Ralph VentreAug 28, 2026
Ventre reads the Bills' preseason finale as revealing the Week 1 roster: Alec Anderson wins the starting left guard job, Dorian Williams starts at inside linebacker next to Terrel Bernard, Maxwell Hairston starts at cornerback opposite Christian Benford, and Joe Andreessen, Sam Franklin, Trent Sherfield and undrafted Kani Walker make the 53.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Ralph Ventre said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromWith Dorian Williams not dressed for the preseason finale, it's safe to assume that he will be the starter next to Terrel Bernard for the September 13 opener.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- What Bills' Preseason Win Reveals about Roster Outcomes, Who Survives NFL Cutdown Day
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 28
- GradedSep 25–Oct 4
- 1Kani Walker to make the roster“The Bills will almost definitely keep a fourth cornerback, and undrafted rookie Kani Walker appears to be the choice.”
- 2Joe Andreessen to make the roster“Third-year backup linebacker Joe Andreessen faced some uncertainty over the offseason, but it turns out that he apparently remains in his hometown team's plans... it's likely a sign that he locked up his roster spot”
- 3Sam Franklin Jr. to make the roster“Special teams ace Sam Franklin's spot is safe... received veteran roster lock treatment as an inactive on Thursday.”
- 4Trent Sherfield to be 6th on the depth chart“While Buffalo may opt to keep only five wide receivers, Sherfield warrants serious consideration to be the sixth man”
- 5Alec Anderson to be 1st on the depth chart“Most notably, Buffalo decided on its starting left guard, choosing returnee Alec Anderson over veteran Austin Corbett.”
- 6Dorian Williams to be 1st on the depth chart“With Dorian Williams not dressed for the preseason finale, it's safe to assume that he will be the starter next to Terrel Bernard for the September 13 opener.”
- 7Maxwell Hairston to be 1st on the depth chart“CB Maxwell Hairston deemed starter... in a competition against second-round rookie Davison Igbinosun for the starting cornerback job opposite franchise piece Christian Benford.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kani Walker to make the roster1 | Roster Spot Calls | 1 week on a 53 | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| Joe Andreessen to make the roster2 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Sam Franklin Jr. to make the roster3 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Trent Sherfield to be 6th on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Alec Anderson to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Dorian Williams to be 1st on the depth chart6 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Maxwell Hairston to be 1st on the depth chart7 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 7 calls · 3 hits · 4 waiting | 100 | 66.7 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive7 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls and 3 roster spot calls — 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.
3 of 7 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 4 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
Alec Anderson · 2026 season5 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 1. Ralph Ventre 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.
1Roster Spot CallsKani WalkerBuffalo Bills
Kani Walker to make the roster
What happened1 week on a 53100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×2difficulty=+200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BUF
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Kani Walker
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 4
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 3
2Roster Spot CallsJoe AndreessenBuffalo Bills
Joe Andreessen to make the roster
What happened3 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BUF
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Joe Andreessen
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
3Roster Spot CallsSam Franklin Jr.Buffalo Bills
Sam Franklin Jr. to make the roster
What happened3 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BUF
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Sam Franklin Jr.
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
4Depth Chart CallsTrent SherfieldBuffalo Bills
Trent Sherfield to be 6th on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsAlec AndersonBuffalo Bills
Alec Anderson to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Depth Chart CallsDorian WilliamsBuffalo Bills
Dorian Williams to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Depth Chart CallsMaxwell HairstonBuffalo Bills
Maxwell Hairston to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 3 settled calls, each counted once
100naive 66.7
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 62
Dajani picked the Bills to edge the Vikings 24-23.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 74
Dubin picked Buffalo to win a low-scoring Monday night game in Minnesota, 20-14.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Sullivan picked the Bills to beat the Vikings 24-17.
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.