Model flags Montgomery, Cook as 2026 fantasy busts — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Terry McLaurin was flagged by SportsLine's model last year as a bust candidate, and the call landed: after a 1,100-yard, 13-TD season, he posted career lows of 582 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 2025
- SportsLine simulated the 2026 NFL season 10,000 times and released fantasy rankings, citing a track record that includes calling A.J. Brown as a 2020 sleeper, Jonathan Taylor's 2021 monster season, C.J. Stroud's 2024 step-back, and Derrick Henry's 2019 breakout
- David Montgomery (Texans) is flagged as a bust — ADP has him around pick No. 51, but the model ranks him in the same tier as Jaylen Warren, Jadarian Price, and 10th-rounder Kenneth Gainwell, citing an expected timeshare with Woody Marks (900+ scrimmage yards as a rookie)
- James Cook (Bills) is flagged despite an ADP around No. 10 overall and being the fifth running back off the board on average — the model ranks him RB No. 10 behind Derrick Henry and Chase Brown, citing a higher fumble rate, lack of elite receiving usage, and Josh Allen as a touchdown vulture
- The model is also fading one of the first six receivers off the board in 2026 drafts, ranking him barely inside the top 10 and calling him one of the biggest busts league-wide — the player's identity is gated behind SportsLine's site
- 2026 PPR ADP top six via CBS: Jahmyr Gibbs (1.13), Bijan Robinson (2.06), Ja'Marr Chase (4.11), Jonathan Taylor (5.29), Puka Nacua (5.29), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6.49)
Why it matters: Fantasy drafters facing early-round decisions this week — particularly anyone targeting James Cook in the top 10 — face a direct conflict between consensus ADP (around pick 9.26) and the model's RB10 ranking, with Cook's fumble rate and Josh Allen's goal-line usage cited as specific risks. The model's credibility rests on attested calls like McLaurin's 2025 bust and C.J. Stroud's 2024 regression, giving the new flagouts concrete grounding before drafts start within eight days.
Ask SkimNews
