# Tom Strachan: Strachan lays out draft strategy from the 1.09 pick, arguing Amon-Ra St. Brown, James Cook, CeeDee Lamb and Saquon Barkley are values there, while calling elite tight ends Brock Bowers and Trey McBride, plus Omarion Hampton, players to avoid at that spot. He also expects the first five picks of drafts to be Robinson, Gibbs, Chase, Nacua and Smith-Njigba.

**Claimed:** Aug 26, 2026
**Pundit:** Tom Strachan — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/tom-strachan
**Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/fantasy-football-mock-draft-how-to-approach-pick-1-09-2026-strategy-advice/

9 checkable claims — 4 sleeper calls, 3 fantasy bust calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 fantasy ranking — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 13 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.

> While the passing offense will be spread out, Cook remains the safest and strongest bet outside of Josh Allen.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Omarion Hampton to fall short of his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **CeeDee Lamb to outplay his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Trey McBride to fall short of his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Amon-Ra St. Brown to outplay his draft cost (ahead of Jaxon Smith-Njigba)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **James Cook to outplay his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: James Cook, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Saquon Barkley to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **The top of the draft will start with Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Ja'Marr Chase likely as the first three picks off the board. After that, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba usually go next before things open up slightly.**
  - Kind: Fantasy Rankings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Saquon Barkley to outplay his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Brock Bowers to fall short of his draft cost (1.09)**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Brock Bowers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Omarion Hampton — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/omarion-hampton
- Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers
- CeeDee Lamb — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ceedee-lamb
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Trey McBride — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/trey-mcbride
- Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cardinals
- Amon-Ra St. Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/amon-ra-st-brown
- Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions
- James Cook — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/james-cook
- Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills
- Saquon Barkley — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/saquon-barkley
- Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles
- Brock Bowers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/brock-bowers

## What others said about the same people

- Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100)
- Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0)
- Jeff Kerr on Michael Carter: Kerr says several Eagles have raised their stock in camp: Darius Cooper is emerging as the team's WR4, Drew Kendall is the No. 3 interior lineman/top backup at guard and center, Willie Lampkin is in prime position to make the 53-man roster, and Michael Carter is a roster lock who could start at safety in Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/922a9343-f96d-419d-8091-49b64dd471d9 (scored 0)
- Henry McKenna on Carson Beck: McKenna predicts Kyler Murray will win the Vikings' starting QB job over J.J. McCarthy, that Minnesota will make the playoffs if Murray cuts out the hero ball, that both QBs will play in 2026, and wonders whether rookie Carson Beck could unseat Jacoby Brissett as Arizona's Week 1 starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9025c533-03e6-4e1f-8773-b8ef2f1d46ea (scored 0)
- Chris Roling on Los Angeles Chargers: Roling predicts a lopsided Chargers home win over the Cardinals in Week 1, 30-10, and advises starting Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton in fantasy while sitting Ladd McConkey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d4c64a5c-84bf-4ed6-9779-882e9a8fb212 (scored 30.95)
- Tyler Sullivan on Philadelphia Eagles: Sullivan takes the Jaguars to beat the Browns, doubting Deshaun Watson, and takes the Eagles over the Commanders at home. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac678dcb-56cb-48c5-912c-3e8c8522e681 (scored 100)

## More sleeper calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Ross Jackson on Devaughn Vele: Ross 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b4c58f9f-23b8-4857-8505-17c213d3a342 (scored 0)
- Andrew Erickson on Malik Nabers: Erickson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/abd0628c-1338-467b-9ac3-d89c922468eb (scored 0)
- Mike Harmon on Zay Flowers: Harmon 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e2e20c82-d482-48e6-90f3-929d0862fc0d (scored 100)
- Andrew Erickson on Audric Estimé: Erickson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9a86737a-7153-4055-8e85-9e8e11d49f0b (scored 0)
- Adam Rank on J.J. McCarthy: Rank recommends JJ McCarthy as a Week 15 quarterback streamer against Dallas and thinks Shedeur Sanders can carry fantasy teams into the semifinals against the Bears. For the Week 15 'perfect lineup' he picks Drake Maye as the top quarterback and Christian McCaffrey as a top running back, and he expects Terry McLaurin to produce with Marcus Mariota starting. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/edbecc9c-cb9a-405e-b3d5-856af9f4e21f (scored 0)
- Andrew Erickson on Colston Loveland: Erickson ranked Brissett QB11 while burying Brock Purdy at QB25, was highest on Sam Darnold at QB12 in a Seahawks blowout of Minnesota, called Brenton Strange a borderline top-12 tight end, and tabbed Colston Loveland as next year's breakout tight end. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e9e47a95-bce8-4e1a-8000-8f5eec1e45ed (scored 100)

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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:
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