Bucky Brooks#26 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 12, 2026
Brooks judges Bijan Robinson the best running back in the NFL right now, just ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs, with the two as RB1a and RB1b entering 2026. They also predict Cardinals rookie Jeremiyah Love will avoid an Ashton Jeanty-style disappointing debut and be a star, comparing their potential impact to Saquon Barkley's 2018 rookie year.
Published in writingRead the original
What Bucky Brooks said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromhe just barely edges out Jahmyr as the NFL's best running back right now
- The piece
- Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Bijan Robinson: Who is NFL's top RB? Plus, Jeremiyah Love's rookie expectations
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Jeremiyah Love to be 1st on the depth chart“Arizona's new RB1 is the centerpiece of an offense that will rely heavily on a stretch-bootleg package”
- 2Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing yards“Given Bijan's ability to do more while surrounded by a less talented squad, he just barely edges out Jahmyr as the NFL's best running back right now.”
- 3Top Player Lists“Entering the 2026 campaign, Gibbs and Robinson are unquestionably RB1a and RB1b in this league. ... he just barely edges out Jahmyr as the NFL's best running back right now.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiyah Love to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing yards2 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| “Entering the 2026 campaign, Gibbs and Robinson are…”3 | Top Player Lists | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call, 1 positional finish and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
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.
Where this call stands in the room
Jeremiyah Love · 2026 season21 calls from 17 pundits between 1 and 2. Bucky Brooks said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsJeremiyah LoveArizona Cardinals
Jeremiyah Love to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Positional FinishesBijan RobinsonAtlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
“Entering the 2026 campaign, Gibbs and Robinson are unquestionably RB1a and RB1b in this league. ... he just barely edges out Jahmyr as the NFL's best running back right now.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta.JP Acosta · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco.Gregg Rosenthal · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.