Derek Brown· Aug 3, 2026
Derek Brown names five running backs he loves to target late in 2026 fantasy drafts — J.K. Dobbins, Jordan Mason, Jonathon Brooks, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jonah Coleman — expecting Dobbins to deliver RB2/flex value, Brooks to potentially win Carolina's starting job, and Coleman to open as Denver's RB3 with room to climb.
“I’ll be drafting Brooks a ton this season.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 3, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
7 checkable claims — 5 sleeper calls and 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 1.
Where this call stands in the room
Jonathon Brooks · 2026 season21 calls from 10 pundits between 1 and 2. Derek Brown 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.
Jonathon Brooks to outplay his draft cost
“Jonathon Brooks is a wonderful wild card pick for 2026 with big-time upside if he is 100% and ready to rock... I’ll be drafting Brooks a ton this season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jonathon Brooks to be 1st on the depth chart
“Brooks could pull an Uncle Rico from last year and steal Hubbard’s starting job in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt to outplay his draft cost
“Croskey-Merritt is only a dice roll this season as he’ll be competing with Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, and Jerome Ford for the starting job and work in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsJordan MasonMinnesota VikingsAug 3, 2026
Jordan Mason to outplay his draft cost
“Jordan Mason is a one-trick pony, but that one trick is quite good... he's best viewed as a high-end handcuff/touchdown-dependent flex.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsJonah ColemanDenver BroncosAug 3, 2026
Jonah Coleman to outplay his draft cost
“Coleman is a wonderful late-round dart to toss in fantasy drafts in 2026.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsJ.K. DobbinsDenver BroncosAug 3, 2026
J.K. Dobbins to outplay his draft cost
“Here are five running backs DBro loves to target late in fantasy football drafts. J.K. Dobbins (DEN) ... Dobbins should return RB2/touchdown-dependent flex value this season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJonah ColemanDenver BroncosAug 3, 2026
Jonah Coleman to be 3rd on the depth chart
“Jonah Coleman walks into the Denver depth chart as the RB3 with the ability to climb the depth chart.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- 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.
- 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.
- Seth WalderTrade and Signing Calls · Kayshon BoutteMiss · 0Walder proposes five trades he believes should happen before Week 1 of the 2026 season: Jessie Bates III to the 49ers, Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Patriots, Keon Coleman to the Colts, Walker Little to the Cardinals, and Kayshon Boutte to the Commanders, where he says Boutte would immediately be Washington's No. 2 receiver.
- Matt OkadaDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100In a PPR-framed fantasy draft guide, Okada makes a few non-fantasy claims: rookie Jeremiyah Love will be Arizona's featured back despite being listed as RB2, Tua Tagovailoa will be Atlanta's Week 1 starter, and Kyler Murray will open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback.
- Mike FanelliDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fanelli ranks all 32 NFL teams for 2026 fantasy purposes, with the Bengals first and the Dolphins last, and makes assorted calls including Joe Burrow winning Comeback Player of the Year, Drake Maye leading the league in passing touchdowns, various starting-role and depth-chart projections, plus sleepers (Godwin, Travis Hunter, Jonathon Brooks) and a bust call on De'Von Achane.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Matt Money SmithSleeper Calls · Tre HarrisMiss · 0Smith 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.
- Brandon CarneySleeper Calls · Javonte WilliamsHit · 100Carney 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.
- Chad Ochocinco JohnsonSleeper Calls · Saquon BarkleyMiss · 0Johnson says the Steelers aren't legitimate Super Bowl contenders even with Aaron Rodgers back, and that Saquon Barkley can have a bounce-back season in year nine with the Eagles competing for a championship if the offensive line stays healthy.
- Ross JacksonSleeper Calls · Devaughn VeleMiss · 0Ross 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.
- Greg CosellSleeper Calls · Omarion HamptonMiss · 0Cosell 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.
- Andrew EricksonSleeper Calls · Malik NabersMiss · 0Erickson 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.