# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice names Kyler Murray a fantasy sleeper/value pick for 2026, expecting him to start for the Vikings in Week 1 and outperform his draft cost. **Claimed:** Aug 6, 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/fantasy-football-8-quarterback-sleepers-2026/ 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 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. > The perception might be that Murray is damaged goods, but he could be one of the better QB values in 2026 fantasy drafts. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Kyler Murray to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Kyler Murray — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings ## What others said about the same people - Matt Okada on Kyler Murray: In 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8ada4169-6627-4730-a98d-6869382735d2 (scored 100) - Mike Fanelli on Kyler Murray: Fanelli 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2c6f6ca7-2193-4aef-8a62-e4a7f535b80a (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Kyler Murray: An unsigned CBS Sports piece states Kyler Murray will be Minnesota's Week 1 starting quarterback with J.J. McCarthy as the backup, and suggests Tua Tagovailoa appears to have the Falcons' starting job locked up. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/19a4034c-aa5b-4af7-8032-43473ee363dd (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Kyler Murray: Sullivan predicts Kyler Murray beats out J.J. McCarthy to start Week 1 for the Vikings, and that Deshaun Watson wins the Browns' quarterback battle over Shedeur Sanders. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a5816056-90bc-46bd-8232-660289eb999f (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Kyler Murray: An unsigned CBS Sports piece predicts the winners of the four ongoing quarterback battles — Kyler Murray in Minnesota, Tua Tagovailoa in Atlanta, Deshaun Watson in Cleveland and Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas — and names several veterans (Brissett, Geno Smith, Malik Willis) as their teams' Week 1 starters, with rookie Fernando Mendoza opening as Cousins' backup. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/01cff256-f2a6-4304-81b2-b7aa782af3c7 (scored 100) - Bill Huber on Minnesota Vikings: Huber forecasts the Packers starting 3-4 through seven games — losing at Minnesota and Tampa Bay, beating the Jets and Falcons, losing to the Bears — and finishing the season with about eight wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2df248b5-ab27-436f-ae3f-7b2ccb53ade6 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0) - Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (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=pat-fitzmaurice