Josh EdwardsAug 13, 2026
A CBS Sports piece highlights 10 rookies to watch in the preseason, noting depth-chart roles for several: Denzel Boston as Cleveland's starting X receiver, and Josiah Trotter as the favorite to start alongside Alex Anzalone in Tampa Bay. Harold Perkins Jr. is described as second team on Atlanta's depth chart.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Josh Edwards said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromIt sounds as though he is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job next to veteran Alex Anzalone.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- NFL preseason rookie watch list: Cowboys LB, Denzel Boston headline top 10 to monitor
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart“Boston has already been named the starting X receiver.”
- 2Harold Perkins to be 2nd on the depth chart“Although listed second team on the depth chart, Perkins is already earning repetitions with the first team in training camp.”
- 3Jalen Mayo to be picked “drafted next year”“His former teammate, cornerback Jalen Mayo, will have an opportunity to be drafted next year after transferring to Houston.”
- 4Josiah Trotter to be 1st on the depth chart“It sounds as though he is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job next to veteran Alex Anzalone.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Harold Perkins to be 2nd on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Jalen Mayo to be picked “drafted next year”3 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Josiah Trotter to be 1st on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 4 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
4 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 8 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsDenzel BostonCleveland Browns
Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsHarold PerkinsAtlanta Falcons
Harold Perkins to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Mock Draft PicksJalen MayoHouston Texans
Jalen Mayo to be picked “drafted next year”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsJosiah TrotterTampa Bay Buccaneers
Josiah Trotter 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.Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.