Derek Brown· Aug 5, 2026
Brown names Isiah Pacheco a sleeper as Detroit's change-of-pace/goal-line back behind Jahmyr Gibbs, saying he'd be an RB2 option if Gibbs missed time. He also touts rookies Nicholas Singleton (Titans) and Demond Claiborne (Vikings) as late-round sleepers, plus De'Zhaun Stribling in San Francisco.
“Stribling is a great late-round selection in fantasy football drafts in 2026.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
4 checkable claims — 3 sleeper calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 8 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 above the rest of the room.
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Who this take is about
4 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.
Demond Claiborne to outplay his draft cost (ADP 70)
“it’s possible at some point that Claiborne could be operating as Mason’s complement at some point in the 2026 NFL season”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Nicholas Singleton to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Singleton will start the process as the RB4 on the depth chart, but it wouldn’t shock me if he were Tony Pollard’s backup by Week 1.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
De'Zhaun Stribling to outplay his draft cost (ADP 67)
“Stribling is a great late-round selection in fantasy football drafts in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsIsiah PachecoDetroit LionsAug 5, 2026
Isiah Pacheco to outplay his draft cost (ADP 49)
“Isiah Pacheco lands with the Lions as the change-of-pace back/handcuff for Jahmyr Gibbs... he should pay off for the Lions in 2026”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mike TannenbaumTrade and Signing Calls · Stefon DiggsMiss · 0Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Emmanuel McNeil-WarrenMiss · 18Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Steve MenschMock Draft Picks · Caleb LomuClose · 62Making the even-numbered picks in the mock, he sent Arvell Reese to the Jets at No. 2, Spencer Fano to the Giants at 5, Jordan Tyson to the Saints at 8, a Tennessee cornerback to Miami at 11, Keldric Faulk to Baltimore at 14, Akheem Mesidor to Dallas at 20, Kenyon Sadiq to Philadelphia at 23, Caleb Banks to Buffalo at 26, Ty Simpson to the Rams at 29 and Chris Johnson to Seattle at 32, plus Caleb Lomu to Detroit at 17.
- John MiddlekauffSeason Win Totals · San Francisco 49ersClose · 60Middlekauff says Denver's floor is ten wins, predicts Miami implodes to four or five wins and a top-three-or-four draft slot with Tyreek Hill traded, thinks the 49ers beat expectations with nine or ten wins, sees the Patriots at eight or nine wins, calls the Chargers over 9.5 a lock, expects Jared Goff to make five or six Pro Bowls, and says the Packers are flying under the radar.
- Gregg RosenthalTrade and Signing Calls · Kendrick BourneHit · 100In a five-man mock draft Rosenthal took Jahmyr Gibbs first among his picks, then Saquon, Nico Collins, Chase Brown, Ladd McConkey and Omarion Hampton. He also called Nico Collins a top-five receiver, floated Ladd McConkey finishing as WR3, expected Travis Hunter to become Jacksonville's best receiver, predicted Hampton to become the Chargers' workhorse, thought Rhamondre Stevenson stays on the Patriots, and predicted Kendrick Bourne gets traded to the 49ers.
- Tom PelisseroTrade and Signing Calls · Adam ThielenHit · 100Pelissero doubted Micah Parsons would ultimately sit out, said the most logical outcome is Parsons showing up and playing out his contract, and pegged his eventual deal in the $45 million-per-year range; he also predicted the Vikings' week one starter opposite Justin Jefferson is not currently on their roster, floating Adam Thielen as a target, and said Justin Jefferson will be good to go for week one.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tom StrachanSleeper Calls · Jalen CokerHit · 100Tom Strachan backed Xavier Worthy, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Darnell Mooney, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter as values at their draft costs, while avoiding Jerry Jeudy and the Cleveland receivers.
- Chris WelshSleeper Calls · Tyler WarrenHit · 100Welsh drafted Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, the Rams and Saints receivers, Justin Fields (a top-10 QB), Drake Maye (QB10-14), Travis Kelce and Tyler Warren, while passing on Joe Mixon, the Commanders backfield, Tyreek Hill, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.
- Pat FitzmauriceSleeper Calls · Rashee RiceMiss · 0Pat Fitzmaurice gave draft-or-pass calls: reluctant drafts on Christian McCaffrey, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan (his WR16), Rashee Rice at a ninth-round price, Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, Chris Olave, Drake Maye (his QB8) and Tyler Warren, with passes on Breece Hall, Joe Mixon, Croskey-Merritt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Hunter, the Rams receivers and Justin Fields.
- Joe PisapiaSleeper Calls · Tyreek HillMiss · 0Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: he passed on Christian McCaffrey at pick 7, Breece Hall, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Travis Hunter and Chris Olave, while drafting RJ Harvey, Tyreek Hill, Tetairoa McMillan, Puka Nacua, Tyler Warren and a late-round Joe Mixon.
- Ryan WormeliSleeper Calls · Tetairoa McMillanHit · 100Hosting the segment, Warmley backed Bryce Young to finish better than his QB22 consensus ranking, endorsed Cedric Tillman as a late-round target, and said Tetairoa McMillan will be a top-15 fantasy receiver this season.
- Jake CielySleeper Calls · Braelon AllenMiss · 0Counting down his top-five middle/late-round breakout candidates, Seely picked Bryce Young, Cedric Tillman, Braelon Allen, Marvin Mims and Rome Odunze, arguing Young can be a fringe QB1 with added rushing, Tillman and Mims are their teams' No. 2 receivers, and Caleb Williams will post a huge statistical season that lifts Odunze.