# Pat Fitzmaurice: Expects a healthy Christian Watson to smash in 2026, but does not buy a Brian Thomas Jr. bounce-back given the crowded Jacksonville target share.

**Claimed:** Aug 31, 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/2026/08/26-fantasy-football-stats-to-know-for-2026/

2 checkable claims — 1 fantasy bust call and 1 sleeper call — 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.

> But Watson is poised to smash in 2026 if he can stay healthy.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Brian Thomas Jr. to fall short of his draft cost**
  - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Christian Watson to outplay his draft cost**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Brian Thomas Jr. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/brian-thomas-jr
- Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/jaguars
- Christian Watson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-watson
- Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers

## What others said about the same people

- John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (scored 0)
- Jared Dubin on Daniel Faalele: Dubin grades the Faalele trade, predicting Faalele has a decent chance to be Jacksonville's Week 1 starting right guard in competition with Wyatt Milum, and that Evan Neal's odds of making the Giants' 53-man roster improved while Jon Runyan and Francis Mauigoa hold the Giants' starting guard jobs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/aae46267-fc6d-44c1-a96c-7355b3db857b (scored 0)
- John Shipley on Patrick Mekari: Shipley projects second-year cornerback Jabbar Muhammad to make the Jaguars' 53-man roster and describes him as the team's clear No. 5 cornerback, a role that would earn him a game-day jersey. He also identifies Patrick Mekari, Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland as projected Week 1 offensive line starters. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dd093e7d-3a57-4ecb-ae09-af7eadfb15b0 (scored 0)
- Jacob Westendorf on Green Bay Packers: Westendorf picks the Packers to win the opener 27-21, with Tucker Kraft leading the team in catches, Christian Watson in yards, Jayden Reed in touchdowns and Josh Jacobs in rushing. He tabs Bo Nix as MVP, the Broncos as the AFC's top team and Super Bowl winner over the Rams, the Lions to win the NFC North, and the Packers to finish 8-9. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/74732492-951c-4bdd-9047-b9c9b08265d6 (scored 23.81)
- Tyler Sullivan on Jacksonville Jaguars: 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)
- AJ Hawk on Green Bay Packers: AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/74f9146c-d27f-4851-b8a4-4103d043308f (scored 0)

## More fantasy bust calls

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

- Mike Harmon on Joe Burrow: 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)
- Ryan Wormeli on Ashton Jeanty: Warmley predicted Kyle Pitts and Trey McBride both finish as top-five tight ends in the Cardinals-Falcons game, Justin Jefferson bounces back into the top 15 receivers, Quinshen Judkins finishes top 12 against Buffalo, the Ravens beat the Patriots, and the Raiders produce no startable fantasy players against Houston. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7c3c1a97-4a04-4870-8118-181815ff8c47 (scored 0)
- Patrick Claybon on Aaron Rodgers: Claibon says Aaron Rodgers' deep-passing outburst was a one-week product of Baltimore's defense and won't continue, still endorses starting Jacoby Brissett in a tough Houston matchup, and picks Devon Achane as the top running back and AJ Brown as the top receiver for Week 15. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/13d54729-d582-4201-9440-31f8510c7305 (scored 100)
- Marcas Grant on Michael Pittman: Grant calls Christian Watson the Packers' clear No. 1 receiver and RJ Harvey Denver's lead back, while labeling Mike Gesicki's and Tony Pollard's big weeks mirages to avoid; he also wants no part of Colts pass catchers with Philip Rivers signing. For Week 15 he picks Matthew Stafford as the top quarterback and Puka Nacua among the top receivers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d990340b-36f2-4842-81d8-d08a5f3db65a (scored 0)
- Andrew Erickson on Cooper Kupp: Erickson reiterated his prediction that Jordan Mason will lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns, backed the Broncos to blow out the Titans in Week 1, called Garrett Wilson a sell and Jacoby Myers a buy-low, expects little from Cooper Kupp, and made several depth-chart calls (Thornton starting in New England, Myers as Vegas' No. 1 receiver, Croskey-Merritt eventually taking the Commanders' 'A back' role). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3809e587-6fa2-464b-ab98-fd96d353c1bd (scored 100)
- 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)

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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

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