# Nathan Jahnke: A PFF fantasy piece names five running backs going in the 11th round or later as late-round values with paths to weekly starter status in 2026: Jordan Mason, Chris Rodriguez Jr., Keaton Mitchell, Najee Harris and Tyjae Spears. It also says Mitchell is clearly the Chargers' second back on the depth chart. **Claimed:** Aug 27, 2026 **Pundit:** Nathan Jahnke — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/nathan-jahnke **Outlet:** Pro Football Focus — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/pro-football-focus **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.pff.com/news/fantasy-football-running-back-sleepers/ 5 checkable claims — 4 sleeper calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 8 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. > Below are five running backs currently being drafted in the 11th round or later who have the potential to become weekly must-start fantasy options in 2026. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Keaton Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tyjae Spears to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 14.10)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Najee Harris to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 20.10)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Najee Harris, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chris Rodriguez Jr. to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 13.12)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **Keaton Mitchell to outplay his draft cost (ADP: 16.01)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Keaton Mitchell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keaton-mitchell - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Tyjae Spears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tyjae-spears - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans - Najee Harris — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/najee-harris - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants - Chris Rodriguez Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chris-rodriguez-jr - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars ## What others said about the same people - Connor Rogers on Los Angeles Chargers: Rogers made his own Week 2 calls, taking the Packers, Eagles (by at least 10), Panthers (by at least a field goal), Cowboys (by at least six), Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also noted Baltimore was his Super Bowl pick and said it wouldn't shock him if Jacksonville hosted the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0c2a0048-cb74-4da9-8ef4-695cc6571cdf (scored 0) - Chris Simms on Los Angeles Chargers: Simms went through every Week 2 game with predicted final scores, picking the Texans, Bears, Steelers (as an upset), Packers, Ravens, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Cowboys, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also reiterated that Denver was his preseason Super Bowl pick while predicting the Broncos would fall to 0-2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/32db5f5e-13da-47e3-b280-2aa9a80d172b (scored 40.48) - Phil Simms on New York Giants: Phil Simms said the Giants can hang with and beat the Rams in their Monday night matchup, citing the Rams' sluggish showing in Australia and the Giants' offensive versatility. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/149102cf-b9f9-4fd8-8a72-b501daece227 (scored 0) - Chris Simms on Jacksonville Jaguars: 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 50) - Connor Rogers on New York Giants: 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 100) - Nate Tice on Jacksonville Jaguars: 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) ## More sleeper calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tom Strachan on Ricky Pearsall: Tom Strachan backed Xavier Worthy, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Darnell Mooney, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter as values at their draft costs, while avoiding Jerry Jeudy and the Cleveland receivers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c42eacc5-eb10-4103-a94d-50545a487cbb (scored 100) - Ryan Wormeli on Ricky Pearsall: Host Ryan Warmley endorsed Ricky Pearsall as a bet worth making and put his rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at his cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/192d6e67-2e0e-49b3-bc82-4c8a77bd5950 (scored 100) - Derek Brown on Jalen Coker: 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 his own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/effe2fda-3dcb-489f-a1e1-f8fa5b11ada7 (scored 100) - Chris Welsh on Tyler Warren: 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) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashee Rice: Pat Fitzmaurice gave draft-or-pass calls: reluctant drafts on Christian McCaffrey, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan (his WR16), Rashee Rice at a ninth-round price, Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, Chris Olave, Drake Maye (his 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) - Joe Pisapia on Tyreek Hill: Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: he 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) --- 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 We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=nathan-jahnke