# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice names Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Drake Maye as the elite quarterbacks he targets early, expecting Jackson to bounce back to a high-end QB1 season with better health and calling Maye a top-five fantasy quarterback going forward. **Claimed:** Aug 4, 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-3-early-round-quarterbacks-2026-fantasy-football/ 2 checkable claims — 2 positional finishes — 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. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > He's a top-five fantasy quarterback moving forward. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Drake Maye to finish top 5 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Drake Maye, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Lamar Jackson to finish top ? at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Drake Maye — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/drake-maye - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Lamar Jackson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/lamar-jackson - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens ## What others said about the same people - Mason Cameron on Ethan Pocic: An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac17490e-98b7-4d3c-9fea-750e5dc9e486 (scored 0) - Evan Silva on Baltimore Ravens: In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/180b1036-60e5-494b-9b4d-90b5dc3d6528 (scored 58.33) - Jared Dubin on Baltimore Ravens: Dubin is high on the Ravens and low on the Colts, predicting a big Baltimore road win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5255427f-f227-4e34-b350-059ecc4aa1fd (scored 100) - Kirk Herbstreit on Baltimore Ravens: Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5bc3755c-9b84-484f-b8f2-b18d51a12261 (scored 100) - AJ Hawk on Baltimore Ravens: 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 100) - Jordan Dajani on Baltimore Ravens: Dajani picks the Rams over the 49ers, Texans over Bills, Ravens over Colts, Bengals over Buccaneers, Vikings over Packers, Cowboys over Giants and Broncos over Chiefs in Week 1, with exact scores. He also predicts the Bills win the AFC East, the Cowboys win their division, and Caleb Downs wins Defensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f6565d23-03db-4e60-a574-21a0b86dafb0 (scored 66.67) ## More positional finishes The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Chris Brockman on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called his shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 100) - Ryan Tracy on Bryan Cook: Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; he names Brian Robinson as his target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/18bb787c-4f93-4c95-b8c2-02daeeffe823 (scored 0) - Pat Gustavson on Bijan Robinson: Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out his own coaching landing spots. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/06884586-5b21-40c8-9439-e303a3e8a806 (scored 75) - JP Acosta on Bijan Robinson: JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named his own first-team All-Pro roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/660e3494-2b0b-415e-beb7-9e3bf3464e30 (scored 75) - Rich Eisen on George Pickens: Eisen called the Rams-winning-it-all take an overreaction but expects Los Angeles to win the NFC West, said he doesn't see how Myles Garrett fails to win Defensive Player of the Year, and called George Pickens perhaps the third-best receiver in the NFL this season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2b6828d6-b24c-4c65-ac95-56bf45c4ebf7 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Puka Nacua: Eisen defended his preseason call of the Packers reaching the Super Bowl, said the Chiefs will win the AFC West, called the Ravens the favorites in the AFC North, said the Colts are a playoff team, expected Denver to handle Cincinnati and the Giants to beat the winless Saints, and endorsed Puka Nacua as the league's best receiver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e0759bb3-fd2c-400d-8ee9-f77e5c5fe3e6 (scored 91.67) --- 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