# Pat Gustavson: Gustafson drafted Jeremiah Love first overall in their instant-impact rookie draft, predicted Buffalo, Denver, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Detroit, the Rams and Tampa Bay as division winners, and named Puka Nacua OPOY, Myles Garrett DPOY and Ruben Bain Defensive Rookie of the Year. **Claimed:** May 5, 2026 **Pundit:** Pat Gustavson — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/pat-gustavson **Outlet:** Bran Coverage with BenchwarmerBran (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/bran-coverage-with-benchwarmerbran-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.buzzsprout.com/2182919/episodes/19128823-best-rookies-for-fantasy-way-too-early-nfl-predictions-for-2026-podcast-for-5-5.mp3 26 checkable claims — 7 division winners, 6 playoff picks, 5 award picks, 3 depth chart calls, 2 season win totals, 1 coach award pick, 1 fantasy ranking and 1 positional finish — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 27 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 6 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > he's gonna be my defensive rookie of the year, spoiler alert *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Puka Nacua to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denver Broncos to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Myles Garrett to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jayden Daniels to win Comeback Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Omar Cooper to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Omar Cooper, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cincinnati Bengals to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - “Pat's got Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiah Love, Jadarian Price, Denzel Boston, Skyler Bell, Antonio Williams, Omar Cooper Junior, and Kenyon Saddiq.” - Kind: Fantasy Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Puka Nacua to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jeremiyah Love to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Liam Cohen to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jeremiyah Love to win Offensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Rueben Bain to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Rueben Bain, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Puka Nacua — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/puka-nacua - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Myles Garrett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/myles-garrett - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Jayden Daniels — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jayden-daniels - Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/commanders - Omar Cooper — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/omar-cooper - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Rueben Bain — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rueben-bain - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens ## What others said about the same people - Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/978f775c-5611-4514-ad2f-b35a6eac0402 (scored 0) - Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c8c47b8-6041-4282-8d21-d21741d8f11b (scored 0) - Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0) - Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0) - Jordan Dajani on Washington Commanders: Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/46f7646f-2c64-4827-a522-67975af79fb6 (scored 95.24) - Tyler Sullivan on Washington Commanders: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1bb32676-c3b3-4b8e-8a03-b58396cf98bf (scored 100) ## More division winners The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Daniel DiBerardinis on Atlanta Falcons: Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. They also give a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8a8e0b7c-9f1c-4c13-8138-1332d73b9b02 (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on New York Giants: Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. They also expect Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and they float the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cd243624-9451-4824-a8a4-7b468d681c8f (scored 0) - Cynthia Frelund on Houston Texans: Freeland's model has the Chargers winning straight up in Dallas, the Texans winning big over the Raiders and going on to win the AFC South, the Lions beating the Steelers by six, the Saints beating the Jets, and the Packers beating the Bears; they also see the AFC's Super Bowl representative being either Denver or Houston. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/adb6791d-7a19-4d22-b3da-f9d30b419aa2 (scored 0) - Chris Brockman on Philadelphia Eagles: Brockman called the Broncos-Packers game the best of the day, said Denver looks poised to lock up the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the AFC Championship Game, predicted the Bears win the NFC North and the Eagles win their division (though they think they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e86c9e4d-7802-432a-a26c-4edefb3b6aee (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Philadelphia Eagles: Eisen said the Patriots are still likely to win the AFC East and won't be one-and-done, that the Chargers will end Dallas' season next week, that TreVeyon Henderson should out-snap Rhamondre Stevenson, that the NFC East race is over in Philadelphia's favor, and that the winner of the NFC West will be the NFC's No. 1 seed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ae722f6b-44e2-42bb-a847-4435f539db5b (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Carolina Panthers: Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c06d1a3a-78d8-4aec-8574-159821b42aab (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=pat-gustavson