Tyler Sullivan#27 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 3, 2026
A CBS Sports piece predicts the winners of the four ongoing quarterback battles — Kyler Murray in Minnesota, Tua Tagovailoa in Atlanta, Deshaun Watson in Cleveland and Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas — and names several veterans (Brissett, Geno Smith, Malik Willis) as their teams' Week 1 starters, with rookie Fernando Mendoza opening as Cousins' backup.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Tyler Sullivan said
Prediction : Kyler Murray wins the Week 1 job.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- NFL training camp QB battles: Breaking down four competitions, plus veterans that need to watch their backs
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 3
- PlayedSep 13
- GradedSep 17–18
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth Chart Calls | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| All | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
How each call scored
9 checkable claims — 9 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
4 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 75 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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
Fernando Mendoza · 2026 season26 calls from 23 pundits between 1 and 2. Tyler Sullivan said 2. 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.
Depth Chart Calls3 hits · 1 miss · 5 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart
“Prediction : Deshaun Watson wins the Week 1 job.”
100Hit100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- CLE
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Deshaun Watson
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- QB
- reported:
- named the starter
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- no prior season — a rookie is assumed to start behind the incumbent
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart
“Prediction : Kirk Cousins wins the Week 1 job.”
100Hit100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- LV
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Kirk Cousins
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- QB
- reported:
- named the starter
- naive slot:
- 2
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart
“Prediction : Kyler Murray wins the Week 1 job.”
100Hit100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- MIN
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Kyler Murray
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- QB
- reported:
- named the starter
- naive slot:
- 2
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart
“Prediction : Tua Tagovailoa wins the Week 1 job.”
0Miss0 − 0 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- ATL
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Tua Tagovailoa
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- he did not play that week
- naive slot:
- 1
- settled by:
- weekly snap counts (he took no snap in the game)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
Geno Smith to be 1st on the depth chart
“Smith's lane to begin the season as the starter is clear.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart
“Given that contract, he'll be the wire-to-wire starter for Miami in 2026.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
J.J. McCarthy to be 2nd on the depth chart
“it's hard not to see Murray coming out on top ... Prediction : Kyler Murray wins the Week 1 job.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Even if Mendoza takes training camp by storm, Kubiak's path for the young quarterback could lead to him starting his career as Cousins' backup.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart
“The veteran will almost certainly be the Cardinals' QB1 to begin the 2026 campaign”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The games in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns, Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders, Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings, Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons, Geno Smith, New York Jets, Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins, J.J. McCarthy, Fernando Mendoza, Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Tom Pelissero · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Pelissero laid out the Giants' quarterback situation with Jameis Winston starting, said Jayden Daniels likely won't be back when Washington plays the Giants and that Caleb Williams is unlikely to play Monday night, and floated Joey Porter Jr. landing in Dallas and Kirk Cousins being traded in-season.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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.Jordan Dajani · Depth Chart Calls · Drew Kendall · Miss 0
Dajani expects Cam Jurgens to move back to center as the Ravens' starter after the trade, and projects a rebuilt Eagles offensive line for Week 5 with Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell starting from left tackle to right tackle.Mike Moraitis · Depth Chart Calls · Tyson Bagent · Miss 0
Previewing the Bears-Packers Week 5 matchup, they state Tyson Bagent will again start at quarterback for Chicago, while framing Green Bay's receivers, pass defense and return game as threats. The rest of the piece is descriptive analysis of season-to-date statistics rather than forecasts of outcomes.Josh Alper · Depth Chart Calls · Olaivavega Ioane · Hit 100
Alper writes that Cam Jurgens, acquired by trade and in the concussion protocol, won't debut for Baltimore until the following week, leaving Vega Ioane as the likeliest starter at center against the Falcons before sliding back to right guard once Jurgens is available.