Rich Eisen#38 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 26, 2026
Eisen delivered their top five most surprising players of the 2026 NFL season: Jacoby Brissett (5), Jihad Campbell (4), Jayshawn Barn/Jahdae Barron (3), Jonathan Brooks (2) and Jadarian Price (1), adding that Brissett would keep Carson Beck off the field, that Barron could be Defensive Rookie of the Year, and that Odell Beckham Jr. could return to the Giants for a good season.
Said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)Hear the original
What Rich Eisen said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThe five top five who I believe will be the most surprising players of the twenty twenty six NFL season.
- Where it was said
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)
- The episode
- Hour 3: Rich’s Top 5 NFL Surprise Players, plus Comedian Adam Ray Talks Seahawks In-Studio
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Top Player Lists“I'm gonna go Jacoby Brissett... But I'm going Jihad Campbell of four... Jayshawn Barn from the University of Michigan... Jonathan Brooks for the Carolina Panthers... And number one, my most surprising player of the year... Jadarian Price”
- 2Odell Beckham Jr. to move to New York Giants“Odell coming back for the Giants and having a really nice season.”
- 3Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart“one of the most surprising things is you're not gonna see Carson Beck. He's gonna keep Carson Beck off the field.”
- 4Seattle Seahawks to beat Steelers“So okay. So we're we're we we we guided on this. I think it's the Steelers Seahawks.”
- 5Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl“For you to go back to back... I think it's the Steelers Seahawks.”
- 6Jaishawn Barham to win Defensive Rookie of the Year“Defensive player of the year for the rookies. Defensive rookie of the year type stuff, man.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “I'm gonna go Jacoby Brissett... But I'm going Jihad Campbell of…”1 | Top Player Lists | — | — | — | — | |
| Odell Beckham Jr. to move to New York Giants2 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Seattle Seahawks to beat Steelers4 | Game Outcome Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl5 | Super Bowl Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Jaishawn Barham to win Defensive Rookie of the Year6 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 6 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
6 checkable claims — 1 award pick, 1 depth chart call, 1 game outcome pick, 1 super bowl pick, 1 top player list and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 7 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Jacoby Brissett · 2026 season8 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 2. Rich Eisen said 1. 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.
“I'm gonna go Jacoby Brissett... But I'm going Jihad Campbell of four... Jayshawn Barn from the University of Michigan... Jonathan Brooks for the Carolina Panthers... And number one, my most surprising player of the year... Jadarian Price”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Trade and Signing CallsOdell Beckham Jr.New York Giants
Odell Beckham Jr. to move to New York Giants
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsJacoby BrissettArizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Game Outcome PicksSeattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks to beat Steelers
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Super Bowl PicksSeattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Award PicksJaishawn BarhamDallas Cowboys
Jaishawn Barham to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin predicted final scores for seven Week 10 games, taking the Giants over the Commanders, the Lions, Chiefs, Packers, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens to win their respective matchups.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.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.