Rich Eisen· Aug 26, 2026
Eisen delivered his 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.
“The five top five who I believe will be the most surprising players of the twenty twenty six NFL season.”
said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) · read the original →
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 bet.
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.
Where this call stands in the room
Jacoby Brissett · 2026 season5 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 1. 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.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Game Outcome PicksSeattle SeahawksAug 26, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to beat Steelers
“So okay. So we're we're we we we guided on this. I think it's the Steelers Seahawks.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Odell Beckham Jr. to move to New York Giants
“Odell coming back for the Giants and having a really nice season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksJaishawn BarhamDallas CowboysAug 26, 2026
Jaishawn Barham to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“Defensive player of the year for the rookies. Defensive rookie of the year type stuff, man.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Top Player ListsAug 26, 2026
“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”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Super Bowl PicksSeattle SeahawksAug 26, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl
“For you to go back to back... I think it's the Steelers Seahawks.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jacoby 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.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 31Simms 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.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · New York GiantsHit · 100Rogers 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.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 0Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.
- Nate TiceScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
- John MiddlekauffGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 0Middlekauff expects blowout wins for Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami in Week 3, picks Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh in the AFC North matchup, and takes Tennessee over the Giants if Jameis Winston is taking snaps.
- Nick WrightScore Predictions · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 5On his Week 3 pick show, Nick Wright gave straight-up final-score predictions for five games, calling blowouts by Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami, a Jacksonville home win over New England, a narrow New Orleans win over the Raiders and a low-scoring Baltimore win over Dallas in Brazil. He also called Seattle the best team in the NFL with the league's best defense.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Jonah ColemanMiss · 0In 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.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In 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.
- Matt SeveranceDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2.
- Rafael ZamoranoDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Hribar 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.