RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from CBS Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 2 sources
It's not always easy to admit when you're wrong. In doing this job, I've been wrong a lot -- and you've let me know about it, which is fair. I should be held accountable for my mistakes.
So far, I've done two versions of bust lists for this season. The first one was in early May and the second one was in late July .
Things have changed for several players on those two lists, and my outlook for them has changed as well. It could be injuries to teammates or just a better Average Draft Position.
But these players should no longer be considered busts in 2026:
My initial fear was he would be sharing touches with Alvin Kamara , and Kellen Moore doesn't have a great track record throwing to his running backs. The work in the passing game could still be a problem for Etienne, but Kamara suffered a sprained MCL on Aug. 18 and could miss the start of the season -- if not longer. Etienne should be headed for a hefty workload, and Kamara might not be much of a factor for the first half of the season. Etienne's CBS Sports ADP is at 40.4, and that might be too low. You can argue he's a Round 3 pick now that Kamara is injured.
I was concerned Nabers might not be ready for Week 1 coming off last year's torn ACL and meniscus tear in his right knee, but he appears on track for the start of the season. Heading into the third week of the preseason, Nabers has yet to take part in team drills, but that is expected to happen soon. As long as he doesn't suffer a setback, Nabers is worth drafting in Round 3 as a high-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver. I can't sign off on him being a No. 1 Fantasy option, but I'm thrilled to see him make a full recovery. His CBS Sports ADP is just right at 33.3.
I still don't like it when I see McMillan get drafted in Round 3, but his CBS Sports ADP is at 44.3, which is hard to argue with. The reports of him getting more time in the slot in the preseason have been accurate, and that's a big boost to his Fantasy value. Bryce Young is still not the ideal quarterback to help elevate McMillan's production, but he's a great No. 2 Fantasy receiver worth drafting in Round 4. And if the offensive line can get healthy sooner rather than later -- left tackle Iken Ekwonu (knee) and right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clots) are battling injuries -- then this offense could be a nice surprise.
Adams, 33, isn't getting younger, and it was troubling to see him catch just 60 passes for 789 yards last season on 114 targets in 14 games. But we all know he scored 14 touchdowns last year, and he caught at least 11 touchdowns in four of the past six seasons with Green Bay, Las Vegas and the Rams . The reason Adams is no longer a bust is that Puka Nacua (groin) is injured, and he could be facing a suspension, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Nacua is under investigation by the NFL since he is part of a civil case in which he is alleged to have bitten a woman on the shoulder while intoxicated and then made an unprovoked antisemitic remark. Any missed time for Nacua is a boost for Adams, who has a solid CBS Sports ADP of 57.7.
Sam LaPorta (hip) was diagnosed with a hip injury on Aug. 20, which is the main reason Williams is no longer a bust. I'm hopeful LaPorta is ready for Week 1, but any absence for him is a huge plus for Williams. In 2025, in nine games with LaPorta, Williams averaged just 10.9 PPR points and 4.8 targets per game. In eight games without LaPorta after he suffered a back injury, Williams averaged 15.2 PPR points and 7.4 targets per game. I still don't love Williams at his CBS Sports ADP of 57.7, but he's worth the risk now in that range if LaPorta could miss any time in the regular season.
I put Olave on the first bust list in May after the Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson in Round 1 of the NFL Draft . Last year, when Rashid Shaheed was in New Orleans, Olave averaged just 14.1 PPR points per game in the first nine outings of the season. But in the final seven games after Shaheed was traded to Seattle, Olave averaged 20.2 PPR points per game. Tyson is dealing with a hamstring injury as of Aug. 14, and he could miss the first half of the season. That puts Olave back in line to be a monster, and he's worth drafting toward the end of Round 2. I love his current CBS Sports ADP of 29.8, but that should rise over the next two weeks.
Waddle was on the first bust list in May right after he joined the Broncos , and I was worried that Fantasy managers would draft him too soon. But his CBS Sports ADP is actually low at 51.6, and I would draft him in Round 4. It was a little concerning when he dealt with a leg injury for over a week in August, but it was never considered serious. He has looked good in his return to practice, and he should be the No. 1 receiver for Bo Nix . Hopefully, the Waddle we saw early in his tenure in Miami -- he averaged at least 14.2 PPR points per game in each of the first three seasons of his career -- will show up again in Denver this year.
Now, here are the players that I don't plan to draft in 2026 at their current CBS Sports ADP as of Aug. 24. I will draft them if they fall because these are great players, but I don't expect that to happen.
Mahomes is being drafted as a borderline starter at QB13 with a CBS Sports ADP of 99.3, but I would still pass on him there. He's coming off last year's torn ACL and LCL in his knee, which he suffered in Week 15, and the good news is he'll be ready for Week 1. But I don't expect him to run much, and that's what made him a standout Fantasy quarterback in 2025 at 23.6 points per game. He set a career high for rushing yards (422) and rushing touchdowns (five) in just 14 games, and the Chiefs will likely be cautious with his mobility. Keep in mind that in 2023 and 2024 he averaged less than 21.0 Fantasy points per game, and Kansas City just upgraded its run game with the addition of Kenneth Walker III . Mahomes should be good, he just likely won't be great.
(BOLD) I'd rather draft: Jaxson Dart (ADP of 106.4), Jared Goff (ADP of 109....
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.