Matt Money Smith· Feb 26, 2026
Smith says Ladd McConkie is a legitimate No. 1 receiver who could post a Jaylen Waddle-like season of roughly 1,700 yards and eight touchdowns, and he predicts second-year Chargers receiver Trey Harris will have a big year under Mike McDaniel. He also expects Philip Rivers to become an NFL head coach and thinks the Chargers offense will be good in the coming season.
“He could end up with Jalen Waddle like seventeen hundred yard eight touchdown season.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
3 checkable claims — 2 player season numbers and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 3 have settled, averaging 47.2 out of 100, against 85 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Their call against what happened
receiving yards1,700They said
789What happened
Their call against what actually happened.
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Who this take is about
3 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.
Ladd McConkey to record 1,700 receiving yards
“He could end up with Jalen Waddle like seventeen hundred yard eight touchdown season. It wouldn't surprise me.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 89.95-89.95 skillHow this was scored
- naive:
- 749.37
- skill:
- -89.95
- what happened:
- 789
- player:
- Ladd McConkey
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 89.95
- predicted:
- 1700
- statistic:
- receiving_yards
- difficulty:
- 1
- last season:
- 1149
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- position average:
- 349.73
- zero at percent out:
- 50
Ladd McConkey to be 1st on the depth chart
“I think Lad's a legitimate number one receiver.”
Hit · 92Scored 91.67a naive guess scored 91.67+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- LAC
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Ladd McConkey
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 91.67
- baseline:
- 91.67
- position:
- WR
- naive slot:
- 1
- actual slot:
- 2
- difficulty:
- 1
- measured by:
- receptions
- the naive guess:
- where he sat last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- predicted slot:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
Ladd McConkey to record 8 receiving tds
“He could end up with Jalen Waddle like seventeen hundred yard eight touchdown season. It wouldn't surprise me.”
Close · 50Scored 50a naive guess scored 73.31-23.31 skillHow this was scored
- naive:
- 5.2
- skill:
- -23.31
- what happened:
- 6
- player:
- Ladd McConkey
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 50
- baseline:
- 73.31
- predicted:
- 8
- statistic:
- receiving_tds
- difficulty:
- 1
- last season:
- 7
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- position average:
- 3.4
- zero at percent out:
- 50
What others said about the same people
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 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.
- David DroegemeierTrade and Signing Calls · Mekhi BectonHit · 100Drogemeier says the Chargers cutting Mekhi Becton is a foregone conclusion, freeing nearly $9 million in cap space, and only a matter of when.
- Mina KimesTrade and Signing Calls · Mekhi BectonHit · 100Kimes projects Washington receiver Denzel Boston as a second-half-of-the-first-round pick and expects the Chargers to move on from Mekhi Becton.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0In his taped upset alert, the coach took the winless Chargers to beat the undefeated Bills, citing Los Angeles' desperation and Buffalo's leaky defense.
- Eric WilliamsGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Williams picks the Chargers as the 0-2 team to rebound, comparing it to the 2017 team that started 0-4 and finished 9-7, and suggests they will rise up on the road against Buffalo rather than collapse.
- David DroegemeierGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Drogmeier also buys the Chargers as a top-five offense, thinks Ladd McConkie reaching roughly 100 catches/top-five in receptions is realistic, predicts the Chargers beat the Bills, projects six to eight and a half sacks for Justin Eboigbe, and expects Khalil Mack to retire after the season.
More player season numbers
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ross JacksonPlayer Season Numbers · Tyler ShoughMiss · 4Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.
- Chris BroussardPlayer Season Numbers · Lamar JacksonMiss · 0Broussard expects Lamar Jackson to play well but not vintage — two touchdown passes and no picks — while Derrick Henry carries the load with over 100 rushing yards. He also takes the Browns to upset the Bengals and believes Myles Garrett gets at least two sacks to break the single-season record.
- Nick WrightPlayer Season Numbers · Myles GarrettHit · 100Wright picks the Steelers to beat the Ravens outright in Pittsburgh, takes Seattle over San Francisco, and thinks the Browns lose to Cincinnati even as Myles Garrett gets the sack record.
- Nick WrightPlayer Season Numbers · Myles GarrettHit · 84Nick Wright says Myles Garrett is playing at an all-time level and might reach 25 sacks this season, and among his weekly picks he expects the Bears to beat the Steelers in an ugly low-margin home win and Seattle to win comfortably at Tennessee.
- Shannon SharpePlayer Season Numbers · T.J. WattMiss · 0On a Bengals-Steelers matchup, Sharpe took the over on several player props: Ja'Marr Chase over 74.5 receiving yards, Joe Flacco over 36.5 pass attempts, and T.J. Watt over 3.5 tackles+assists, adding that Watt will get two sacks. He also predicted Rico Dowdle would make the Pro Bowl this season.
- Rich EisenPlayer Season Numbers · Micah ParsonsClose · 56Eisen made a series of picks: Micah Parsons will out-sack any two Cowboys combined (after initially leaning the other way), the NFC North is more likely to produce a Super Bowl team than the NFC East, Eagles wins will outnumber Cowboys losses, Bo Nix/Courtland Sutton will out-touchdown Cam Ward/Calvin Ridley, and Marvin Harrison Jr./James Conner will beat Kamara/Olave in yards and TDs. He also picked the AFC West order and said Deion Sanders is more likely than Bill Belichick to have a winning record.