Mike ClayAug 12, 2026
Clay names the 2026 fantasy players positioned to break out in the mold of last season's breakouts: Jaxson Dart, Carnell Tate, Emeka Egbuka, Jeremiyah Love, Kenyon Sadiq, Justin Herbert, Kenneth Walker III, Jaylen Waddle, Terrance Ferguson and Jack Bech. They also project roles for several of them (Egbuka as Tampa Bay's top target, Walker as the Chiefs' feature back, Waddle leading Denver in targets and catches).
Published in writingRead the original
What Mike Clay said
Dart is one of my favorite targets in 2026 fantasy drafts
- The piece
- Fantasy football: Dart, Tate and more set to follow path of 2025 breakouts
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Too vague | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeper Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Positional Finishes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Depth Chart Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
How each call scored
10 claims — 5 depth chart calls, 3 sleeper calls and 2 positional finishes — the 9 we can check each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of the 9 calls we can check have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
The other one was too vague to check, so it is not graded.
Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 4.
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
Jaylen Waddle · 2026 season11 calls from 9 pundits between 1 and 2. Mike Clay 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.
Sleeper Calls3 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Kenyon Sadiq to outplay his draft cost (the later rounds)
“This season's Tyler Warren: Kenyon Sadiq ... should be on your radar in the later rounds.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jack Bech to outplay his draft cost (the late rounds)
“This season's Michael Wilson/Parker Washington: Jack Bech ... The player out of TCU is an interesting Hail Mary flier in the late rounds.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Terrance Ferguson to outplay his draft cost (late-round availability on draft day)
“This season's Harold Fannin Jr./Oronde Gadsden II: Terrance Ferguson ... he fits our description due to his late-round availability on draft day.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Positional Finishes1 waiting · 1 too vague to checkShow ▸Hide ▾
Jaylen Waddle to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points
“Similar to Pickens last season, Waddle very well could deliver solid WR2 numbers.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
“he still finished sixth among backs in touches and 11th in fantasy points. He was the worst finisher among the aforementioned nine backs, and odds are Love will be better.”
—Too vague to checkToo vague to check: we could not tell what would count as right, so it stays on the record without a score.
Depth Chart Calls5 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jaylen Waddle to be 1st on the depth chart
“he very well could lead the Sean Payton and Bo Nix-led Denver offense in targets and catches”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart
“with Mike Evans gone, Egbuka has a real shot to operate as Tampa Bay's top target in 2026”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Terrance Ferguson to be 3rd on the depth chart
“it's very possible Ferguson settles in as the No. 3 target behind Puka Nacua and 33-year-old Davante Adams”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kenyon Sadiq to be 3rd on the depth chart
“it's very possible he emerges as Geno Smith's No. 2 or 3 target this season”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kenneth Walker III to be 1st on the depth chart
“Walker signed with the Chiefs during free agency and has a very clear path to feature back duties in a good offense.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
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.Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.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.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.