# JP Acosta: Acosta tiered all 32 NFL pass-catching groups (receivers plus tight ends) from a top "can't double them" tier down to the "Jeremiah Smith range" tier, and along the way pegged several players' places in their teams' receiving pecking orders and called Nico Collins closer to a top-five receiver than a top-10 one.

**Claimed:** Jun 24, 2026
**Pundit:** JP Acosta — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/jp-acosta
**Outlet:** Pushing the Pile (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/pushing-the-pile-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/serve.castfire.com/audio/8174599/8174599_2026-04-12-051439.192.mp3?rssID=6037

6 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls, 1 position group ranking and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 3 and below it on 2.

> It's the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, and Detroit Lions.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Emeka Egbuka to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jalen McMillan to be 3rd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jauan Jennings to be 3rd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jauan Jennings, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Tiers given across the show: can't double them (Bengals, Cowboys, Rams, Lions); dynamic groups (Seahawks, Vikings, Bears, Jaguars, Broncos, Patriots, Packers, Chargers); can we get them a QB (Cardinals, Panthers, Colts, Falcons); can win you games, can lose you games (Steelers, 49ers, Ravens, Bills); fun but needs time (Saints, Buccaneers, Eagles, Browns, Texans, Jets); fun but needs help (Giants, Raiders, Chiefs); Jeremiah Smith range (Dolphins, Commanders, Titans).**
  - Kind: Position Group Rankings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Nico Collins to finish top 5 at his position, by receiving yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Nico Collins, Houston Texans
  - Verdict: too vague to check
- **Michael Wilson to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Emeka Egbuka — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- Jalen McMillan — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalen-mcmillan
- Jauan Jennings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jauan-jennings
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- Nico Collins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nico-collins
- Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans
- Michael Wilson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/michael-wilson
- Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Simms on Minnesota Vikings: Simms 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 90.48)
- Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Previewing 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 0)
- Sam Monson on Minnesota Vikings: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 100)
- Marcus Ray on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus predicted a 30-13 Buccaneers win over Cleveland with three touchdowns and three field goals, and picked the Raiders to beat a Jim Harbaugh team to start 2-0. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/aa09b337-f1fa-49b0-bc4b-5e2bbaddb5df (scored 19.05)
- Ryan LaVoy on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LaVoy predicted a 28-10 Buccaneers win over the Browns, said even the Falcons would beat Cleveland, and named Detroit, Baltimore and the Rams as teams he expects in the playoffs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/227e256e-a31d-413d-a568-7f7250dcd161 (scored 16.67)
- Jaron Spor on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The host predicted a comfortable Buccaneers win over Cleveland, 27-10, picked Jacksonville as an upset winner at Denver, said the Giants could win seven or eight games as a sneaky team, and expected Deshaun Watson and the Browns to part ways soon. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7a7160b2-ca51-4fce-a478-bd9f75323548 (scored 19.05)

## More depth chart calls

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

- Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0)
- Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100)
- Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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