Steven RuizSep 8, 2026
Ruiz plants flags on four players and a coordinator to exceed expectations in 2026: A.J. Brown rebounding as an elite receiver in New England, Kyler Murray posting a top-10 quarterback season in Minnesota, Colston Loveland becoming the league's best tight end and first-team All-Pro, Omarion Hampton breaking out under Mike McDaniel, and Christian Parker's Cowboys defense improving enough to return Dallas to the playoffs.
Published in writing · Fox SportsRead the original
What Steven Ruiz said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromMurray putting up a top-10 season would not surprise me.
- Where it was published
- Fox Sports
- The piece
- Plant The Flag: 4 NFL Players And 1 Coach Who Will Top Expectations This Season
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs“it would be enough to get the Cowboys back into the playoffs and push Parker up the list of head coaching candidates ahead of next year's hiring cycle.”
- 2Kyler Murray to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards“Murray putting up a top-10 season would not surprise me.”
- 3Colston Loveland to make first-team All-Pro“The race for the first-team All-Pro spot at tight end will likely come down to Loveland and those two, and I've got the Bears tight end narrowly beating them out.”
- 4Colston Loveland to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards“the "best tight end in the league" title belt is up for grabs, and Chicago's Colston Loveland is my pick to snatch it this season.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs1 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Kyler Murray to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards2 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Colston Loveland to make first-team All-Pro3 | Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Colston Loveland to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards4 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 4 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
4 checkable claims — 2 positional finishes, 1 playoff pick and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
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.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Positional FinishesKyler MurrayMinnesota Vikings
Kyler Murray to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Pro Bowl and All-Pro CallsColston LovelandChicago Bears
Colston Loveland to make first-team All-Pro
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Positional FinishesColston LovelandChicago Bears
Colston Loveland to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
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.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.John Middlekauff · Draft Bust Calls · Caleb Williams · Miss 0
Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. They are pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying they'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. They also see Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix.Justin Penik · Trade and Signing Calls · Aaron Jones · Hit 100
Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants.
More positional finishes
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nick Wright · Positional Finishes · Puka Nacua · Close 75
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.Rich Hribar · Positional Finishes · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
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.Chris Brockman · Positional Finishes · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Hit 100
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.Ryan Tracy · Positional Finishes · Bryan Cook · Miss 0
Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; they name Brian Robinson as their target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10.Pat Gustavson · Positional Finishes · Bijan Robinson · Close 75
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.