This Year’s JSN: 10 Historical Fantasy Football Comps (Dave Kluge)

This episode of RotoWire Fantasy Football pairs Theo Gremminger with Football Guys analyst Dave Kluge for a rapid-fire game of historical player comps, using past breakout seasons to identify 2026 targets. The central argument is that pattern recognition from prior seasons — offensive scheme fits, target-share trends, and situational changes — can flag this year's league-winners before ADP catches up.

The arguments

Brock Bowers is this year's version of both 2020 Travis Kelce and JSN, and should be drafted as a top-10 overall player. Gremminger projects Bowers to lead all tight ends in air-yard share, target share, and first-read rate, potentially breaking Trey McBride's catch record with 130 receptions and 20+ PPG. Kluge fully co-signs, revealing he's at 27% Bowers exposure across drafts and comfortable taking him as early as 1.06, tying the pick to Clint Kubiak's scheme (which also fueled Justin Jefferson and Brandon Ayuk peak seasons).

Malik Nabors profiles as 2017 Keenan Allen — an unquestioned alpha bouncing back from injury concerns into a monster season. Kluge argues the softball-game limping scare was misread (it was from a knee cleanup, not a setback) and that Nabors' target competition (Darius Slayton, Malachi Fields) is negligible. Kluge places Nabors as his WR8, ahead of A.J. Brown, and says he'll chase him up to pick 15 before backing off; Gremminger has him lower, behind Drake London, Lamb, Jefferson, JSN, St. Brown, Chase, and Pukunukua.

Jared Goff is this year's Matthew Stafford value play, and the Lions as a whole are the offense to overdraft. Gremminger projects 42 TD passes and 35 PPG for Detroit, calling for Gibbs as a locked-in RB1, Amon-Ra St. Brown as a top-three WR taken as early as pick 5, Jameson Williams hitting ADP, and Sam LaPorta finishing as a top-4-5 tight end. Kluge agrees emphatically, citing his own 15-23% exposure across the skill-position group and arguing St. Brown's floor/ceiling (17.5–23 PPG) makes him underrated purely because he lacks "highlight" appeal.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. could be this year's touchdown-vulture running back in the Jamal Williams/LeGarrette Blount mold, threatening Bhayshul Tuten's value. Kluge cites Liam Cohen's effusive camp praise ("glass eater," "slobber knocker") and Rodriguez's top-5 marks in success rate, yards after contact, and broken-tackle rate, arguing he'll get goal-line work while Tuten and LaJuan Allen split passing-down snaps. Gremminger agrees this is a real threat to Tuten bags but notes the touchdown dependency makes him tricky to trust weekly outside best ball.

DJ Moore is this year's 2015 Brandon Marshall — a change-of-scenery bounce-back despite declining efficiency metrics. Kluge argues Josh Allen's arm talent and Moore's freelance route style mirror the Fitzpatrick-Marshall pairing, ranking Moore as his WR17 with top-10 upside. Gremminger is more measured, noting improving camp buzz but keeping exposure mostly to best ball, while both agree Moore's new AFC East matchups (Jets, Dolphins secondaries) could produce huge spike weeks.

Colston Loveland is this year's 2020 Darren Waller, and the Bears tight end room deserves a big draft-capital bump given Luther Burden's injury. Gremminger cites Waller's red-zone and deep-target dominance as the model; Kluge, who covers the Bears beat for Football Guys, backs this with camp reports describing Loveland's added muscle, Gronkowski/Kelce comparisons, and Caleb Williams' apparent trust in him, moving Loveland into his round-three plan if he misses Bowers.

Puka Nacua could replicate 2021 Cooper Kupp's historic season, and Kluge ranks him WR1 overall (ahead of Ja'Marr Chase). Kluge notes Nacua's per-game scoring since entering the league (20.00 PPG) actually edges Chase's (19.99), and flags Davante Adams' potential regression given the Rams' reported trade interest in A.J. Brown and draft interest in Makai Lemon as signs McVay may lean harder into Nacua. Gremminger keeps Chase as his WR1, treating this as a legitimate but unresolved disagreement.

What it means for your roster

• Draft Brock Bowers aggressively, even as early as 1.06 in TE-premium formats; both hosts view him as a top-10 overall player with a shot at the all-time TE receptions record.
• Target Malik Nabors in the back of round two/early round three before ADP catches up to the camp hype; Kluge says chase him to pick 15.
• Buy into the entire Lions offense: prioritize Gibbs at 1.01/1.02, take Amon-Ra St. Brown by pick 5 without hesitation, and treat Goff as a strong QB2/streaming-caliber pick regardless of round.
• Speculatively roster Chris Rodriguez Jr. as a cheap, touchdown-upside handcuff/starter in Jacksonville, especially in best ball; be wary holding Bhayshul Tuten given the goal-line role may shift.
• Consider Colston Loveland in round three if you miss Bowers, and monitor Luther Burden's groin injury for expanded Loveland target share.
• Debate Puka Nacua vs. Jamar Chase at the very top of drafts; Kluge's model has Nacua as true WR1 given per-game scoring, while Gremminger still prefers Chase — know your own tiebreaker before the 1.01/1.02 turn.