# Mike Fanelli: Fanelli names eight fantasy football busts to avoid drafting in 2026, arguing each will not return value at their current average draft position: Christian McCaffrey, De'Von Achane, Justin Jefferson, Bucky Irving, Jameson Williams, Harold Fannin Jr., Courtland Sutton and Jake Ferguson.

**Claimed:** Aug 29, 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/2026/08/8-fantasy-football-busts-to-avoid-2026/

8 checkable claims — 8 fantasy bust calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

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.

> Therefore, let’s look at eight fantasy football busts to avoid drafting.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Harold Fannin Jr. to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 70.2 (TE5))**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Justin Jefferson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 11.8 (WR6))**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jake Ferguson to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 112.4 (TE12))**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jameson Williams to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 57.2 (WR26))**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
  - 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
- **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
- **Courtland Sutton to fall short of his draft cost (ADP: 76.6 (WR33))**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **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

## Who this take is about

- Harold Fannin Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/harold-fannin-jr
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Justin Jefferson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/justin-jefferson
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- Jake Ferguson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jake-ferguson
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Jameson Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jameson-williams
- Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions
- De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- Courtland Sutton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/courtland-sutton
- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- Christian McCaffrey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-mccaffrey
- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers

## What others said about the same people

- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/978f775c-5611-4514-ad2f-b35a6eac0402 (scored 0)
- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c8c47b8-6041-4282-8d21-d21741d8f11b (scored 0)
- 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)
- Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100)

## 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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