Jared Koch#1 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 22, 2026

Koch projects the Texans' wide receiver depth chart after Jayden Higgins' season-ending injury, naming Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel as starters, listing backups and roster locks, and predicting Collins tops their 2025 receiving marks.

Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original

4 of 4calls landed4 hits · 13 waiting

100Average accuracyout of 100, across 4 calls

75A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

4 of 17Settled13 still waiting

#1Jared Koch’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Jared Koch said

There's a good chance he surpasses all three of those marks in 2026, so long as he's able to remain healthy.

Jared Koch, the lead quote

Where it was published: Sports Illustrated
The piece: Predicting Texans' WR Depth Chart After Shepard, Jones Signings
The original: Read the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

SaidAug 22
GradedSep 25–Oct 25

Box score, by kind

HitCloseMissWaiting

Group	Hits	Waiting
Roster Spot Calls	4	7
Player Season Numbers	0	3
Depth Chart Calls	0	3
All	4	13

How each call scored

17 checkable claims — 11 roster spot calls, 3 depth chart calls and 3 player season numbers — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

4 of 17 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 75 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 6 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

Nico Collins · 2026 season

Jared Koch — 1the room — 7 calls from 7 punditsmedian 1

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.

Roster Spot Calls4 hits · 7 waitingShow ▸

Tank Dell to make the roster
“Four of those––Collins, Hutchinson, Noel, and Dell––are virtual locks.”
Tank Dell Houston Texans
1 week on a 53
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
How this was scored
club:
HOU
skill:
200
player:
Tank Dell
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:
7
weeks on the practice squad:
0
Think this is wrong?
Nico Collins to make the roster
“Four of those––Collins, Hutchinson, Noel, and Dell––are virtual locks.”
Nico Collins Houston Texans
3 weeks on a 53
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
club:
HOU
skill:
0
player:
Nico Collins
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
Think this is wrong?
Jaylin Noel to make the roster
“Four of those––Collins, Hutchinson, Noel, and Dell––are virtual locks.”
Jaylin Noel Houston Texans
3 weeks on a 53
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
club:
HOU
skill:
0
player:
Jaylin Noel
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
Think this is wrong?
Xavier Hutchinson to make the roster
“Four of those––Collins, Hutchinson, Noel, and Dell––are virtual locks.”
Xavier Hutchinson Houston Texans
3 weeks on a 53
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
club:
HOU
skill:
0
player:
Xavier Hutchinson
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
Think this is wrong?
Sterling Shepard to make the roster
“I think of the two newest signings, Sterling Shepard has a better chance to make it to Week 1.”
Sterling Shepard Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Treyvhon Saunders to be cut
“Likely Cuts: Jha'Quan Jackson, Josh Kelly, Treyvhon Saunders, Daniel Sobkowicz, Juwann Winfree”
Treyvhon Saunders Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Daniel Sobkowicz to land on the practice squad
“Daniel Sobkowicz has been someone many have liked when he was picked up as a UDFA in April, so maybe he finds his way in there.”
Daniel Sobkowicz Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Juwann Winfree to be cut
“Likely Cuts: Jha'Quan Jackson, Josh Kelly, Treyvhon Saunders, Daniel Sobkowicz, Juwann Winfree”
Juwann Winfree Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Lewis Bond — “worthy of a 53-man spot”
“Lewis Bond has been a camp star worthy of a 53-man spot”
Lewis Bond Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Jha'Quan Jackson to be cut
“Likely Cuts: Jha'Quan Jackson, Josh Kelly, Treyvhon Saunders, Daniel Sobkowicz, Juwann Winfree”
Jha'Quan Jackson Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Josh Kelly to be cut
“Likely Cuts: Jha'Quan Jackson, Josh Kelly, Treyvhon Saunders, Daniel Sobkowicz, Juwann Winfree”
Josh Kelly Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Player Season Numbers3 waitingShow ▸

Nico Collins to record 71 receptions
“Collins had over 1,100 yards and 71 receptions with six touchdowns in 15 games. There's a good chance he surpasses all three of those marks in 2026”
Nico Collins Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Nico Collins to record 1,100 receiving yards
“Last season, Collins had over 1,100 yards and 71 receptions with six touchdowns in 15 games. There's a good chance he surpasses all three of those marks in 2026”
Nico Collins Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Nico Collins to record 6 receiving tds
“six touchdowns in 15 games. There's a good chance he surpasses all three of those marks in 2026”
Nico Collins Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Depth Chart Calls3 waitingShow ▸

Jaylin Noel to be 1st on the depth chart
“Starting Slot WR: Jaylin Noel ... he's the clear favorite within this wide receiver room to take the most reps in the slot”
Jaylin Noel Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Nico Collins to be 1st on the depth chart
“Starting X WR: Nico Collins”
Nico Collins Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Xavier Hutchinson to be 1st on the depth chart
“Starting Z WR: Xavier Hutchinson”
Xavier Hutchinson Houston Texans
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Who this take is about

Where do you stand on this one?Pick every open claim on Picks →

Others on the same people

Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.
Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Houston Texans · Close 55
Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson.
Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Houston Texans · Hit 81
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.
Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · Houston Texans · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.
Nick Wright · Score Predictions · Houston Texans · Hit 83
Wright made several outright game calls for Week 9 alongside their spread picks: Kansas City beating the Jets 31-20, Detroit winning at Miami, New England edging Green Bay by a field goal or so, Carolina winning outright over Denver, and Houston blowing out the Chargers 27-12.
John Shipley · Game Outcome Picks · Houston Texans · Hit 100
Shipley expects Jacksonville to keep Brian Thomas Jr. at the trade deadline while adding two defenders, most likely Derrick Brown, and they think the winless Chargers will again come up short against Houston in Week 9.

More roster spot calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
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.
Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
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.
Parker Hurley · Roster Spot Calls · Khalid Kareem · Miss 0
Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut.
Jason Harmon · Roster Spot Calls · Max Brosmer · Miss 0
Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs.
Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.
Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.