SportsLine model tags Gainwell, Tuten and Darnold in 2026 fantasy calls
A SportsLine simulation names Kenneth Gainwell a sleeper, Bhayshul Tuten a breakout and Sam Darnold a potential fantasy fade for 2026 drafts.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
SportsLine’s fantasy football model has run the 2026 NFL season 10,000 times, and three names are jumping off its draft board: Kenneth Gainwell, Bhayshul Tuten and Sam Darnold.
CBS Sports’ Ross Kelly reported that the model has released new rankings for both PPR and non-PPR fantasy leagues as draft season starts to warm up. Rookie training camps begin this weekend, while veterans for some teams are set to report on July 22, according to the report.
The early average draft position board is led by familiar premium picks. Kelly reported that Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Christian McCaffrey are among the first players being selected on average, with Brock Bowers leading the tight ends.
Gainwell gets the sleeper nod
SportsLine’s model lists Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell as a sleeper with an ADP of No. 99, according to CBS Sports.
Gainwell, a former Eagle, set career highs last season with Pittsburgh, finishing with 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns, Kelly reported. He then moved to Tampa Bay in free agency after Rachaad White left for Washington.
The model’s case for Gainwell centers on his receiving work and his role in the Buccaneers’ backfield. Kelly reported that coach Todd Bowles described Gainwell as the “1B” to Bucky Irving’s “1A.”
Gainwell caught 73 passes last season, while Tampa Bay has leaned on running backs in the passing game. White has the third-most receptions among running backs since 2022, according to the CBS Sports report.
Irving missed seven games last season with multiple injuries and averaged 3.4 yards per carry, which Kelly reported ranked last among qualified players. Gainwell averaged 4.7 yards per carry and had six touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line, matching Irving’s number of carries from that area.
Tuten climbs after Etienne exit
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten is one of the model’s breakout picks, according to SportsLine’s rankings reported by CBS Sports.
Tuten has an ADP of No. 61 overall. A fourth-round pick in 2025, he had 386 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie while playing behind Travis Etienne, Kelly reported.
Etienne has since joined the New Orleans Saints, leaving Tuten at the top of Jacksonville’s depth chart, according to the report. Tuten scored in all four games in which he received at least nine touches as a rookie.
Kelly reported that Tuten had the fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs in the 2025 draft class. Jacksonville ranked eighth in rushing attempts in 2025, while Etienne had nearly 1,400 total yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Darnold marked as a fade
SportsLine’s model is cooler on Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, placing him at QB20 for 2026 after he finished last season as QB14, according to CBS Sports.
The report points to Seattle’s run-heavy offense. Kelly wrote that the Seahawks ranked third in rushing attempts and 29th in pass attempts last season.
Darnold also led the NFL with 20 turnovers, with six lost fumbles and 14 interceptions, according to CBS Sports. As a runner, he had under 100 rushing yards and no rushing touchdowns last season.
SportsLine also said its model previously projected Daniel Jones as a top-15 fantasy quarterback entering 2025. Kelly reported that Jones was QB10 before a season-ending injury in Week 14 and finished as QB17.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.