# Mike Fanelli: 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).

**Claimed:** Sep 2, 2026
**Pundit:** Mike Fanelli — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-fanelli
**Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fantasypros
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/09/5-fantasy-football-busts-to-avoid-running-backs-2026/

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.

> Let's look at five potential running back bust candidates that I would rather avoid drafting in 2026.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **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
- **Cam Skattebo to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 39.4 | RB19)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
  - 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
- **TreVeyon Henderson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB25)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
  - 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

## Who this take is about

- Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey
- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers
- Cam Skattebo — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cam-skattebo
- New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants
- De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- TreVeyon Henderson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/treveyon-henderson
- New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots
- Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers

## What others said about the same people

- Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0)
- Sam Monson on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0)
- Pete Prisco on New York Giants: Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e142b910-0967-4de9-9429-c342bc079205 (scored 35.71)
- Jared Dubin on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/04562aeb-eccf-4266-be8e-32a3aacfd6fc (scored 42.86)
- Jared Dubin on New York Giants: Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6c19276-74df-4775-8a6e-f67c6d94b773 (scored 42.86)
- Pete Prisco on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/07b5aad4-57ad-4195-bc69-66b1abec33a0 (scored 35.71)

## 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 their rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at their cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr. — https://missedtakes.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 their own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. — https://missedtakes.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.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: 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. — https://missedtakes.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 (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. — https://missedtakes.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 their ultimate bust, arguing Rashee Rice is the clear No. 1 receiver in Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9cc5c06e-e0c5-45bd-8b93-fa089f8673a8 (scored 100)

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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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