# Mike Fanelli: Fanelli names 10 must-have fantasy running backs for 2026 drafts, arguing James Cook should be the third back drafted, that Chase Brown repeats as a top-seven back, that Judkins and Jadarian Price can crack the top 12, and that Swift, Dowdle and Brooks hold or seize lead-back roles, with Jonah Coleman as his favorite late sleeper.

**Claimed:** Aug 31, 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/2026/08/10-must-have-running-backs-2026-fantasy-football/

9 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls, 3 positional finishes and 3 sleeper calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 6 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> Coleman is my favorite sleeper running back candidate and someone I want to draft in every league.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jonathon Brooks to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Chase Brown to finish top 7 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jadarian Price to outplay his draft cost (ADP 59.8 | RB 26)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Quinshon Judkins to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jadarian Price to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **D'Andre Swift to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **James Cook to outplay his draft cost (ADP 9.6 | RB 5)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: James Cook, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Rico Dowdle to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jonah Coleman to outplay his draft cost (ADP 168.2 | RB 53)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers
- Chase Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chase-brown
- Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals
- Jadarian Price — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jadarian-price
- Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks
- Quinshon Judkins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/quinshon-judkins
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- D'Andre Swift — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/d-andre-swift
- Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears
- James Cook — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/james-cook
- Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills
- Rico Dowdle — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rico-dowdle
- Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers
- Jonah Coleman — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonah-coleman
- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Simms on Denver Broncos: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 97.62)
- Connor Rogers on Seattle Seahawks: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 0)
- Chris Long on Cincinnati Bengals: Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 0)
- Steven Ruiz on Denver Broncos: Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 100)
- Nate Tice on Denver Broncos: Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100)
- Sam Monson on Seattle Seahawks: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0)

## More depth chart calls

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

- Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashod Bateman: In his Week 2 waiver wire column, Fitzmaurice recommends a slate of pickups he expects to outperform their current rostership (Kaelon Black, Deebo Samuel, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith and others), lays out several depth-chart expectations (Black as the 49ers' No. 2 back, Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over in Cleveland, Penix returning for Atlanta), and flags Fool's Gold/drop candidates such as Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne and Rashid Shaheed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6218d3c2-61e7-4ace-9976-b51eeefdf22c (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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