# Ralph Vacchiano: Vacchiano names one breakout candidate for each of the 16 AFC teams in 2026, predicting players like Laiatu Latu will reach double-digit sacks, Jayden Higgins will be Houston's No. 2 receiver, Chris Rodriguez Jr. will become Jacksonville's workhorse back, and Ashton Jeanty, Ladd McConkey and Cam Ward will bounce back into stars. **Claimed:** Aug 5, 2026 **Pundit:** Ralph Vacchiano — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ralph-vacchiano **Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fox-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/breakout-candidates-one-player-from-each-afc-team-poised-star-turn 7 checkable claims — 6 depth chart calls and 1 player season number — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 6 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > Double-digit sacks seem like a lock for the 2024 first-round pick, especially with Arden Key now on the opposite end to take some of the pressure off. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Harold Fannin Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - **Nohl Williams to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Nohl Williams, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chris Rodriguez Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **Will Campbell to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Will Campbell, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jayden Higgins to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Laiatu Latu to record 10 sacks** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Harold Fannin Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/harold-fannin-jr - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Adonai Mitchell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/adonai-mitchell - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Nohl Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nohl-williams - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Chris Rodriguez Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chris-rodriguez-jr - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Will Campbell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/will-campbell - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Jayden Higgins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jayden-higgins - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Laiatu Latu — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/laiatu-latu - Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/colts ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on Kansas City Chiefs: Simms 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 100) - Connor Rogers on Kansas City Chiefs: Rogers 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100) - Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Previewing 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 0) - Nate Tice on Jacksonville Jaguars: Tice 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100) - Jake Arthur on Kansas City Chiefs: Arthur expects a close Chiefs win on Sunday Night Football at Arrowhead, predicting a final score of 27-23 for Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ca7ab74e-ab34-4ed6-a77f-2c7e9f8c8c4d (scored 97.62) - Zach Hicks on Kansas City Chiefs: Hicks predicts a lower-scoring, field-goal-heavy game with the Chiefs beating the Colts 23-19, citing Indianapolis' red-zone success against Kansas City historically. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ddbaddad-c15e-4e6f-a6ac-f066de6cdc2a (scored 97.62) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0) - Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) - Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0) - Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (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=ralph-vacchiano