Tom Strachan· Sep 16, 2026
In his Week 2 start/sit column, Strachan flags Tony Pollard, Baker Mayfield and Tetairoa McMillan as risky plays to be wary of, while endorsing Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Chuba Hubbard as safe starts, and calls Hubbard the clear No. 1 back in Carolina.
“You should feel very good about rostering Henry right now.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
7 checkable claims — 3 fantasy bust calls, 3 sleeper calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 11 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Chuba Hubbard · 2026 season4 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 2. Tom Strachan said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
7 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Fantasy Bust CallsTony PollardTennessee TitansSep 16, 2026
Tony Pollard to fall short of his draft cost
“Week 2 Risky Fantasy Football Starts — Tony Pollard (RB – TEN) vs. Philadelphia Eagles ... This backfield isn’t a clear enough split in Pollard’s favor right now for volume alone to matter.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsDerrick HenryBaltimore RavensSep 16, 2026
Derrick Henry to outplay his draft cost
“Week 2 Safe Fantasy Football Starts — Derrick Henry (RB – BAL) vs. New Orleans Saints ... You should feel very good about rostering Henry right now.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsJustin JeffersonMinnesota VikingsSep 16, 2026
Justin Jefferson to outplay his draft cost
“Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN) at Chicago Bears ... Jefferson saw a first-read rate of 53% in Week 1 and had nine targets. This week he could easily hit double digits.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Baker Mayfield to fall short of his draft cost
“Baker Mayfield (RB – TB) vs. Cleveland Browns ... for now, it might be worth taking a wait-and-see approach with Mayfield.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Tetairoa McMillan to fall short of his draft cost
“Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR) at Atlanta Falcons ... McMillan is a talented player, but it’s far from a comfortable situation right now.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsChuba HubbardCarolina PanthersSep 16, 2026
Chuba Hubbard to outplay his draft cost
“Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR) at Atlanta Falcons ... For now, though, you shouldn’t have any concerns about playing Hubbard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsChuba HubbardCarolina PanthersSep 16, 2026
Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart
“Brooks might take high-value touches away from Hubbard, but we’re not there yet, and any clear No. 1 RB on an offense deserves to start more often than not.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris BrockmanTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100Brockman'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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy.
- Jon GrudenTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The 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.
- Joel CorryTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback and to be one of the better quarterback values in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he likewise likes Tyler Shough as New Orleans' entrenched starter with an easy schedule.
More fantasy bust calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Mike HarmonFantasy Bust Calls · Joe BurrowHit · 100Harmon 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.
- Ryan WormeliFantasy Bust Calls · Ashton JeantyMiss · 0Warmley 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.
- Patrick ClaybonFantasy Bust Calls · Aaron RodgersHit · 100Claibon 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.
- Marcas GrantFantasy Bust Calls · Michael PittmanMiss · 0Grant 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.
- Andrew EricksonFantasy Bust Calls · Cooper KuppHit · 100Erickson 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).
- Derek BrownFantasy Bust Calls · Xavier WorthyHit · 100Derek 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.