# Derek Brown: Brown names Ricky Pearsall a second-year wide receiver breakout he wants everywhere, prefers him to Stefon Diggs, calls Kaleb Johnson a top-24 running back who can win leagues, and says JJ McCarthy will be a QB1 in 2025. **Claimed:** Jun 29, 2025 **Pundit:** Derek Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/derek-brown **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/breakouts-fantasy-football-players-who-will-dominate-in-2025-ep-1600 4 checkable claims — 2 positional finishes and 2 sleeper calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 4 have settled, averaging 25 out of 100, against 25 for a naive guess at the same calls. > So it's Ricky Piersow baby... So I want to draft him everywhere. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kaleb Johnson to outplay his draft cost (He's ranked as an RB three on Fantasy pross are right now)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Ricky Pearsall to outplay his draft cost (the forty six wide receiver)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Ricky Pearsall - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Kaleb Johnson to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **J.J. McCarthy to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Kaleb Johnson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kaleb-johnson - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Ricky Pearsall — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ricky-pearsall - J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings ## What others said about the same people - Tracy Sandler on Minnesota Vikings: Sandler predicted Caleb Williams would miss two to three weeks with his hamstring injury, and in the picks segment took the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, Bills and Bears (switching off an earlier Tampa pick). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/74f12600-9587-488a-af00-2e8c11643531 (scored 100) - Jared Dubin on Minnesota Vikings: Dubin gave final-score predictions for the same eight Week 3 games, picking the Packers, Bengals, Jaguars, Texans, Vikings, Ravens, Rams and Eagles. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fe04828a-d532-414c-a58a-54f6505f2263 (scored 97.62) - Richard Sherman on Minnesota Vikings: Sherman picked winners and several exact scores across the Week 3 slate, favoring Seattle, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Detroit, Green Bay, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, the Rams, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Kansas City, Minnesota, the Giants, Jacksonville and Houston, and named Kenneth Walker his MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c2102f61-711d-4041-af08-065e95ccaf03 (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Minnesota Vikings: Sullivan projects final scores for every Week 3 game, including a Bills blowout of the reeling Chargers, a Chiefs rout in Miami, a Seahawks win over a Mariota-led Washington, and the Saints beating the Raiders in their home opener. He also expects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart all to be sidelined in Week 3, with Marcus Mariota starting for Washington. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4b11b44-d359-4027-a72c-87833f5ff6e3 (scored 88.1) - Fox Sports on J.J. McCarthy: FOX Sports projects Kyle McCord as Miami's backup behind starter Malik Willis, Mitchell Trubisky as Tennessee's primary backup behind starter Cam Ward, and J.J. McCarthy making the Vikings' 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dcd95051-2c24-4226-be5d-ff36732ce5dc (scored 100) - Nathan Jahnke on Carson Wentz: An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/47566b48-8024-4960-b25c-11c03fe43543 (scored 100) ## More sleeper calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tom Strachan on Jalen Coker: Tom 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c42eacc5-eb10-4103-a94d-50545a487cbb (scored 100) - Chris Welsh on Tyler Warren: Welsh 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9f0f2132-f3b8-4813-b2b1-374b827d86a8 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashee Rice: Pat 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e36f1287-466c-4889-a7ea-c9d86f4b5182 (scored 0) - Joe Pisapia on Tyreek Hill: Joey 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c3c95c1c-64a4-42b6-9389-58d5fb5b27d1 (scored 0) - Ryan Wormeli on Tetairoa McMillan: Hosting 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2c695b79-bc5e-4d3f-8136-6705656267a2 (scored 100) - Jake Ciely on Braelon Allen: Counting 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6b5a40bc-e349-48a1-ad37-18ee448ebe75 (scored 0) --- 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=derek-brown