Derek Brown#12 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 2, 2026
Brown names five wide receivers to target in 2026 fantasy drafts, arguing each will outperform their draft cost: McLaurin bounces back as a WR2, Flowers is a WR2 with WR1 upside, Egbuka beats their mid-WR2 cost and becomes Tampa Bay's clear WR1, Watson is Green Bay's clear WR1 and a strong WR2, and Evans is a value with WR1 upside in San Francisco.
Published in writing · FantasyProsRead the original
What Derek Brown said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromConsider me a rabid drafter hellbent upon drafting as much Egbuka as possible this season.
- Where it was published
- FantasyPros
- The piece
- 5 Must-Have Wide Receivers (2026 Fantasy Football)
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Zay Flowers to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points“Flowers is a strong WR2 with WR1 upside again this year.”
- 2Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart“Egbuka can establish himself as the team's clear WR1 and return WR1/2 production.”
- 3Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost (mid WR2 draft cost)“Emeka Egbuka could crush his mid WR2 draft cost this season.”
- 4Terry McLaurin to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points“McLaurin should return to his target-hog WR2 ways in 2026.”
- 5Christian Watson to be 1st on the depth chart“Christian Watson got the bag this offseason and should be considered the clear WR1 for the Green Bay Packers.”
- 6Christian Watson to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points“Watson is a strong WR2 with upside for more in 2026.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zay Flowers to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points1 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost (mid WR2 draft cost)3 | Sleeper Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Terry McLaurin to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points4 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Christian Watson to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Christian Watson to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points6 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 6 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
6 checkable claims — 3 positional finishes, 2 depth chart calls and 1 sleeper call — 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 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 3.
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
Emeka Egbuka · 2026 season5 calls from 5 pundits between 1 and 1. Derek Brown 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.
Their call against the room
positional finishTheir call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Positional FinishesZay FlowersBaltimore Ravens
Zay Flowers to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsEmeka EgbukaTampa Bay Buccaneers
Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Sleeper CallsEmeka EgbukaTampa Bay Buccaneers
Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost (mid WR2 draft cost)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Positional FinishesTerry McLaurinWashington Commanders
Terry McLaurin to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsChristian WatsonGreen Bay Packers
Christian Watson to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Positional FinishesChristian WatsonGreen Bay Packers
Christian Watson to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picked seven Week 10 games with final scores, including a Commanders upset of the Giants, Lions over the Patriots in Munich, Chiefs over the Falcons, Packers edging the Vikings, 49ers over the Cowboys, Bengals over the Steelers and Ravens over the Chargers. They also suggested Joe Burrow could win MVP this season.Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Gilberto Manzano · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Manzano picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Browns, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.
More positional finishes
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nick Wright · Positional Finishes · Puka Nacua · Close 75
Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver.Rich Hribar · Positional Finishes · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1.Chris Brockman · Positional Finishes · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Hit 100
Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season.Ryan Tracy · Positional Finishes · Bryan Cook · Miss 0
Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; they name Brian Robinson as their target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10.Pat Gustavson · Positional Finishes · Bijan Robinson · Close 75
Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots.