Mike FanelliSep 2, 2026
Fanelli names five running backs they expect to bust relative to their 2026 draft cost: Christian McCaffrey (age/injury risk), De'Von Achane (passing-game dependence with Malik Willis at QB), Cam Skattebo (crowded Giants backfield), Bucky Irving (regression, injury, Gainwell competition), and TreVeyon Henderson (limited role with Stevenson healthy).
Published in writing · FantasyProsRead the original
What Mike Fanelli said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromLet's look at five potential running back bust candidates that I would rather avoid drafting in 2026.
- Where it was published
- FantasyPros
- The piece
- 5 Fantasy Football Busts to Avoid: Running Backs (2026)
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Christian McCaffrey to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 5.8 | RB3)“Christian McCaffrey (SF) – ADP 5.8 | RB3 ... the superstar turned 30 this offseason and is a ticking time bomb because of his age and injury history.”
- 2Cam Skattebo to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 39.4 | RB19)“Cam Skattebo (NYG) – ADP 39.4 | RB19 ... the Giants have done everything possible to crush his fantasy value ... I'm not drafting anyone in this backfield.”
- 3De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 10.8 | RB6)“De'Von Achane (MIA) – ADP 10.8 | RB6 ... I won't draft him as a mid-range RB1 and would like to avoid picking Achane altogether with Malik Willis under center.”
- 4TreVeyon Henderson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB25)“TreVeyon Henderson (NE) – ADP 59.8 | RB25 ... Neither New England running back should get drafted in the top 72 picks.”
- 5Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 45.8 | RB20)“Bucky Irving (TB) – ADP 45.8 | RB20 ... The Buccaneers signed Kenneth Gainwell to a significant contract in free agency, calling the veteran a co-starter during training camp, showing their lack of trust in Irving as a featured running back.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 5.8 | RB3)1 | Fantasy Bust Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Cam Skattebo to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 39.4 | RB19)2 | Fantasy Bust Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 10.8 | RB6)3 | Fantasy Bust Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| TreVeyon Henderson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB25)4 | Fantasy Bust Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 45.8 | RB20)5 | Fantasy Bust Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 5 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
5 checkable claims — 5 fantasy bust 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.
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.
1Fantasy Bust CallsChristian McCaffreySan Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 5.8 | RB3)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Fantasy Bust CallsCam SkatteboNew York Giants
Cam Skattebo to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 39.4 | RB19)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Fantasy Bust CallsDe'Von AchaneMiami Dolphins
De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 10.8 | RB6)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Fantasy Bust CallsTreVeyon HendersonNew England Patriots
TreVeyon Henderson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB25)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Fantasy Bust CallsBucky IrvingTampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 45.8 | RB20)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels.
More fantasy bust calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Derek Brown · Fantasy Bust Calls · Zay Flowers · Miss 0
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 · Fantasy Bust Calls · Austin Ekeler · 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.Joe Pisapia · Fantasy Bust Calls · Rashee Rice · 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.Pat Fitzmaurice · Fantasy Bust Calls · Breece Hall · 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.