# Tyler Sullivan: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. **Claimed:** Sep 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2026-nfl-preseason-grades-falcons-rams/ 15 checkable claims — 15 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 26 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 2 of 15 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 12 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 10. > With a little more seasoning, he'll be QB1 by season's end in all likelihood. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Mansoor Delane to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Roschon Johnson to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Carmona to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Carmona, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jake Slaughter to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jake Slaughter, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacob Saylors to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jacob Saylors, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Carson Wentz to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Braxton Jones to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Braxton Jones, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jahmyr Gibbs to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **MarShawn Lloyd to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Eli Heidenreich to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Eli Heidenreich, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **J.J. McCarthy to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Deshaun Watson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deshaun-watson - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Malik Willis — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-willis - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Mansoor Delane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mansoor-delane - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Roschon Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/roschon-johnson - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Fernando Carmona — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-carmona - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans - Jake Slaughter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jake-slaughter - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Jacob Saylors — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jacob-saylors - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Carson Wentz — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carson-wentz - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Braxton Jones — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/braxton-jones - Jahmyr Gibbs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jahmyr-gibbs - MarShawn Lloyd — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/marshawn-lloyd - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/packers - Kyler Murray — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray - Eli Heidenreich — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/eli-heidenreich - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders ## 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 Detroit Lions: 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) - Chris Long on Detroit Lions: Long 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 100) - Steven Ruiz on Las Vegas Raiders: 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 100) - Nate Tice on Detroit Lions: 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) - Chris Simms on Green Bay Packers: Simms picked the Packers to beat the Falcons in the Thursday night game by a low score, expecting a defensive struggle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b12420c5-837c-4a24-8a8e-c74b10cc697c (scored 9.52) ## 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) - 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) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashod Bateman: In his Week 2 waiver wire column, Fitzmaurice recommends a slate of pickups he expects to outperform their current rostership (Kaelon Black, Deebo Samuel, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith and others), lays out several depth-chart expectations (Black as the 49ers' No. 2 back, Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over in Cleveland, Penix returning for Atlanta), and flags Fool's Gold/drop candidates such as Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne and Rashid Shaheed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6218d3c2-61e7-4ace-9976-b51eeefdf22c (scored 0) - Randy Gurzi on Jadarian Price: Gurzi suggests the Seahawks could sign three free agents — safety Donovan Wilson, guard Kevin Zeitler, and running back Kareem Hunt — if weaknesses show up after Week 1. He also notes Trevon Diggs starting on the practice squad and describes Seattle's projected backfield roles. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/350eed1b-4675-4a2d-aaf5-812e20678283 (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Jalyx Hunt: From an Eagles training camp practice, Kerr projects Willie Lampkin as a possible 53-man roster player, Jalyx Hunt as the likely Week 1 starting edge rusher over Nolan Smith, Byron Young as the No. 4 defensive tackle, Jake Elliott as the uncontested kicker, and Darius Cooper pressuring Hollywood Brown for the WR4 role. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f314062a-7912-4727-8ff1-9edc813f10e1 (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=tyler-sullivan