SportsLine model flags Malik Nabers and James Cook as 2026 fantasy risks
CBS Sports says SportsLine’s NFL model simulated the season 10,000 times and is fading two pricey fantasy picks ahead of 2026 drafts.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Malik Nabers and James Cook are carrying expensive fantasy price tags into 2026, and SportsLine’s projection model is waving caution tape at both.
CBS Sports’ Daniel Lewis reported that SportsLine ran 10,000 simulations of the upcoming NFL season and released new fantasy football rankings, including players the model views as potential busts at their current draft cost. The NFL season is scheduled to begin Sept. 9, with training camps getting underway.
The model’s warning on Nabers comes with a clear draft-board gap. CBS Sports reported that the New York Giants receiver is being selected around pick No. 32 on average, but SportsLine does not rank him among its top 15 receivers.
According to CBS Sports, the model places DeVonta Smith, Nico Collins and Zay Flowers ahead of Nabers. The concern starts with his health: Nabers tore his ACL last season and had another procedure in the spring, and CBS Sports reported he is not certain to be ready for Week 1.
The Giants’ offensive setup is another reason for caution, according to the report. CBS Sports said New York is expected to rely heavily on the ground game under offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, which could make Nabers a dicey second-round or early third-round selection at his current cost.
Cook gets a first-round price, but not a first-round grade
SportsLine is also fading Bills running back James Cook relative to his average draft position. CBS Sports reported that Cook’s ADP sits around No. 12 overall, making him the fifth running back coming off boards on average.
The model is not buying that price. SportsLine ranks Cook as RB10, according to CBS Sports, behind backs including Derrick Henry and Chase Brown. The model’s view, per the report, is that Cook fits better in the late second round or even the third round.
Cook’s recent production is not dismissed in the report. CBS Sports noted that he has put together two strong seasons, which explains why fantasy managers are considering him near the end of Round 1.
The model’s concerns are tied to role and efficiency factors. CBS Sports reported that Cook fumbled at a higher rate last season and is not considered an elite receiving option out of the backfield. The report also pointed to quarterback Josh Allen’s ability to take rushing touchdowns near the goal line as a factor in Buffalo’s offense.
The model’s track record
CBS Sports highlighted SportsLine’s past calls while presenting the new rankings. The report said the model identified Terry McLaurin as a risky pick last year when he had a top-50 ADP.
McLaurin later finished with career lows of 582 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, according to CBS Sports. The report noted that injuries played a role, while also saying his per-game averages declined across the board.
CBS Sports also credited the model with previously identifying A.J. Brown as a 2020 sleeper, projecting Jonathan Taylor’s big 2021 season and calling for C.J. Stroud to regress in 2024. The report also cited earlier sleeper calls on Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017.
Early CBS PPR ADP has Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 1, followed by Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb and Cook.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.