Hondo Carpenter#14 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 25, 2026
Carpenter projects the Raiders to win seven games in 2026 as part of a rebuild, with 2028 as the target year for making the playoffs. They also expect Tonka Hemingway and rookie WR Malik Benson to step up in the roster's weakest position groups.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Hondo Carpenter said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromLast May, I projected seven wins in 2026. I stand by that today, but I will give my final prediction in the first week of the season.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Raiders Final Training Camp Practice: Winners & Losers
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Malik Benson to be 1st on the depth chart“rookie Malik Benson from the wide receiver group”
- 2Las Vegas Raiders to make the playoffs“laying the foundation for a 2027 get-right campaign, and finally 2028 as the goal of making, and perennially staying, in the NFL Playoffs”
- 3Tonka Hemingway to be 1st on the depth chart“Tonka Hemingway would be my first bet at the defensive tackle position”
- 4Las Vegas Raiders to finish with 7 wins“Last May, I projected seven wins in 2026. I stand by that today”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Benson to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Las Vegas Raiders to make the playoffs2 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Tonka Hemingway to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Las Vegas Raiders to finish with 7 wins4 | Season Win Totals | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 4 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
4 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 playoff pick and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
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
Las Vegas Raiders · 2026 season · wins13 calls from 11 pundits between 3 wins and 12 wins. Hondo Carpenter said 7 wins. the room's median is 6 wins. 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.
1Depth Chart CallsMalik BensonLas Vegas Raiders
Malik Benson to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Playoff PicksLas Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsTonka HemingwayLas Vegas Raiders
Tonka Hemingway to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Season Win TotalsLas Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders to finish with 7 wins
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Broussard · Game Outcome Picks · Las Vegas Raiders · Hit 100
Broussard picked the Ravens to beat the Bills in a shootout, 38-34, took the Raiders to upset the Jets, and said Detroit would beat the Vikings.John Breech · Score Predictions · Las Vegas Raiders · Hit 95
Breech's Week 8 score predictions include Bengals over Titans, Raiders over Jets, Rams over Chargers and Patriots over Dolphins.Tyler Sullivan · Game Outcome Picks · Las Vegas Raiders · Hit 100
Sullivan's Week 8 upset alert column flags five favorites they expect to lose: they pick the Falcons over the Buccaneers, the Raiders over the Jets, the undefeated Vikings over the Lions, the Ravens (with Lamar Jackson returning) over the Bills, and the Browns over the Steelers.Ezekiel Trezevant · Game Outcome Picks · Las Vegas Raiders · Hit 100
Trezevant argues that if the Raiders are as improved as they appeared at 3-0, they should beat the Jets in Week 8 on the road and end their four-game losing streak.
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.