Pat Fitzmaurice#8 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 17, 2026
In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.
Published in writing · FantasyProsRead the original
What Pat Fitzmaurice said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAt the very least, Black is the most indispensable handcuff in fantasy football as the clear backup to McCaffrey.
- Where it was published
- FantasyPros
- The piece
- 10 Most Intriguing Fantasy Football Players of Week 2 (2026)
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 17
- PlayedSep 20
- GradedSep 23
- 1Aaron Jones to be 1st on the depth chart“Jordan Mason went on injured reserve with a thumb injury this week, leaving Aaron Jones as the Vikings’ lead back in a Week 2 game against the Bears in Chicago.”
- 2Availability Calls“The Falcons’ fine young slot corner, Billy Bowman Jr., who tore his Achilles early last season, missed Week 1 but has been practicing this week and could return to help check Coker.”
- 3Kaelon Black to be 2nd on the depth chart“At the very least, Black is the most indispensable handcuff in fantasy football as the clear backup to McCaffrey”
- 4Availability Calls“The QB problems won’t be solved in Week 2. Tua Tagovailoa is unlikely to play due to an oblique injury”
- 5Availability Calls“Michael Penix Jr.,Atlanta’s one true hope at quarterback, isn’t quite ready to come back from his third ACL tear.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | 100 | 0 | +194 | |
| “The Falcons’ fine young slot corner, Billy Bowman Jr., who tore…”2 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kaelon Black to be 2nd on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “The QB problems won’t be solved in Week 2. Tua Tagovailoa is…”4 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “Michael Penix Jr.,Atlanta’s one true hope at quarterback, isn’t…”5 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 1 hit · 4 waiting | 100 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive5 checkable claims — 3 availability calls and 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Kaelon Black · 2026 season12 calls from 7 pundits between 2 and 2. Pat Fitzmaurice said 2. the room's median is 2. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
1Depth Chart CallsAaron JonesMinnesota Vikings
Aaron Jones to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×1.94difficulty=+194skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- MIN
- week:
- 2
- skill:
- 194
- player:
- Aaron Jones
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- RB
- reported:
- named the starter
- naive slot:
- 2
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
2Availability CallsBilly Bowman Jr.Atlanta Falcons
“The Falcons’ fine young slot corner, Billy Bowman Jr., who tore his Achilles early last season, missed Week 1 but has been practicing this week and could return to help check Coker.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsKaelon BlackSan Francisco 49ers
Kaelon Black to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Availability CallsTua TagovailoaAtlanta Falcons
“The QB problems won’t be solved in Week 2. Tua Tagovailoa is unlikely to play due to an oblique injury”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Availability CallsMichael Penix Jr.Atlanta Falcons
“Michael Penix Jr.,Atlanta’s one true hope at quarterback, isn’t quite ready to come back from his third ACL tear.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.
More availability calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Ralph Ventre · Availability Calls · Alec Anderson · Waiting
Ventre projects Buffalo's Week 10 offensive line at the Jets to feature Dawkins, Anderson, McGovern and Torrence back in place, with Tylan Grable making a third straight start at right tackle in place of Spencer Brown, who appears headed for the inactive list.Shanna McCarriston · Availability Calls · Drew Lock · Waiting
Previewing three Week 10 games, McCarriston expects the Steelers-Bengals rematch to be a close, exciting contest, with one team's four-game win streak ending. Notes that Deshaun Watson is set to return for Cleveland against Houston, and that Fernando Mendoza will make a first NFL start for the Raiders against Seattle.Ian Rapoport · Availability Calls · Spencer Brown · Waiting
Rapoport expected Spencer Brown to be available for Buffalo on Sunday despite the missed practice time, saw Lamar Jackson returning from thumb surgery around Week 16 or 17 if Baltimore stays alive, said the Chargers have no intention of moving on from Justin Herbert, and expected George Pickens to play for Dallas.Jared Koch · Availability Calls · Keylan Rutledge · Waiting
Koch wrote that rookie left guard Keylan Rutledge is likely to miss the Week 10 game against the Browns, with fellow rookie Febechi Nwaiwu expected to make a first NFL start at left guard in place of Rutledge, ahead of the more experienced Wyatt Teller. Koch also expects the stinger absence to be brief.