theScoreAug 12, 2026
theScore's staff power rankings for all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last.
Published in writingRead the original
What theScore said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAs long as they're healthy, the Rams are the team to beat.
- The piece
- NFL Power Rankings: Preseason check-ins for all 32 teams
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 12
- PlayedSep 13
- GradedSep 17
- 1Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart“The Falcons could be forced to start Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback in Week 1 while Michael Penix Jr. continues to rehab his knee.”
- 2Power Rankings“NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season. 1. Los Angeles Rams ... 32. Miami Dolphins”
- 3Stefon Diggs to be 2nd on the depth chart“The Commanders finally found their No. 2 receiver by signing Stefon Diggs partway through training camp”
- 4Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations“This team could be a dark horse in the NFC.”
- 5Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart“The Vikings named Kyler Murray their starter, with the veteran quarterback supplanting J.J. McCarthy.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| “NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the…”2 | Power Rankings | — | — | — | — | |
| Stefon Diggs to be 2nd on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations4 | Surprise Team Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 1 miss · 4 waiting | 0 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive5 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls, 1 power ranking and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
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
Kyler Murray · 2026 season38 calls from 29 pundits between 1 and 2. theScore 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.
1Depth Chart CallsTua TagovailoaAtlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- ATL
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Tua Tagovailoa
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- he did not play that week
- naive slot:
- 1
- settled by:
- weekly snap counts (he took no snap in the game)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
“NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season. 1. Los Angeles Rams ... 32. Miami Dolphins”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsStefon DiggsWashington Commanders
Stefon Diggs to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Surprise Team CallsMinnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsKyler MurrayMinnesota Vikings
Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picked seven Week 10 games with final scores, including a Commanders upset of the Giants, Lions over the Patriots in Munich, Chiefs over the Falcons, Packers edging the Vikings, 49ers over the Cowboys, Bengals over the Steelers and Ravens over the Chargers. They also suggested Joe Burrow could win MVP this season.Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Gilberto Manzano · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Manzano picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Browns, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.
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.