Steven Ruiz· Sep 8, 2026
Ruiz plants flags on four players and a coordinator to exceed expectations in 2026: A.J. Brown rebounding as an elite receiver in New England, Kyler Murray posting a top-10 quarterback season in Minnesota, Colston Loveland becoming the league's best tight end and first-team All-Pro, Omarion Hampton breaking out under Mike McDaniel, and Christian Parker's Cowboys defense improving enough to return Dallas to the playoffs.
“Murray putting up a top-10 season would not surprise me.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
6 checkable claims — 2 positional finishes, 2 sleeper calls, 1 playoff pick and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
Omarion Hampton to outplay his draft cost
“If McDaniel can do the same for Hampton, he should be in for a monster season... Expect a big increase in both stats now that McDaniel is dialing up plays for him.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsA.J. BrownNew England PatriotsSep 8, 2026
A.J. Brown to outplay his draft cost
“The "washed up" talk is a bit premature, and I firmly believe that Brown is about to remind the NFL that he's still one of the league's scariest receivers.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Colston Loveland to make first-team All-Pro
“The race for the first-team All-Pro spot at tight end will likely come down to Loveland and those two, and I've got the Bears tight end narrowly beating them out.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kyler Murray to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards
“Murray putting up a top-10 season would not surprise me.”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
- Playoff PicksDallas CowboysSep 8, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
“it would be enough to get the Cowboys back into the playoffs and push Parker up the list of head coaching candidates ahead of next year's hiring cycle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Colston Loveland to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards
“the "best tight end in the league" title belt is up for grabs, and Chicago's Colston Loveland is my pick to snatch it this season.”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
What others said about the same people
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback and to be one of the better quarterback values in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he likewise likes Tyler Shough as New Orleans' entrenched starter with an easy schedule.
- Mike MoraitisDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play.
- Pete MartuneacDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Chad Ochocinco JohnsonSleeper Calls · Saquon BarkleyMiss · 0Johnson says the Steelers aren't legitimate Super Bowl contenders even with Aaron Rodgers back, and that Saquon Barkley can have a bounce-back season in year nine with the Eagles competing for a championship if the offensive line stays healthy.
- Ross JacksonSleeper Calls · Devaughn VeleMiss · 0Ross Jackson agreed to the same Saints mock draft board — Jeremiah Love at eight, Akeem Mesador in the second, Keonte Scott at 73, Keelan Rutledge and Ted Hurst in the fourth, Xavien Harris at 148, Aaron Anderson in the fifth and Bryce Boettcher in the sixth — and also called Devon Vellet a 2026 breakout candidate.
- Andrew EricksonSleeper Calls · Malik NabersMiss · 0Erickson gave his 2026 first-round board, leaning on running backs early with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja'Marr Chase as his WR1 and Christian McCaffrey slipping to 12. He also touted Malik Nabers as a buying opportunity, projected big touchdown numbers for Burrow and Chase, and called Barkley a buy-low.
- Jake CielySleeper Calls · Saquon BarkleyMiss · 0Sealey laid out his projected first round for 2026 fantasy drafts, opening with Bijan Robinson followed by three wide receivers, then a tier of running backs, and closing with Rashee Rice, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Omarion Hampton. He also called Saquon Barkley a buy-low.
- Mike HarmonSleeper Calls · Zay FlowersHit · 100Harmon gave his Week 18 fantasy rankings — top five quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers — plus lists of 'hot plays,' 'cold sores' (players to avoid) and 'ninjas' (sneaky plays), and said Trevor Lawrence would land around a top-four fantasy quarterback finish for the season.
- Andrew EricksonSleeper Calls · Audric EstiméMiss · 0Erickson predicted the Chiefs could lose outright at Tennessee in a flat spot, with Tony Pollard finishing as a top-24 running back for a third straight week; he also called Darren Waller a likely TE1 in Week 16, Tetairoa McMillan a top-20 receiver against Tampa Bay, Omarion Hampton the week's RB1, Isaiah Likely a top-12 tight end in a Patriots win over the Ravens, and Audric Estime a smash flex play for the Saints.