Pat Fitzmaurice· Sep 21, 2026
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.
“With Jayden Daniels dislocating his left elbow on Sunday, Marcus Mariota will quarterback the Commanders indefinitely.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
12 checkable claims — 10 depth chart calls and 2 availability calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 22 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 12 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 9 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Michael Penix Jr. · 2026 season13 calls from 13 pundits between 1 and 1. Pat Fitzmaurice 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
- Jonah Coleman
- Denver Broncos
- Brian Robinson
- Atlanta Falcons
- Malik Washington
- Miami Dolphins
- Brian Branch
- Detroit Lions
- Emmett Johnson
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Keaton Mitchell
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Michael Penix Jr.
- Tre Tucker
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Adonai Mitchell
- New York Jets
- Marcus Mariota
- Washington Commanders
- Khalil Shakir
- Buffalo Bills
- Kerby Joseph
The game in this take
- Rams at Broncos 25 calls
12 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.
- Depth Chart CallsJonah ColemanDenver BroncosSep 21, 2026
Jonah Coleman to be 1st on the depth chart
“it's very possible Coleman will be Denver's lead back when the Broncos host the Rams in Week 3”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-194 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- DEN
- week:
- 3
- skill:
- -194
- player:
- Jonah Coleman
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- reported:
- he did not play that week
- settled by:
- weekly snap counts (he took no snap in the game)
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- the naive guess:
- no prior season — a rookie is assumed to start behind the incumbent
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- Depth Chart CallsBrian RobinsonAtlanta FalconsSep 21, 2026
Brian Robinson to be 2nd on the depth chart
“"Clean" handcuffs always have appeal, and Brian Robinson Jr. is the clear backup to Bijan Robinson in Atlanta.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsMalik WashingtonMiami DolphinsSep 21, 2026
Malik Washington to be 1st on the depth chart
“With Caleb Douglas in a walking boot ... Washington is expected to be Miami's No. 1 receiver in Week 3.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsBrian BranchDetroit LionsSep 21, 2026
“Neither Branch nor Joseph is expected back by Week 4.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Emmett Johnson to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Emmett Johnson has no standalone value as the backup to Kenneth Walker III”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Keaton Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Keaton Mitchell doesn't appear to have any standalone value, but he's clearly the top backup to Omarion Hampton.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Michael Penix Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart
“Michael Penix Jr. is the best quarterback option the Falcons have, and as soon as he's ready to return from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season, he'll start for Atlanta.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTre TuckerLas Vegas RaidersSep 21, 2026
Tre Tucker to be 1st on the depth chart
“Tre Tucker erupted for 5-119-1 on seven targets Sunday against the Chargers and has to be considered the Raiders' No. 1 receiver.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsAdonai MitchellNew York JetsSep 21, 2026
Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart
“The Jets' clear No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson, Mitchell had 3-60-0 on three targets against the Titans in Week 1”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Marcus Mariota to be 1st on the depth chart
“With Jayden Daniels dislocating his left elbow on Sunday, Marcus Mariota will quarterback the Commanders indefinitely.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKhalil ShakirBuffalo BillsSep 21, 2026
Khalil Shakir to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Even if Moore is out this week, Shakir is probably no better than the No. 2 target in the Buffalo passing attack behind surging tight end Dalton Kincaid.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsKerby JosephDetroit LionsSep 21, 2026
“Neither Branch nor Joseph is expected back by Week 4.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms 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 · Detroit LionsHit · 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- 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.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- 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.
- Bradley LockerDepth Chart Calls · Carson WentzHit · 100PFF'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.
- Bill HuberDepth Chart Calls · Chris McClellanMiss · 0Huber's first Packers rookie progress report projects second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse to hold onto his spot with the No. 1 defense, third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan to start in Week 1, and fifth-round lineman Jager Burton to be the team's top interior backup rather than a starter.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order.
- Ryan WilsonDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April.