# Andrew Erickson: Erickson expects Ladd McConkey to be the Chargers' clear No. 1 receiver, and names Jonathan Brooks a must-have late-round target with big upside despite going outside the top 30 running backs. **Claimed:** Jun 23, 2026 **Pundit:** Andrew Erickson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/andrew-erickson **Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/fantasypros-fantasy-football-podcast/12-hard-fantasy-football-draft-decisions-expert-picks-player-debates-ep-2057 2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 sleeper call — 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. > So I want the Chargers, and I think Lad's gonna be the No. Number one wide receiver here. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Ladd McConkey to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jonathon Brooks to outplay his draft cost (outside the top thirty running backs)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Ladd McConkey — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ladd-mcconkey - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers ## What others said about the same people - Scott Bogman on Olaivavega Ioane: He gave David Bailey to Tennessee at 4, Sonny Styles to Washington at 7, Caleb Downs to Cincinnati at 10, Carnell Tate to the Rams at 13, Denzel Boston to the Jets at 16, Kayden McDonald to Carolina at 19, Vega Ioane to the Chargers at 22, Peter Woods to Chicago at 25, Emmanuel Pregnon to Houston at 28 and Romello Height to Denver at 31, and insisted both Bailey and Downs are top-10 locks. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0b0cd1a9-31f7-40d9-9b9e-f52957c10494 (scored 70.71) - Nick Shook on Breece Hall: Shook names Breece Hall, Jakobi Meyers and David Njoku as trade candidates, suggesting Hall could land with the Chargers and that the Raiders will move Meyers as sellers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef6a34cf-2058-4df8-b11a-0ac4a67b074e (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on Tetairoa McMillan: Cowherd delivered his own top-15 draft board — what he would do as GM of each team — pairing prospects with picks 1 through 15, and separately argued Shedeur Sanders is a far better prospect than Daniel Jones and that Aaron Rodgers should retire. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1d3f1be7-f506-422a-af38-e6e32088f3e5 (scored 100) - Nick Wright on Los Angeles Chargers: Nick Wright gave his early AFC win-total leans: overs on the Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs and Raiders, plus projected win ranges for the Dolphins, Texans, Chargers and Broncos, and predicted the Raiders take Ashton Jeanty at No. 6. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cc9d1905-c3e9-4d7f-8dbb-0f840dbb7535 (scored 80) - Justin Penik on Darius Slayton: Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4af0c93c-46f5-4a2c-ae24-e6ffa81a6559 (scored 0) - Bobby Skinner on Darius Slayton: Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates he had listed. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6bc51663-60f7-4897-b5dc-40e284f869a2 (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100) - John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100) - Mark Chichester on Deshaun Watson: Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef347873-c28b-4a47-bb04-2488937cd3cf (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1b6d3216-38ff-4922-9e0a-807497573121 (scored 100) --- 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=andrew-erickson