucky Irving as RB1 candidates available in Rounds 2-5, with Williams touted to potentially lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns.
Published in writing · Pro Football FocusRead the original
What Nic Bodiford said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromWilliams can lead the league in rushing touchdowns this year.
- Where it was published
- Pro Football Focus
- The piece
- Fantasy Football 2026: Must-draft running backs for home leagues
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Javonte Williams to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing tds“Williams can lead the league in rushing touchdowns this year. ... yet is firmly in play to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns as a weekly RB1 this season.”
- 2Javonte Williams to outplay his draft cost (3.09, RB16 Yahoo! ADP and a 3.07, RB15 ESPN ADP)“Williams can be drafted via a 3.09, RB16 Yahoo! ADP and a 3.07, RB15 ESPN ADP, yet is firmly in play to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns as a weekly RB1 this season.”
- 3Bucky Irving to outplay his draft cost (5.07, RB23 Yahoo! ADP and a 5.01, RB20 ESPN ADP)“Irving is available via a 5.07, RB23 Yahoo! ADP and a 5.01, RB20 ESPN ADP, and possesses low-end RB1 upside.”
- 4Chase Brown to be 1st on the depth chart“Brown is the featured running back in an offense that is expected to make fantasy-friendly schematic improvements this season.”
- 5Chase Brown to outplay his draft cost (2.04, RB10 Yahoo! ADP and his 2.08, RB10 ESPN ADP)“RB Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals: Brown is the featured running back in an offense that is expected to make fantasy-friendly schematic improvements this season. ... Draft him confidently at his 2.04, RB10 Yahoo! ADP and his 2.08, RB10 ESPN ADP.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javonte Williams to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing tds1 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Javonte Williams to outplay his draft cost (3.09, RB16 Yahoo! ADP and a 3.07, RB15 ESPN ADP)2 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bucky Irving to outplay his draft cost (5.07, RB23 Yahoo! ADP and a 5.01, RB20 ESPN ADP)3 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Chase Brown to be 1st on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Chase Brown to outplay his draft cost (2.04, RB10 Yahoo! ADP and his 2.08, RB10 ESPN ADP)5 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 5 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
5 checkable claims — 3 sleeper calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 positional finish — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 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.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Chase Brown · 2026 season9 calls from 6 pundits between 1 and 1. Nic Bodiford said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the record
positional finishTheir call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
1Positional FinishesJavonte WilliamsDallas Cowboys
Javonte Williams to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing tds
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Sleeper CallsJavonte WilliamsDallas Cowboys
Javonte Williams to outplay his draft cost (3.09, RB16 Yahoo! ADP and a 3.07, RB15 ESPN ADP)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Sleeper CallsBucky IrvingTampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving to outplay his draft cost (5.07, RB23 Yahoo! ADP and a 5.01, RB20 ESPN ADP)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsChase BrownCincinnati Bengals
Chase Brown to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Sleeper CallsChase BrownCincinnati Bengals
Chase Brown to outplay his draft cost (2.04, RB10 Yahoo! ADP and his 2.08, RB10 ESPN ADP)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Dalton Feely · Trade and Signing Calls · Chris Godwin Jr. · Hit 100
Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas.Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Micah Parsons · Miss 0
Eisen expects Myles Garrett to be traded before the draft and says the Browns will then take Abdul Carter with their early first-round pick; they also predict Buffalo will end up paying James Cook and that Micah Parsons will remain a Cowboy and get their money from Dallas, likely late in the process.Eric Mangini · Game Outcome Picks · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Miss 0
Mangini picked New England to beat Green Bay by more than a field goal, flagged Tampa Bay as their upset alert over Chicago, expects Kansas City to handle the Jets, took Buffalo over Minnesota, backed Cincinnati over Atlanta in Madrid, and updated their Super Bowl to Rams–Bengals.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Miss 0
Wright argued the Jaguars are the AFC's most complete team, calling them the considerable favorite for the No. 1 seed and the only club essentially locked into the playoffs. They also picked Tampa Bay to upset Chicago, had Kansas City sweeping its next three games, liked New England over Green Bay by about a field goal, and updated their Super Bowl matchup to Chiefs–49ers.Donte Johnson · Game Outcome Picks · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Miss 0
The former NFL safety picked the Buccaneers to upset the Bears in their Week 9 matchup, arguing Todd Bowles' defense would frustrate Caleb Williams.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Derek Brown · Sleeper Calls · Travis Hunter · Hit 100
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 their own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them.Chris Welsh · Sleeper Calls · Tyler Warren · Hit 100
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.Pat Fitzmaurice · Sleeper Calls · Rashee Rice · Miss 0
Pat Fitzmaurice gave draft-or-pass calls: reluctant drafts on Christian McCaffrey, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan (their WR16), Rashee Rice at a ninth-round price, Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, Chris Olave, Drake Maye (their QB8) and Tyler Warren, with passes on Breece Hall, Joe Mixon, Croskey-Merritt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Hunter, the Rams receivers and Justin Fields.Joe Pisapia · Sleeper Calls · Tyreek Hill · Miss 0
Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: they 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.