# Pat Fitzmaurice: Fitzmaurice names three players to avoid in 2026 fantasy drafts: Jalen Hurts (a fade at their midrange QB1 price because their rushing production has declined), De'Von Achane (not worth a second-round pick amid a bad Miami situation), and Brian Thomas Jr. (no bounce-back expected in a crowded Jacksonville target ecosystem). **Claimed:** Aug 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Pat Fitzmaurice — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/pat-fitzmaurice **Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fantasypros **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/3-players-experts-avoid-2026-fantasy-football/ 2 checkable claims — 2 fantasy bust calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > With sensational rushing yards no longer bankable, Hurts is a fade. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **De'Von Achane to fall short of his draft cost (the second round of fantasy football drafts)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jalen Hurts to fall short of his draft cost (midrange QB1 price)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Jalen Hurts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalen-hurts - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles ## What others said about the same people - Garrett Podell on Philadelphia Eagles: Podell predicts the Eagles, behind new starting quarterback Joe Milton III, snap their six-game losing streak by upsetting the first-place Giants in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c5bd225b-5f6f-41be-a44d-aa34f20ffad2 (scored 0) - Conor Orr on Philadelphia Eagles: Orr projects the Giants to finish 6-11 in 2026 under new head coach John Harbaugh, with a 1-6 start before the Week 8 bye and a 5-5 finish afterward, their lone first-half win coming at home against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/59f3656d-ab7d-43aa-92fe-d66a47b658fb (scored 0) - Alain Poupart on Carlos Washington: Poupart expects rookie guard Kadyn Proctor to clear concussion protocol and play against Detroit, sees Ollie Gordon II continuing as the Dolphins' workhorse back, and thinks practice squad back Carlos Washington Jr. could be elevated for the Lions game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8f436e4c-b47e-41c6-9c95-ad8a2e6a32f0 (scored 0) - Zachary Pereles on Philadelphia Eagles: Pereles picks the Eagles to beat the Commanders on Sunday Night Football, 20-17, expecting Philadelphia's defense to bounce back toward its Week 1 form. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0a3fe2b8-f78b-4969-9bb1-091a05a5c796 (scored 16.67) - Henry Brown on Philadelphia Eagles: Brown expects Washington's pre-deadline stretch to go badly, with losses to the 49ers in Week 6, the Eagles, and the Rams in Week 9 leaving the Commanders winless in five straight heading into the trade deadline. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5e30e0b9-50ce-49d6-aeee-43ad7b9e00e3 (scored 0) - “Stanford Steve” Coughlin on Philadelphia Eagles: Stanford Steve says Atlanta can beat San Francisco outright with Mike Evans out, and that Philadelphia probably wins its Monday night game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/34f5b5f6-af45-40bf-a7ef-be9f18191caf (scored 0) ## More fantasy bust calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ryan Wormeli on Zay Flowers: Host Ryan Warmley endorsed Ricky Pearsall as a bet worth making and put their rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at their cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/192d6e67-2e0e-49b3-bc82-4c8a77bd5950 (scored 0) - Derek Brown on Zay Flowers: Derek Brown ("Debro") laid out a slate of wide receiver breakouts — Ricky Pearsall, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Joshua Palmer, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter — while fading Xavier Worthy, Tyreek Hill and the cheap Cleveland/late-round types, and gave their own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/effe2fda-3dcb-489f-a1e1-f8fa5b11ada7 (scored 0) - Chris Welsh on Austin Ekeler: 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.co/opinions/9f0f2132-f3b8-4813-b2b1-374b827d86a8 (scored 100) - Joe Pisapia on Rashee Rice: Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: they 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.co/opinions/c3c95c1c-64a4-42b6-9389-58d5fb5b27d1 (scored 0) - Derek Brown on Chuba Hubbard: Derek Brown ("Deebro") names three busts to avoid in 2025 fantasy drafts: Kyren Williams at an RB1 price, Chuba Hubbard as a top-20 RB, and Xavier Worthy as their ultimate bust, arguing Rashee Rice is the clear No. 1 receiver in Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9cc5c06e-e0c5-45bd-8b93-fa089f8673a8 (scored 100) - Simon Hunter on Tetairoa McMillan: Simon is drafting Ashton Jeanty in the late first/early second and is comfortable taking them in the first round, is all-in on DeVonta Adams with the Rams, and calls Puka Nacua one of the most overdrafted players who should not be taken in the first round. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/15f74c4e-cd8f-455b-b84f-e4098e767a84 (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.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.co/corrections?pundit=pat-fitzmaurice