Mike Renner· Apr 29, 2026
Renner sorts all 32 NFL teams into 10 tiers heading into 2026, from a "need more talent" bottom group (Dolphins, Titans, Raiders, Cardinals) up to a "reigning favorites" top tier of Seahawks, Rams and Broncos. He also projects several starting jobs in Chicago, Houston and New England.
“It is the reigning favorites tier. These were probably the best teams in the NFL. A year ago, nothing has dissuaded me from thinking that heading into 2026, it's the Seahawks, it's the Rams, and it's the Broncos.”
said on air, transcribed by us · Pushing the Pile (podcast) · read the original →
9 checkable claims — 8 depth chart calls and 1 power ranking — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 11 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Keylan Rutledge · 2026 season6 calls from 6 pundits between 1 and 1. Mike Renner 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.
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Who this take is about
9 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 CallsCoby BryantChicago BearsApr 29, 2026
Coby Bryant to be 1st on the depth chart
“they turned over their safety group... Kobe Bryant, Dylan Theeneman, that's your new safety group.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsBraden SmithHouston TexansApr 29, 2026
Braden Smith to be 1st on the depth chart
“Braden Smith at tackle. You at least have a better starting five, in my opinion”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKeylan RutledgeHouston TexansApr 29, 2026
Keylan Rutledge to be 1st on the depth chart
“Keelan Rutledge your first rounder. Looks like he's gonna be your center or one of your guard positions.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dre'Mont Jones to be 1st on the depth chart
“Harold Landry, Draymond Jones. Those are your starters heading into”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsApr 29, 2026
“We got 10 tiers... It's called the need more talent tier... It's the Miami Dolphins. It's the Tennessee Titans. It's the Las Vegas Raiders, and it's the Arizona Cardinals... they might be better than we thought tier. And it is the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns... quarterback questions tier... It's the Colts. It's the Vikings, the Falcons, it's the Steelers... head coach slash quarterback buoying mid rosters tier... it's the Chiefs, it's the Chargers, it's the Bengals, and it's the forty niners... the ascending tier... It's the Saints. It's the Cowboys. It's the Giants, and it's the Panthers... shouldn't have been that bad last year... It's the Ravens, the Lions, it's the Commanders, and it's the Bucks... close and status quo... It's the bears, it's the jaguars, and it's the Buffalo Bills... the Texans and the Patriots are in the close and got better category... the back again tier... It's the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles... the reigning favorites tier... it's the Seahawks, it's the Rams, and it's the Broncos.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDillon ThienemanChicago BearsApr 29, 2026
Dillon Thieneman to be 1st on the depth chart
“Kobe Bryant, Dylan Theeneman, that's your new safety group.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Harold Landry III to be 1st on the depth chart
“I still don't think they have a guy, Harold Landry, Draymond Jones. Those are your starters heading into”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsWyatt TellerHouston TexansApr 29, 2026
Wyatt Teller to be 1st on the depth chart
“Wyatt Heller at guard... You at least have a better starting five, in my opinion”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDevin BushChicago BearsApr 29, 2026
Devin Bush to be 1st on the depth chart
“You got Devin Bush in there now instead of Tremaine Edmonds.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Houston TexansClose · 48Simms 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.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Previewing 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 · New England PatriotsHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
- Matt HarmonGame Outcome Picks · Chicago BearsMiss · 0Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver.
- Tracy SandlerGame Outcome Picks · Chicago BearsHit · 100Sandler predicted Caleb Williams would miss two to three weeks with his hamstring injury, and in the picks segment took the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, Bills and Bears (switching off an earlier Tampa pick).
- Adam ChudwinGame Outcome Picks · Chicago BearsHit · 100In his annual game-by-game Bears prediction, Chudwin went through all 17 games and landed on a 12-5 season for Chicago.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Jonah ColemanMiss · 0In 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.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.
- 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.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter.