# Derek Brown: Derek 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 their own rankings well ahead of ADP for several of them. **Claimed:** Aug 30, 2025 **Pundit:** Derek Brown — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/derek-brown **Outlet:** FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fantasypros-fantasy-football-podcast-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/fantasypros-fantasy-football-podcast/high-upside-fantasy-football-draft-picks-wide-receiver-breakout-candidates-ep-1678 17 checkable claims — 6 positional finishes, 5 sleeper calls, 4 fantasy bust calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 player season number — 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. All 17 have settled, averaging 54.1 out of 100, against 23.6 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Second year of breakout is here, boys. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Zay Flowers to fall short of his draft cost (wide receiver two)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Travis Hunter to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver thirty one and seventy fourth overall)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Xavier Worthy to fall short of his draft cost (wide receiver twenty four)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Marquise Brown to fall short of his draft cost (back of the... final round picks)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Jalen Coker to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver seventy six)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **DeVonta Smith to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver three)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Ricky Pearsall to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver thirty five)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Keon Coleman to fall short of his draft cost (back of the... final round picks)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Emeka Egbuka to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver thirty three)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Travis Hunter to finish top 25 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **George Pickens to finish top 15 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 8.33 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Ricky Pearsall to finish top 26 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 75 for a naive guess - **Jaylen Waddle to record 100 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 28 out of 100, against 33.83 for a naive guess - **Xavier Worthy to finish top 36 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Jalen Coker to finish top 52 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Jalen Coker to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: scored 91.67 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess - **Jaylen Waddle to finish top 20 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 91.67 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Zay Flowers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zay-flowers - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Travis Hunter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/travis-hunter - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Xavier Worthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/xavier-worthy - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Marquise Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/marquise-brown - Jalen Coker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalen-coker - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers - DeVonta Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/devonta-smith - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Ricky Pearsall — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ricky-pearsall - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Keon Coleman — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keon-coleman - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Emeka Egbuka — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - George Pickens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/george-pickens - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Jaylen Waddle — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaylen-waddle - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins ## What others said about the same people - Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0) - Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0) - Gilberto Manzano on Josh Downs: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/67d5af78-94ea-4ee2-a277-5e68347022de (scored 100) - Joshua Poniatowski on Josh Downs: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d1752582-a799-48b9-984b-39bf7cb8b709 (scored 100) - Andrew Erickson on Josh Downs: Erickson floated Kansas City as the landing spot for Josh Downs and said a trade there would make them at least a WR3 rest of season; they also expect Rashee Rice to leave the Chiefs after this season as a free agent. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e97e28f2-31fc-4702-915c-63c38477e97d (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Josh Downs: After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f5af1657-8608-4071-a63e-0e7d6124e627 (scored 100) ## More positional finishes The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Nick Wright on Puka Nacua: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d48b8521-6883-4f25-99f1-6f552bfe5a94 (scored 75) - Rich Hribar on Matthew Stafford: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9d1e15ad-f96d-457c-ad9f-25882182e28b (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 100) - Pat Gustavson on Bijan Robinson: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/06884586-5b21-40c8-9439-e303a3e8a806 (scored 75) - JP Acosta on Bijan Robinson: JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named their own first-team All-Pro roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/660e3494-2b0b-415e-beb7-9e3bf3464e30 (scored 75) - Chad Ochocinco Johnson on Christian Gonzalez: Ochocinco says Christian Gonzalez belongs in the top-five DB conversation, believes Kyler Murray will be elsewhere next year, expects Chase to get a one-game suspension, backs Sam Darnold to bounce back, and floats Jaxon Smith-Njigba reaching 2,000 receiving yards. They also remind listeners they called the Bears and Panthers as teams to watch before the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c6469c58-b508-48d9-b72f-fe6e0d7d4da5 (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=derek-brown