Bradley LockerSep 9, 2026
A PFF Week 1 preview of the 2026 season describing key individual matchups. It notes Luther Burden is Chicago's clear-cut No. 1 receiver and that Joe Brady makes their head-coaching debut with Buffalo, Jesse Minter their with Baltimore, and Tua Tagovailoa starts at quarterback for Atlanta.
Published in writing · Pro Football FocusRead the original
What Bradley Locker said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromHow well can the burgeoning Burden perform as Chicago's clear-cut No. 1 receiver against a shutdown corner like Jackson?
- Where it was published
- Pro Football Focus
- The piece
- The 10 best NFL player matchups to watch in Week 1
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Luther Burden III to be 1st on the depth chart“How well can the burgeoning Burden perform as Chicago's clear-cut No. 1 receiver against a shutdown corner like Jackson?”
- 2Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart“All eyes will be on Tua Tagovailoa as Atlanta's starting quarterback”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Burden III to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 2 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
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
Tua Tagovailoa · 2026 season28 calls from 22 pundits between 1 and 2. Bradley Locker 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsLuther Burden IIIChicago Bears
Luther Burden III to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsTua TagovailoaAtlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta.JP Acosta · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco.Gregg Rosenthal · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta.John Middlekauff · Draft Bust Calls · Caleb Williams · Miss 0
Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. They are pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying they'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. They also see Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix.
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.