Rich Eisen· May 4, 2026
Eisen called his shot on the top five MVP vote-getters (Stafford, Josh Allen, Lamar, Burrow and Dak Prescott), agreed Fernando Mendoza wins Offensive Rookie of the Year, ran through eight new division winners for 2026, tabbed Omarion Hampton for a 1,600-yard rushing season, and insisted Patrick Mahomes starts Week 1.
“I'm saying Stafford and Josh Allen will get the MVP votes.”
said on air, transcribed by us · Overreaction Monday (podcast) · read the original →
16 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 6 award picks, 1 depth chart call and 1 player season number — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 18 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
16 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.
- Division WinnersAtlanta FalconsMay 4, 2026
Atlanta Falcons to win the division
“So Falcons in the South? Yeah.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysMay 4, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“I wanna go Dallas... So Dallas, I think, can win the I like Dallas.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensMay 4, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“No. I wanna go Ravens. Okay. Go Ravens. Yeah. I wanna go Ravens.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksDak PrescottDallas CowboysMay 4, 2026
Dak Prescott to win top five in MVP voting
“And I'll go Dak Prescott just to just to really knock you off”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksMatthew StaffordMay 4, 2026
Matthew Stafford to win top five in MVP voting
“I'm saying Stafford and Josh Allen will get the MVP votes... make sure the rest of the top five be with them”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksJosh AllenMay 4, 2026
Josh Allen to win top five in MVP voting
“I'm saying Stafford and Josh Allen will get the MVP votes k. As a repeat customer.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansMay 4, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“Texans in the South? Yeah. Of course you will... I believe in CJ Stroud with David Montgomery and the other pieces”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksJoe BurrowMay 4, 2026
Joe Burrow to win top five in MVP voting
“I'll say Lamar and Joe Burrow are back.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsMay 4, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“So the Bills and the AFC East? I think so. Yeah... I think the Bills kinda snuck that in right here.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Patrick Mahomes to be 1st on the depth chart
“Do you think Mahomes starts week one? Absolutely. I do.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersGreen Bay PackersMay 4, 2026
Green Bay Packers to win the division
“Not the Lions. Are you gonna go to the Lions? No. I think the window's closed. I'm gonna go Green Bay.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Player Season NumbersOmarion HamptonMay 4, 2026
Omarion Hampton to record 1,600 rushing yards
“Give you let me give you one that you're maybe not thinking of at all because he was hurt last year. How about a Marion Hampton?”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksLamar JacksonMay 4, 2026
Lamar Jackson to win top five in MVP voting
“I'll say Lamar and Joe Burrow are back. Both of them are back. Down with staff and Allen.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersMay 4, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“Then we're gonna go Chiefs. I'm gonna go Chargers.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksFernando MendozaLas Vegas RaidersMay 4, 2026
Fernando Mendoza to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
“I don't think it's an overreaction to say that first overall pick quarterback who's going to get some starts is going to wind up rookie of the year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersSan Francisco 49ersMay 4, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to win the division
“And then in the in the West, you go to Rams. Yeah. Or the Niners. You're gonna go Niners? I was really impressed with Kyle Shanahan last week.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms 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.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing 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 · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Green Bay PackersMiss · 10Simms picked the Packers to beat the Falcons in the Thursday night game by a low score, expecting a defensive struggle.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · New York GiantsMiss · 0Cowherd 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. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Chicago BearsHit · 100Brockman 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 he thinks they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026.
- Nick ShookDivision Winners · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0Shook picks the Rams to win the Super Bowl and to beat the Lions, agrees the Buccaneers still hold the edge in the NFC South, and drops Patrick Mahomes to 12th in his QB Index behind Brock Purdy.
- Gregg RosenthalDivision Winners · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0Rosenthal reads out the show's 32-to-1 NFL power rankings, with the Rams first and the Raiders last, and separately picks the Buccaneers to hold on in the NFC South and the Texans to finish at least 11-6.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Brockman 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.
- Nick WrightDivision Winners · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wright says the Eagles' offense is deeply broken but that they will still win their division and finish with a strong record; he also rates Dak Prescott the second-best quarterback in the league this season behind Matthew Stafford, and predicts Myles Garrett breaks the single-season sack record and wins Defensive Player of the Year.