Model Calls Nabers, Cook 2026 Fantasy Football Busts
SkimNews Take
The model's 2026 bust labels draw implicit authority from its prior McLaurin call, meaning each verified prediction retroactively strengthens the weight of every future one.
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- SportsLine's model simulated the 2026 NFL season 10,000 times and released its fantasy football busts list ahead of the Sept. 9 kickoff game, with veterans like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Ja'Marr Chase headlining its 2026 rankings.
- Malik Nabers is flagged as a bust despite an ADP around pick No. 34, with the model ranking him outside the top-15 receivers — the Giants WR is recovering from a torn ACL and a follow-up spring procedure, and new OC Matt Nagy is expected to lean heavily on the run game.
- James Cook carries an ADP around No. 11 overall but the model ranks him only RB10, behind Derrick Henry and Chase Brown, citing a higher fumble rate last season and Josh Allen as a Bills touchdown vulture.
- Terry McLaurin posted career lows of 582 receiving yards and 3 TDs in 2025 after 1,100 yards and 13 TDs in 2024 — exactly as the model had predicted, sparing drafters who faded him a major headache.
- A top-five draft WR is also being faded by the model, which ranks him barely inside the top 10 and is calling for him to be one of the league's biggest 2026 busts.
- The current 2026 fantasy football ADP top 12 (PPR, via CBS) is led by Jahmyr Gibbs (1.30), Bijan Robinson (1.94), Ja'Marr Chase (4.03), Puka Nacua (5.05), Jonathan Taylor (5.30), and Christian McCaffrey (7.02), with Cook at No. 9.
Why it matters: Fantasy drafters who follow the model's red flags can avoid paying second-round money for Malik Nabers (ADP ~34) and first-round money for James Cook (ADP ~11), both of whom the model ranks outside their current draft slot. Anyone anchoring on ADP alone risks overpaying for an ACL-recovering Giants WR and a Bills RB whose fumbles and Josh Allen's goal-line poaching cap his ceiling.
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