# Evan Tarracciano: Tarracciano names his 2026 fantasy breakout candidates: Justin Herbert (threatening a top-five QB finish), Jared Goff (well ahead of his QB16 cost), Cam Skattebo as the Giants' unquestioned lead back, rookie Jadarian Price taking over Seattle's backfield, Emeka Egbuka exceeding his projections, DJ Moore as Josh Allen's top target, and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Dallas Goedert. **Claimed:** Aug 19, 2026 **Pundit:** Evan Tarracciano — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/evan-tarracciano **Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/8-fantasy-football-breakout-players-for-2026/ 16 checkable claims — 8 sleeper calls, 4 player season numbers, 3 depth chart calls and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 15 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 7 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 6. > If the Chargers stay healthy this season, he will threaten to finish within the top five at the position. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Justin Herbert to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadarian Price to outplay his draft cost (ranked as the RB26 in ECR)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Goedert to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to record 1,097 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to record 8 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **DJ Moore to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cam Skattebo to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **DJ Moore to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jared Goff to outplay his draft cost (the QB16 in both average draft position (ADP) and expert consensus rankings (ECR))** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadarian Price to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to record 192 fantasy points** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Isaiah Likely to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Isaiah Likely, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Justin Herbert to finish top 5 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cam Skattebo to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to record 73 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Justin Herbert — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/justin-herbert - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Jadarian Price — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jadarian-price - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Dallas Goedert — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/dallas-goedert - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Emeka Egbuka — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - DJ Moore — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/dj-moore - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills - Cam Skattebo — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cam-skattebo - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/giants - Jared Goff — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jared-goff - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Isaiah Likely — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/isaiah-likely ## What others said about the same people - 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) - Chris Brockman on Baker Mayfield: Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d508736e-a824-4fa0-854c-df4ebdd9ef02 (scored 100) - Jon Gruden on Baker Mayfield: The former Buccaneers head coach predicted that Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield are closer on a new contract than believed and that an extension will get done. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10bb8ff2-886c-488e-b693-fb4ea9dd5880 (scored 100) - Joel Corry on Baker Mayfield: The unsigned CBS Sports analysis lays out the contract it believes Tampa Bay will have to give Mayfield at minimum: a two-year extension averaging $50 million per year with $110 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a840ff4-f1e5-48ca-bec6-ba41e9ef2396 (scored 100) - 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) - Jeff Kerr on Michael Carter: Kerr says several Eagles have raised their stock in camp: Darius Cooper is emerging as the team's WR4, Drew Kendall is the No. 3 interior lineman/top backup at guard and center, Willie Lampkin is in prime position to make the 53-man roster, and Michael Carter is a roster lock who could start at safety in Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/922a9343-f96d-419d-8091-49b64dd471d9 (scored 0) ## More sleeper calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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) - Ross Jackson on Devaughn Vele: Ross 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b4c58f9f-23b8-4857-8505-17c213d3a342 (scored 0) - Mike Harmon on Zay Flowers: Harmon gave his Week 18 fantasy rankings — top five quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers — plus lists of 'hot plays,' 'cold sores' (players to avoid) and 'ninjas' (sneaky plays), and said Trevor Lawrence would land around a top-four fantasy quarterback finish for the season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e2e20c82-d482-48e6-90f3-929d0862fc0d (scored 100) - Andrew Erickson on Audric Estimé: Erickson predicted the Chiefs could lose outright at Tennessee in a flat spot, with Tony Pollard finishing as a top-24 running back for a third straight week; he also called Darren Waller a likely TE1 in Week 16, Tetairoa McMillan a top-20 receiver against Tampa Bay, Omarion Hampton the week's RB1, Isaiah Likely a top-12 tight end in a Patriots win over the Ravens, and Audric Estime a smash flex play for the Saints. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9a86737a-7153-4055-8e85-9e8e11d49f0b (scored 0) - Adam Rank on J.J. McCarthy: Rank recommends JJ McCarthy as a Week 15 quarterback streamer against Dallas and thinks Shedeur Sanders can carry fantasy teams into the semifinals against the Bears. For the Week 15 'perfect lineup' he picks Drake Maye as the top quarterback and Christian McCaffrey as a top running back, and he expects Terry McLaurin to produce with Marcus Mariota starting. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/edbecc9c-cb9a-405e-b3d5-856af9f4e21f (scored 0) - Patrick Claybon on Jacoby Brissett: Claibon says Aaron Rodgers' deep-passing outburst was a one-week product of Baltimore's defense and won't continue, still endorses starting Jacoby Brissett in a tough Houston matchup, and picks Devon Achane as the top running back and AJ Brown as the top receiver for Week 15. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/13d54729-d582-4201-9440-31f8510c7305 (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=evan-tarracciano