Derek Brown#12 of 87 NFL pundits · Jul 20, 2026

Derek Brown built a round-by-round fantasy draft blueprint, headlined by James Cook as the best value at the back of round one and a top-three running back finish, AJ Brown as a top-five receiver in New England, Colston Loveland as a league-defining tight end, and a series of mid-to-late round values (Waddle, Montgomery, Tuten, Pollard, Washington, Johnston, Likely, Willis, Ward, Diggs, Brooks).

Said on air or in an interview · FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast (podcast)Hear the original

Waiting26 calls, none settled yet

—Average accuracynothing settled yet

—A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

0 of 26Settled26 still waiting

#12Derek Brown’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Derek Brown said

I think James Cook is the best value on the board. Looking at eleventh overall.

Derek Brown, the lead quote

Where it was said: FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast (podcast)
The episode: FantasyPros - The PERFECT Fantasy Football Draft Strategy for 2026 | The Top Value Picks in Every Round (Ep. 2092)
The original: Hear the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.

Box score, by kind

HitCloseMissWaiting

Group	Hits	Close	Misses	Waiting	Calls
Sleeper Calls	0	0	0	14
Positional Finishes	0	0	0	7
Depth Chart Calls	0	0	0	5
All	0	0	0	26

How each call scored

26 checkable claims — 14 sleeper calls, 7 positional finishes and 5 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 21 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 11 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 3 and below it on 8.

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

Tony Pollard · 2026 season

Derek Brown — 1the room — 5 calls from 4 punditsmedian 1

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.

Sleeper Calls14 waitingShow ▸

Tony Pollard to outplay his draft cost (seventh round)
“ECR seventy seven is where you're gonna be going with your seventh round pick... Tony Pollard, I just it's just free money for me”
Tony Pollard Tennessee Titans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Isaiah Likely to outplay his draft cost (tenth round)
“tenth round... you need to be draft in. Isaiah Likely... you get free access to a tight end one in the later rounds”
Isaiah Likely
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Parker Washington to outplay his draft cost (eighth round)
“It's Parker Washington. If he could replicate what he did on the back half of last year, he could be one of those league winning type of players... you're paying for it in the eighth round”
Parker Washington
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Cam Ward to outplay his draft cost (thirteenth round)
“I'd like thirteenth round cam Ward Again. If I'm waiting on quarterbacks, I want an upside shot at like who could be this year is Caleb Williams”
Cam Ward
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Jonathon Brooks to outplay his draft cost (eleventh round)
“Yeah, Jonathan Brooks... So it's just free access, free upside.”
Jonathon Brooks
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Quentin Johnston to outplay his draft cost (ninth round)
“I'm all in on Quentin Johnston this year... If you want Lad McConkie production, but you don't want to pay the Ladd mconkee price tag, this year, draft Quentin Johnston”
Quentin Johnston Los Angeles Chargers
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Stefon Diggs to outplay his draft cost (Round fourteen)
“the last guy that I'm bringing up Stefan Diggs in Round fourteen... a player that's going to be a wide receiver three in ranks that has wide receiver two upside”
Stefon Diggs
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Malik Willis to outplay his draft cost (round twelve)
“My guy in round twelve is Malik Willis... Malik Willis is going to freaking run this year, and if he runs this year, you're getting a QB two that has top twelve upside”
Malik Willis Miami Dolphins
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
James Cook to outplay his draft cost (eleventh overall)
“I think James Cook is the best value on the board. Looking at eleventh overall, he's being valued basically based off of what he did last year.”
James Cook Buffalo Bills
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Bhayshul Tuten to outplay his draft cost (sixth round)
“So in the sixth round ECR sixty four, your perfect pick... BA Suton is gonna explode in his second season”
Bhayshul Tuten
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Jaylen Waddle to outplay his draft cost (fourth round)
“I'm just not going to shut up talking about Jayleen Wattle... He's going from a run heavy offense to a pass heavy offense”
Jaylen Waddle Denver Broncos
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
A.J. Brown to outplay his draft cost (second round)
“AJ Brown, He's my guy... I think we get a career season from AJ Brown in a limited volume passing offense.”
A.J. Brown New England Patriots
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
David Montgomery to outplay his draft cost (fifth round)
“fifth round... David Montgomery... he's gonna be the engine of that offense”
David Montgomery Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Colston Loveland to outplay his draft cost (third round)
“Coleston Loveland, I'm bringing him up in the third round... I think that Colston Loveland is going to be a league defining player”
Colston Loveland
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Positional Finishes7 waitingShow ▸

Tony Pollard to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points
“He's going to produce as an RB two this year.”
Tony Pollard Tennessee Titans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Bhayshul Tuten to finish top 22 at his position, by fantasy points
“Facial Twoton my RB twenty two in my rankings, and I think he's gonna have a fantastic season.”
Bhayshul Tuten
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
David Montgomery to finish top 20 at his position, by fantasy points
“Dave Montgomery's a top twenty back and he's got RB one upside.”
David Montgomery Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
A.J. Brown to finish top 5 at his position, by fantasy points
“Because I've got AJ Brown at wide receiver five.”
A.J. Brown New England Patriots
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
James Cook to finish top 3 at his position, by fantasy points
“I think James Cook can take a step into rarefied air and I'm not saying RB one overall, but I think he could be top three this year”
James Cook Buffalo Bills
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Isaiah Likely to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points
“I've got him as a top twelve tight end to my rankings at tight end eight”
Isaiah Likely
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Jaylen Waddle to finish top 12 at his position, by fantasy points
“I think Waddle is going to put up a wide receiver one season.”
Jaylen Waddle Denver Broncos
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Depth Chart Calls5 waitingShow ▸

Quentin Johnston to be 1st on the depth chart
“I don't think you're getting the real wide receiver one for the Chargers if you're paying up for Ladd McConkey... He was their clear wide receiver one”
Quentin Johnston Los Angeles Chargers
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
A.J. Brown to be 1st on the depth chart
“aj Brown is going to be their go to guy in the red zone... when they've had a true alpha level wide receiver, they get fed”
A.J. Brown New England Patriots
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Jaylen Waddle to be 1st on the depth chart
“That passing attack is going to condense around Jalen Wattle and Courtland Sutton. Wattle is going to be the clear number one”
Jaylen Waddle Denver Broncos
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Isaiah Likely to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Isaiah Likely. I think he's gonna be the clear number two on this passing attack.”
Isaiah Likely
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Tony Pollard to be 1st on the depth chart
“It's not Tajay Spears. So Tony Poward is going to get the bulk of the work.”
Tony Pollard Tennessee Titans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Others on the same people

Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role.
Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots.
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.
Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.
Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.
John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.

More sleeper calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.