# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice argues for spending down at quarterback in 2026 because the gap between elite and mid-tier QBs is small, and suggests Jayden Daniels is a value pick if he lasts to the seventh round in sharp leagues.

**Claimed:** Sep 2, 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/2026/09/how-to-draft-a-quarterback-expert-advice-2026-fantasy-football/

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> In a league full of fantasy analysts, Daniels might last until the seventh round and could be a value because of the lower opportunity cost.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jayden Daniels to outplay his draft cost (the seventh round)**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jayden Daniels
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jayden Daniels — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jayden-daniels

## What others said about the same people

- Philip Hughes on Jayden Daniels: Hughes projects Washington's initial 53-man roster ahead of the final preseason game, naming every player he expects to make the team by position group, and slots Athan Kaliakmanis as the No. 3 quarterback behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4ec7adba-dd12-4caf-9bb1-f1a343cee65a (scored 100)
- Tom Strachan on Jayden Daniels: Strachan's favorite pick per round: Ja'Marr Chase at 1.01, Brock Bowers in round two, Jayden Daniels in round three, Davante Adams (double-digit TDs) in round four, then Xavier Worthy, Calvin Ridley, Jaylen Warren, Emeka Egbuka, Justin Fields, Zach Charbonnet and late-round fliers; his one player to leave every draft with is Tucker Kraft. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8d6f75eb-141c-457d-a472-57a3d3968a11 (scored 0)
- Chris Brockman on Jayden Daniels: Brockman argued Saquon Barkley is the MVP of the 2024 NFL season, and that Jayden Daniels — whom he called the best rookie quarterback ever — will lead the Commanders to the Super Bowl and win Offensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/64da6f14-9d3a-4cbf-b656-50ecc0d73dfb (scored 100)
- Bucky Brooks on Jayden Daniels: Brooks sorted the 14 playoff quarterbacks into four tiers, placing Mahomes, Allen, Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels as the elites, Herbert, Goff and Stafford in tier two, Mayfield, Darnold, Love and Hurts (in that order) in tier three, and Stroud, Russell Wilson and Bo Nix in the unpredictable tier. He also picked Jayden Daniels as Offensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f77b68c-45ee-4712-b82d-9e2609e14530 (scored 100)
- Lance Zierlein on Jayden Daniels: Filling in for Daniel Jeremiah, Lance said Jayden Daniels will win Offensive Rookie of the Year over Brock Bowers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3ee1f2de-3671-4ce4-85f7-dc77a40d7a5f (scored 100)
- Gregg Rosenthal on Jayden Daniels: Rosenthal laid out his end-of-season award ballot — Lamar Jackson for MVP, Zack Baun for Defensive Player of the Year, Saquon Barkley for Offensive Player of the Year, Jayden Daniels for Offensive Rookie of the Year, JK Dobbins for Comeback Player, Dan Campbell for Coach of the Year and Jeff Stoutland for Assistant Coach of the Year — while also predicting that Myles Garrett could take DPOY, Joe Burrow will likely win Comeback Player, and Vic Fangio may win Assistant Coach of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c761568e-6a9c-4989-b84c-98b3a26dc17e (scored 100)

## More sleeper calls

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

- Matt Money Smith on Tre Harris: Smith says Ladd McConkie is a legitimate No. 1 receiver who could post a Jaylen Waddle-like season of roughly 1,700 yards and eight touchdowns, and he predicts second-year Chargers receiver Trey Harris will have a big year under Mike McDaniel. He also expects Philip Rivers to become an NFL head coach and thinks the Chargers offense will be good in the coming season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f779ee4-78d9-4f01-a069-bcd0ef45fc72 (scored 0)
- Brandon Carney on Javonte Williams: Carney predicted AJ Brown would not be back with the Eagles, forecast a wave of free-agent landing spots (Breece Hall to the Chiefs, Alec Pierce to the 49ers, Rico Dowdle to the Saints, George Pickens to the Patriots, Mike Evans to the Bills), and named Week 1 starting quarterbacks for several teams in flux. He also gave fantasy takes on Javonte Williams, Chris Olave and others. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9337347d-fde9-46c9-9bb6-26ade467538b (scored 100)
- Chad Ochocinco Johnson on Saquon Barkley: Johnson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd0eab3d-1392-41f3-a9b6-026860f9ffa5 (scored 0)
- 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)
- Greg Cosell on Omarion Hampton: Cosell expects the Nick Bonito vs. Will Campbell matchup to be pivotal, predicts Caleb Williams' future is bright, expects the Chargers' run game to improve dramatically under Mike McDaniel with a good season from Omarion Hampton, and expects Sean Payton not to hide Stidham. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/26c1330e-ee04-42a9-b29d-d6f0cc6bab6a (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)

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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.

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