# Fernando Alfaro-Donis: Alfaro-Donis expects Eric Stokes to serve as the Raiders' No. 1 cornerback in 2026, with the second cornerback spot still unsettled. **Claimed:** Aug 10, 2026 **Pundit:** Fernando Alfaro-Donis — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/fernando-alfaro-donis **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-investment-sparks-big-expectations-2026-defense One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened. It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record. Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > Now that he's gotten paid, the Raiders are depending on him to be their top cornerback in 2026. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Eric Stokes to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Eric Stokes, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Eric Stokes — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/eric-stokes - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders ## What others said about the same people - Joshua Schulman on Las Vegas Raiders: Schulman picks Las Vegas to hand Kansas City its first loss, expecting Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty to exploit a Chiefs defense he believes will be exposed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/924a6708-33e0-4e60-97a3-4fb98ce00f1d (scored 0) - Brooke Cersosimo on Las Vegas Raiders: Picked winners and exact scores for every Week 4 game, including the Bears over the Jets, the Cowboys in the Battle for Texas and an upset of the Chiefs by the undefeated Raiders. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7717b6ff-86ce-4cda-b192-202b3b80c3c7 (scored 47.62) - Seth Walder on Las Vegas Raiders: Walder made a 'bold prediction' for each Week 4 game — including receiving and rushing yardage marks, sacks, an interception and a Dolphins upset — and picked final scores for all 15 games on the slate. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2136c2b6-89e5-4f73-ad78-28d4de9bb6be (scored 47.62) - Garrett Podell on Las Vegas Raiders: In his Week 4 bold predictions, Podell picks the 3-0 Raiders to upset the Chiefs in Las Vegas, says Kyler Murray and the Vikings will cruise past the winless Dolphins while Murray sets Minnesota's single-game completion percentage record, and forecasts the Colts intercepting Marcus Mariota twice. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3e743f3f-a302-4ddf-b19d-fd2da2d3c057 (scored 0) - Steve Palazzolo on Las Vegas Raiders: Palazzolo picked the Bears to beat the Jets outright, said Seattle would blow out the Chargers, and predicted the Raiders would upset Kansas City to go 4-0. He also referenced the Bengals as his Super Bowl pick and expected newly traded Joey Porter Jr. not to suit up in Week 4. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/761cd919-d09e-4d5f-94cc-046710d6f843 (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Fernando Mendoza: Nick Wright unveiled his full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. He also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c5ad8a4-034f-4abb-8806-20dd9e44b5c6 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - John Breech on Jameis Winston: Breech picked the Eagles to beat the Bears 23-16 on Monday night, and expected Jameis Winston to start at quarterback for the Giants in Week 4 against Arizona while newly acquired J.J. McCarthy gets up to speed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a6e98531-b302-4613-b490-06830338ade7 (scored 100) - Chris Roling on Drew Lock: Roling expects Sam Darnold's hip injury to keep him out, meaning Drew Lock will be Seattle's quarterback when the Chargers visit in Week 4. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8a070ae3-e756-45b8-bae4-0104e432653c (scored 0) - Christian Booher on Blake Miller: Booher lays out the Lions' projected depth chart for their Week 4 game at Carolina, naming starters, backups and reserves at every position, and suggests safety Bishop Fitzgerald could make his debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/de49ff55-54a5-4410-ba7c-0b7e1f1a2f68 (scored 0) - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: Bahns calls it reality that Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, with Deshaun Watson set to fail. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/18802de8-941e-4551-b6e3-df7a752020b6 (scored 0) - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: A CBS Sports preseason overreaction column argues Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, that Ja'Kobi Lane has a real path to a No. 2 receiver role as a rookie, and that Kenneth Walker III is a legitimate lead back atop the Chiefs' depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e82d31e3-169f-4419-a38c-ceaaa1d053a7 (scored 0) - Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100) --- 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=fernando-alfaro-donis