# Matt Okada: Okada names 14 players as 2026 fantasy football breakout candidates whose draft cost does not reflect their upside, spanning quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends, and predicts Isaiah Likely will be the Giants' No. 1 tight end. **Claimed:** Aug 12, 2026 **Pundit:** Matt Okada — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matt-okada **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-fantasy-football-breakout-candidates-at-qb-rb-wr-and-te 15 checkable claims — 14 sleeper calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 22 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. > I've mined several of those nuggets and collected 14 of the best candidates for a 2026 breakout. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jordan Mason to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jordan Mason - Verdict: not settled yet - **Parker Washington to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jonathon Brooks to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaxson Dart to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jaxson Dart, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Isaiah Likely to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Isaiah Likely, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jordyn Tyson to outplay his draft cost (going in the ninth round as the WR35 in ADP)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Josh Downs to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Josh Downs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chig Okonkwo to outplay his draft cost (going essentially undrafted)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cam Ward to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zay Flowers to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Zay Flowers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Isaiah Likely to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Isaiah Likely, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Quinshon Judkins to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cam Skattebo to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Michael Wilson to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tetairoa McMillan to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jordan Mason — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jordan-mason - Parker Washington — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/parker-washington - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers - Jaxson Dart — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jaxson-dart - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/giants - Isaiah Likely — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/isaiah-likely - Jordyn Tyson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jordyn-tyson - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints - Josh Downs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/josh-downs - Chig Okonkwo — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/chig-okonkwo - Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/commanders - Cam Ward — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cam-ward - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/titans - Zay Flowers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/zay-flowers - Quinshon Judkins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/quinshon-judkins - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns - Cam Skattebo — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cam-skattebo - Michael Wilson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/michael-wilson - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Tetairoa McMillan — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tetairoa-mcmillan ## What others said about the same people - John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (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) - Paul Keren on Teven Jenkins: Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/86b36112-724c-4f9c-a4fd-cf74a38be8e4 (scored 0) - Jared Dubin on Daniel Faalele: Dubin grades the Faalele trade, predicting Faalele has a decent chance to be Jacksonville's Week 1 starting right guard in competition with Wyatt Milum, and that Evan Neal's odds of making the Giants' 53-man roster improved while Jon Runyan and Francis Mauigoa hold the Giants' starting guard jobs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/aae46267-fc6d-44c1-a96c-7355b3db857b (scored 0) - Seth Walder on Kayshon Boutte: Walder 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0263bd78-6c5c-41c5-8615-0467d8ef521a (scored 0) - John Shipley on Patrick Mekari: Shipley projects second-year cornerback Jabbar Muhammad to make the Jaguars' 53-man roster and describes him as the team's clear No. 5 cornerback, a role that would earn him a game-day jersey. He also identifies Patrick Mekari, Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland as projected Week 1 offensive line starters. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dd093e7d-3a57-4ecb-ae09-af7eadfb15b0 (scored 0) ## More sleeper calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Matt Money Smith on Tre Harris: Smith 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f779ee4-78d9-4f01-a069-bcd0ef45fc72 (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Javonte Williams: Carney 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9337347d-fde9-46c9-9bb6-26ade467538b (scored 100) - Chad Ochocinco Johnson on Saquon Barkley: Johnson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd0eab3d-1392-41f3-a9b6-026860f9ffa5 (scored 0) - Greg Cosell on Omarion Hampton: Cosell 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/26c1330e-ee04-42a9-b29d-d6f0cc6bab6a (scored 0) - Andrew Erickson on Saquon Barkley: Erickson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/abd0628c-1338-467b-9ac3-d89c922468eb (scored 0) - Joe Pisapia on Omarion Hampton: Joe Pisapia's 2026 first round is receiver-heavy, starting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja'Marr Chase, insisting Amon-Ra St. Brown belongs in the top five, keeping Justin Jefferson in round one, and dropping Christian McCaffrey to 12. He also sees Omarion Hampton as a value who will be a top-10 pick a year later. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/830a3414-41f0-4e58-9f3b-b1a5f9e10c3c (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=matt-okada