SportsLine Model Names Nabers, Cook as 2026 Fantasy Busts
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- Malik Nabers is flagged as a bust despite an ADP around pick No. 36; SportsLine's model doesn't rank him as a top-15 receiver, placing DeVonta Smith, Nico Collins, and Zay Flowers above him.
- James Cook is another bust target — his ADP sits around pick No. 12 (fifth RB off the board), but the model ranks him RB10, behind Derrick Henry and Chase Brown, and labels him a late-second or third-round pick.
- Nabers isn't a lock for Week 1 after tearing his ACL last season and undergoing a follow-up procedure in the spring, and the Giants are expected to lean on the run game under offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
- Cook posted two strong seasons (RB6 in 2025) but fumbled at a higher rate, isn't an elite pass-catcher, and faces touchdown-vulture risk from Josh Allen, per the model's reasoning.
- The model is also fading one of the first five receivers drafted in 2026, ranking him barely inside the top 10 and calling him one of the biggest busts in the league this year.
- The model's 2025 call on Terry McLaurin proved accurate: he fell from 1,100 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns to career lows of 582 yards and 3 TDs, validating the model's 10,000-simulation approach.
Why it matters: Fantasy drafters face a sharp disconnect between market ADP and SportsLine's model projections for two high-profile players. Cook's market slot at RB5 versus a model rank of RB10 and Nabers' pick-36 ADP versus an outside-the-top-15 projection represent real draft-capital risk for managers making early-round decisions in 2026.
