# Nick Pedone: After Cleveland's preseason opener, Pedone expects Deshaun Watson to keep the starting quarterback job over Shedeur Sanders, projects rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston as Week 1 starters, and lays out the likely offensive line configuration with Spencer Fano at left tackle and KT Leveston as the preferred backup guard. **Claimed:** Aug 15, 2026 **Pundit:** Nick Pedone — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/nick-pedone **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/browns/onsi/biggest-takeaways-from-browns-preseason-opener-loss-in-chicago-01m03gw93faq 9 checkable claims — 9 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 9 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > After the opener, it certainly looks like it's Watson's job to lose. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Teven Jenkins to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Teven Jenkins, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zion Johnson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Zion Johnson, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Spencer Fano to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tytus Howard to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tytus Howard, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **K.C. Concepcion to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: K.C. Concepcion, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **KT Leveston to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: KT Leveston, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Elgton Jenkins to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Elgton Jenkins, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Teven Jenkins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/teven-jenkins - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Zion Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zion-johnson - Denzel Boston — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/denzel-boston - Spencer Fano — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/spencer-fano - Tytus Howard — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tytus-howard - K.C. Concepcion — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/k-c-concepcion - Deshaun Watson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deshaun-watson - KT Leveston — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kt-leveston - Elgton Jenkins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/elgton-jenkins ## What others said about the same people - Pete Prisco on Cleveland Browns: Prisco picks every Week 3 game with exact scores, highlighting upsets by Tampa Bay over Minnesota and Cleveland over Carolina, and expects the Giants to rally behind Jameis Winston. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3eb02dfa-79dd-43a1-87d8-db7e5140af6c (scored 100) - Nathan Jahnke on Carsen Ryan: An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/47566b48-8024-4960-b25c-11c03fe43543 (scored 100) - Jacob Richard on Deshaun Watson: Richard predicts the Browns will keep Deshaun Watson as their starter through the season, that Shedeur Sanders will get a handful of starts, and that Dillon Gabriel is the most likely of the four quarterbacks to be moved off the roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/833363b9-6043-48f9-8636-76b2da931669 (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Raheim Sanders: An unsigned PFF fantasy preseason recap makes a series of depth-chart and roster-spot calls: Roman Wilson wins the Steelers' third receiver job over Germie Bernard, Robert Tonyan makes Pittsburgh's roster as the third tight end, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III stick in New England, Mike Washington Jr. is the Raiders' primary backup back, Jalen Nailor stays a Raiders starter, Kaelon Black leads the 49ers' backup running back competition, and Charlie Kolar is the Chargers' top tight end with top-12 fantasy upside. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e9e8a675-165c-4246-a19c-eec9f5dfccf4 (scored 100) - Ty Kohler on Winston Reid: After the Browns' first preseason game, Kohler said rookie Spencer Fano has cemented himself as Cleveland's left tackle, expects Dawand Jones to be a backup this season, and thinks Winston Reid, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Adin Huntington and Julian Okwara will be on the roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/04651124-a77a-41d5-8598-56d8cb93b7e6 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Rex Sunahara: After the Browns' 34-10 preseason loss to the Bears, Zamorano projected Cleveland's depth chart at each position for the eventual 53-man roster, with Deshaun Watson favored to start Week 1 and rookies like KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston high on the receiver ladder. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ed183082-d0b6-43fd-8f5a-6e24faa75d0d (scored 100) ## 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=nick-pedone