Pat Fitzmaurice#8 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 6, 2026
Fitzmaurice names four players they're targeting in 2026 fantasy drafts: Trevor Lawrence (a top-10 QB with high-end QB1 upside being drafted as a low-end QB1), Bucky Irving (buy the dip, still a workhorse rather than committee back), Christian Watson (potential for special production with increased targets), and rookie Makai Lemon (worth their WR39 cost, could be a star immediately).
Published in writing · FantasyProsRead the original
What Pat Fitzmaurice said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromIt seems as if everyone in the fantasy community is fading Bucky Irving. I'm buying.
- Where it was published
- FantasyPros
- The piece
- 4 Draft Picks Experts Love (2026 Fantasy Football)
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 6, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- 1Makai Lemon to outplay his draft cost (an ADP of WR39 (92nd overall))“With an ADP of WR39 (92nd overall) as of this writing, Lemon is a bet worth making.”
- 2Trevor Lawrence to outplay his draft cost (being drafted as a low-end QB1, according to average draft position (ADP))“There's high-end QB1 potential here — as we saw late last season — and yet Lawrence is being drafted as a low-end QB1, according to average draft position (ADP).”
- 3Bucky Irving to be 1st on the depth chart“A lot of people are convinced Irving will be a committee back this season. ... Irving still averaged 20.3 touches per game. That's workhorse usage by modern standards.”
- 4Christian Watson to outplay his draft cost (his current cost assumes he'll miss a few games)“Watson has the potential to be special. And his current cost assumes he'll miss a few games. With a season of good health, Watson investors could reap handsome rewards.”
- 5Trevor Lawrence to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards“with Coen's help, the splendidly long-haired quarterback has finally become a top-10 quarterback”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makai Lemon to outplay his draft cost (an ADP of WR39 (92nd overall))1 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Trevor Lawrence to outplay his draft cost (being drafted as a low-end QB1, according to average draft position (ADP))2 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bucky Irving to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Christian Watson to outplay his draft cost (his current cost assumes he'll miss a few games)4 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Trevor Lawrence to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards5 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 5 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
5 checkable claims — 3 sleeper calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 positional finish — 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.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 1.
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
Bucky Irving · 2026 season4 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 1. Pat Fitzmaurice said 1. the room's median is 1. 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.
1Sleeper CallsMakai LemonPhiladelphia Eagles
Makai Lemon to outplay his draft cost (an ADP of WR39 (92nd overall))
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Sleeper CallsTrevor LawrenceJacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence to outplay his draft cost (being drafted as a low-end QB1, according to average draft position (ADP))
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsBucky IrvingTampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Sleeper CallsChristian WatsonGreen Bay Packers
Christian Watson to outplay his draft cost (his current cost assumes he'll miss a few games)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Positional FinishesTrevor LawrenceJacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Dalton Feely · Trade and Signing Calls · Chris Godwin Jr. · Hit 100
Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas.Bill Huber · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite their rib injury. They also sketch the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard.Derek Brown · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9.Danny Parkins · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Parkins named the seven AFC teams they believe are already set as the playoff field, expects Chicago, Buffalo and Kansas City to win this week, took Green Bay over New England and Atlanta over Cincinnati outright, and kept Bills–Bears as their Super Bowl matchup with the Giants still winning the NFC East.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Derek Brown · Sleeper Calls · Jalen Coker · Hit 100
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.Chris Welsh · Sleeper Calls · Tyler Warren · Hit 100
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.Joe Pisapia · Sleeper Calls · Tyreek Hill · Miss 0
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.