# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice names three players to avoid in 2026 fantasy drafts: Jalen Hurts (a fade at his midrange QB1 price because his rushing production has declined), De'Von Achane (not worth a second-round pick amid a bad Miami situation), and Brian Thomas Jr. (no bounce-back expected in a crowded Jacksonville target ecosystem). **Claimed:** Aug 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Pat Fitzmaurice — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/pat-fitzmaurice **Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/3-players-experts-avoid-2026-fantasy-football/ 2 checkable claims — 2 fantasy bust calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > With sensational rushing yards no longer bankable, Hurts is a fade. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (the second round of fantasy football drafts)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jalen Hurts to fall short of his draft cost (midrange QB1 price)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Jalen Hurts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jalen-hurts - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles ## What others said about the same people - Jeff Kerr on Maximus Pulley: Kerr ranks the Eagles' eight undrafted free agents by their chances of making the initial 53-man roster, with Kapena Gushiken the most likely and predicts at least one UDFA makes the 53. He also forecasts practice squad spots for Zion Wilson, Deontae Lawson and Maximus Pulley, and a release for long snapper Rocco Underwood. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6ec1d507-c7b6-4873-a0a2-76817706e297 (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on A.J. Brown: Eisen delivered his SoFi-presented power rankings of the 2026 NFL draftees most likely to live up to their billing, counting down from Mekhi Lemmon at No. 10 to Jeremiah Love at No. 1. He also predicted the Eagles will trade A.J. Brown and picked three NFC South teams to go over their win totals. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/44917560-fe2f-453a-a274-edd5059b1c1c (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Olaivavega Ioane: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 35.36) - Tom Strachan on Romeo Doubs: Tom Strachan offered his own 2026 free-agent landing spots, sending Aaron Rodgers to Arizona, Malik Willis to Pittsburgh, Alec Pierce to Seattle, Mike Evans to Baltimore, Deebo Samuel to Carolina, Kenneth Walker to Houston, Breece Hall to Washington, Kyle Pitts to Philadelphia and Dallas Goedert to Miami, while keeping Daniel Jones and Javonte Williams with their current teams. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a2a76815-df1b-4172-82e1-969b3eaabb43 (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Miami Dolphins: Nick Wright gave his early AFC win-total leans: overs on the Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs and Raiders, plus projected win ranges for the Dolphins, Texans, Chargers and Broncos, and predicted the Raiders take Ashton Jeanty at No. 6. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cc9d1905-c3e9-4d7f-8dbb-0f840dbb7535 (scored 80) - Justin Penik on Zack Baun: Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4af0c93c-46f5-4a2c-ae24-e6ffa81a6559 (scored 0) ## More fantasy bust calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ryan Wormeli on Zay Flowers: Host Ryan Warmley endorsed Ricky Pearsall as a bet worth making and put his rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at his cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/192d6e67-2e0e-49b3-bc82-4c8a77bd5950 (scored 0) - Derek Brown on Zay Flowers: Derek Brown ("Debro") laid out a slate of wide receiver breakouts — Ricky Pearsall, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Joshua Palmer, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter — while fading Xavier Worthy, Tyreek Hill and the cheap Cleveland/late-round types, and gave his own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/effe2fda-3dcb-489f-a1e1-f8fa5b11ada7 (scored 0) - Chris Welsh on Austin Ekeler: Welsh drafted Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, the Rams and Saints receivers, Justin Fields (a top-10 QB), Drake Maye (QB10-14), Travis Kelce and Tyler Warren, while passing on Joe Mixon, the Commanders backfield, Tyreek Hill, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9f0f2132-f3b8-4813-b2b1-374b827d86a8 (scored 100) - Joe Pisapia on Rashee Rice: Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: he passed on Christian McCaffrey at pick 7, Breece Hall, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Travis Hunter and Chris Olave, while drafting RJ Harvey, Tyreek Hill, Tetairoa McMillan, Puka Nacua, Tyler Warren and a late-round Joe Mixon. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c3c95c1c-64a4-42b6-9389-58d5fb5b27d1 (scored 0) - Derek Brown on Chuba Hubbard: Derek Brown ("Deebro") names three busts to avoid in 2025 fantasy drafts: Kyren Williams at an RB1 price, Chuba Hubbard as a top-20 RB, and Xavier Worthy as his ultimate bust, arguing Rashee Rice is the clear No. 1 receiver in Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9cc5c06e-e0c5-45bd-8b93-fa089f8673a8 (scored 100) - Simon Hunter on Tetairoa McMillan: Simon is drafting Ashton Jeanty in the late first/early second and is comfortable taking him in the first round, is all-in on DeVonta Adams with the Rams, and calls Puka Nacua one of the most overdrafted players who should not be taken in the first round. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/15f74c4e-cd8f-455b-b84f-e4098e767a84 (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=pat-fitzmaurice