Nick Pedone· Aug 16, 2026
Pedone expects Deshaun Watson to win the Browns' quarterback competition and be the Week 1 starter unless Shedeur Sanders dramatically outperforms him in the coming days, while suggesting both Watson and Sanders are only bridge options before Cleveland drafts a quarterback.
“Unless Sanders blows Cleveland's coaching staff away in the next few days, the team appears to be getting Watson ready to play Week 1.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
The call scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
The game in this take
- Browns at Jaguars 38 calls
1 checkable claim 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 CallsDeshaun WatsonCleveland BrownsAug 16, 2026
Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart
“Unless Sanders blows Cleveland's coaching staff away in the next few days, the team appears to be getting Watson ready to play Week 1.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- CLE
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Deshaun Watson
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- quarterback
- reported:
- named the starter
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- no prior season — a rookie is assumed to start behind the incumbent
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
What others said about the same people
- Pete PriscoScore Predictions · Cleveland BrownsHit · 100Prisco picks every Week 3 game with exact scores, highlighting upsets by Tampa Bay over Minnesota and Cleveland over Carolina, and expects the Giants to rally behind Jameis Winston.
- Nathan JahnkeRoster Spot Calls · Carsen RyanHit · 100An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2.
- Jacob RichardRoster Spot Calls · Deshaun WatsonMiss · 0Richard predicts the Browns will keep Deshaun Watson as their starter through the season, that Shedeur Sanders will get a handful of starts, and that Dillon Gabriel is the most likely of the four quarterbacks to be moved off the roster.
- Nathan JahnkeRoster Spot Calls · Raheim SandersHit · 100An unsigned PFF fantasy preseason recap makes a series of depth-chart and roster-spot calls: Roman Wilson wins the Steelers' third receiver job over Germie Bernard, Robert Tonyan makes Pittsburgh's roster as the third tight end, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III stick in New England, Mike Washington Jr. is the Raiders' primary backup back, Jalen Nailor stays a Raiders starter, Kaelon Black leads the 49ers' backup running back competition, and Charlie Kolar is the Chargers' top tight end with top-12 fantasy upside.
- Ty KohlerRoster Spot Calls · Winston ReidHit · 100After the Browns' first preseason game, Kohler said rookie Spencer Fano has cemented himself as Cleveland's left tackle, expects Dawand Jones to be a backup this season, and thinks Winston Reid, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Adin Huntington and Julian Okwara will be on the roster.
- Rafael ZamoranoRoster Spot Calls · Rex SunaharaHit · 100After the Browns' 34-10 preseason loss to the Bears, Zamorano projected Cleveland's depth chart at each position for the eventual 53-man roster, with Deshaun Watson favored to start Week 1 and rookies like KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston high on the receiver ladder.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners.