# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice lists his favorite 2026 fantasy draft targets, arguing each will outperform their current draft cost: Trevor Lawrence and Brock Purdy at QB, Kenneth Walker III, Jeremiyah Love, Bucky Irving, Blake Corum and Jonathon Brooks at RB, Emeka Egbuka, Christian Watson and Makai Lemon at WR, and Brock Bowers, Colston Loveland and Kyle Pitts at TE. **Claimed:** Aug 20, 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/top-fantasy-football-draft-picks-to-target-2026-fitz/ 18 checkable claims — 13 sleeper calls, 4 depth chart calls and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 26 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 3. > There's a good chance we get a full Egbuka breakout in 2026. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Bucky Irving to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Blake Corum to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Purdy to outplay his draft cost (the middle rounds)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyle Pitts to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Watson to outplay his draft cost (his current cost assumes he'll miss a few games)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Blake Corum to outplay his draft cost (his ADP as of this writing is RB34 (96th overall))** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Makai Lemon to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trevor Lawrence to outplay his draft cost (being drafted as a low-end QB1)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trevor Lawrence to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: too vague to check - **Colston Loveland to outplay his draft cost (the fourth round)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jeremiyah Love to outplay his draft cost (expert consensus ranking (ECR) as of this writing is RB13)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jonathon Brooks to outplay his draft cost (likely to be inexpensive in drafts)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyle Pitts to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Bowers to outplay his draft cost (anywhere in the back half of the second round in 12-team drafts)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Bucky Irving — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Blake Corum — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/blake-corum - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams - Brock Purdy — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/brock-purdy - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Kyle Pitts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kyle-pitts - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/falcons - Christian Watson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-watson - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers - Emeka Egbuka — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka - Makai Lemon — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/makai-lemon - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Trevor Lawrence — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/trevor-lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Colston Loveland — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/colston-loveland - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Kenneth Walker III — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kenneth-walker-iii - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Chuba Hubbard — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/chuba-hubbard - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers - Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks - Brock Bowers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/brock-bowers - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders ## What others said about the same people - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Chris Brockman on Baker Mayfield: Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d508736e-a824-4fa0-854c-df4ebdd9ef02 (scored 100) - 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) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - Jon Gruden on Baker Mayfield: The former Buccaneers head coach predicted that Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield are closer on a new contract than believed and that an extension will get done. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10bb8ff2-886c-488e-b693-fb4ea9dd5880 (scored 100) - Joel Corry on Baker Mayfield: The unsigned CBS Sports analysis lays out the contract it believes Tampa Bay will have to give Mayfield at minimum: a two-year extension averaging $50 million per year with $110 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a840ff4-f1e5-48ca-bec6-ba41e9ef2396 (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) - 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) - Joe Pisapia on Omarion Hampton: Joe Pisapia's 2026 first round is receiver-heavy, starting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja'Marr Chase, insisting Amon-Ra St. Brown belongs in the top five, keeping Justin Jefferson in round one, and dropping Christian McCaffrey to 12. He also sees Omarion Hampton as a value who will be a top-10 pick a year later. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/830a3414-41f0-4e58-9f3b-b1a5f9e10c3c (scored 0) --- 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