Tom Strachan· Aug 23, 2026
In a guide to drafting from pick 1.08, Strachan targets Jonathan Taylor, CeeDee Lamb and James Cook (plus Amon-Ra St. Brown), arguing Taylor and Cook have top-two RB upside and St. Brown could finish as the overall WR1, while warning against taking elite tight ends Brock Bowers or Trey McBride or Ashton Jeanty that early.
“There's a very real world where Taylor is a top-two back this season.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
7 checkable claims — 3 fantasy bust calls, 3 positional finishes and 1 sleeper call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 13 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
James Cook · 2026 season · positional finish3 calls from 3 pundits between 2 positional finish and 12 positional finish. Tom Strachan said 2 positional finish. the room's median is 3 positional finish. 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
7 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.
- Fantasy Bust CallsTrey McBrideArizona CardinalsAug 23, 2026
Trey McBride to fall short of his draft cost (1.08)
“Whether you prefer Brock Bowers or Trey McBride doesn't really matter. Neither should be drafted this high.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Amon-Ra St. Brown to finish top 1 at his position, by fantasy points
“it's fair to point out that not much more would need to swing his way for a WR1 overall finish”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsCeeDee LambDallas CowboysAug 23, 2026
CeeDee Lamb to outplay his draft cost (1.08)
“If you're happy to believe 2025 was a blip rather than the new normal, it becomes easier to see Lamb as a value pick in this range.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Positional FinishesJames CookBuffalo BillsAug 23, 2026
James Cook to finish top 2 at his position, by fantasy points
“If reports from training camp are true and the Bills do use Cook more in the receiving game, a top-two finish is within his range of outcomes.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Fantasy Bust CallsAshton JeantyLas Vegas RaidersAug 23, 2026
Ashton Jeanty to fall short of his draft cost (1.08)
“Jeanty has bags of talent, and he's a fine pick at the back end of the first round, but taking him over proven assets in better environments would be a mistake.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jonathan Taylor to finish top 2 at his position, by fantasy points
“There's a very real world where Taylor is a top-two back this season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Fantasy Bust CallsBrock BowersLas Vegas RaidersAug 23, 2026
Brock Bowers to fall short of his draft cost (1.08)
“Whether you prefer Brock Bowers or Trey McBride doesn't really matter. Neither should be drafted this high.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Simms 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing 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.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Tice 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.
- Nate TiceScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Tice 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 fantasy bust calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ryan WormeliFantasy Bust Calls · Zay FlowersMiss · 0Host 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 BrownFantasy Bust Calls · Zay FlowersMiss · 0Derek 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 WelshFantasy Bust Calls · Austin EkelerHit · 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 PisapiaFantasy Bust Calls · Rashee RiceMiss · 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceFantasy Bust Calls · Breece HallMiss · 0Pat Fitzmaurice gave draft-or-pass calls: reluctant drafts on Christian McCaffrey, RJ Harvey, Tetairoa McMillan (his WR16), Rashee Rice at a ninth-round price, Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, Chris Olave, Drake Maye (his QB8) and Tyler Warren, with passes on Breece Hall, Joe Mixon, Croskey-Merritt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Hunter, the Rams receivers and Justin Fields.
- Derek BrownFantasy Bust Calls · Chuba HubbardHit · 100Derek Brown ("Deebro") names three busts to avoid in 2025 fantasy drafts: Kyren Williams at an RB1 price, Chuba Hubbard as a top-20 RB, and Xavier Worthy as his ultimate bust, arguing Rashee Rice is the clear No. 1 receiver in Kansas City.