Pat Fitzmaurice· Aug 6, 2026
Fitzmaurice names four players he's 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 his WR39 cost, could be a star immediately).
“It seems as if everyone in the fantasy community is fading Bucky Irving. I'm buying.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 6, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
5 checkable claims — 3 sleeper calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
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.
Where this call stands in the room
Bucky Irving · 2026 season6 calls from 5 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.
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Who this take is about
5 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Sleeper CallsMakai LemonPhiladelphia EaglesAug 6, 2026
Makai 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.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Trevor 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).”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Christian 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.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Bucky 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.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Trevor 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”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Jacksonville JaguarsClose · 50Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesMiss · 0Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesMiss · 0Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Green Bay PackersMiss · 10Simms picked the Packers to beat the Falcons in the Thursday night game by a low score, expecting a defensive struggle.
- Matt HarmonGame Outcome Picks · Jacksonville JaguarsMiss · 0Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Jacksonville JaguarsMiss · 0Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tom StrachanSleeper Calls · Ricky PearsallHit · 100Tom Strachan backed Xavier Worthy, Jalen Coker, Egbuka, Jalen Waddle, Darnell Mooney, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, DeVonta Smith and Travis Hunter as values at their draft costs, while avoiding Jerry Jeudy and the Cleveland receivers.
- Ryan WormeliSleeper Calls · Ricky PearsallHit · 100Host Ryan Warmley endorsed Ricky Pearsall as a bet worth making and put his rookie-receiver capital in Tetairoa McMillan, while fading Zay Flowers at his cost and opting out of Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Derek BrownSleeper Calls · Jalen CokerHit · 100Derek 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 his own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them.
- Chris WelshSleeper Calls · Tyler WarrenHit · 100Welsh 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 PisapiaSleeper Calls · Tyreek HillMiss · 0Joey P (Joe Pisapia) played draft-or-pass on 2025 fantasy values: he 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.
- Ryan WormeliSleeper Calls · Tetairoa McMillanHit · 100Hosting the segment, Warmley backed Bryce Young to finish better than his QB22 consensus ranking, endorsed Cedric Tillman as a late-round target, and said Tetairoa McMillan will be a top-15 fantasy receiver this season.