Shannon Sharpe#42 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 23, 2026
After Deshaun Watson's 24-of-30, two-touchdown performance in Cleveland's 23-19 win over Tampa Bay, they said Watson would keep the starting job for the Browns' next home game, insisting they'd have started even if the Browns had lost. They also called Derrick Henry the best pure running back in football while ripping Baltimore for giving them only five second-half carries.
Said on air or in an interview · Nightcap (podcast)Hear the original
What Shannon Sharpe said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI believe he was going to start, even if they come out of this break and Tampa comes back and win, I believe he starts because he played that well.
- Where it was said
- Nightcap (podcast)
- The episode
- Best of NFL Week 2 Part 2: Marvin Harrison Jr. a BUST? + Davante Adams HOF? + Deshaun Watson-LED win for Browns
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart“Guess what? He's going to start again at home. ... I believe he was going to start, even if they come out of this break and Tampa comes back and win, I believe he starts because he played that well.”
- 2Derrick Henry to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure“you give Derrick Henry the best pure running back in football, and you give him five carries in the second half?”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Derrick Henry to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure2 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 2 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 positional finish — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 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.
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
Deshaun Watson · 2026 season59 calls from 35 pundits between 1 and 2. Shannon Sharpe 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsDeshaun WatsonCleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Positional FinishesDerrick HenryBaltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Myles Garrett · Hit 100
Discussing Myles Garrett's trade request, Eisen said they expect Garrett to get their way and be moved out of Cleveland rather than stay, which is why staying would be shocking.Doug Joubert · Score Predictions · Cleveland Browns · Miss 26
Joubert picks the Browns to win 28-17, saying the Saints haven't improved over the first half of the season despite Cleveland starting Shedeur Sanders.Pat McAfee · Game Outcome Picks · Cleveland Browns · Miss 0
McAfee picked the Browns, with Shedeur Sanders starting, to beat the Saints in New Orleans.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.Mitchell Eisenstein · Game Outcome Picks · Cleveland Browns · Miss 0
Mitchell gave their Week 9 top-five power rankings, keeping Buffalo first and the 49ers second while elevating the Bears, Jaguars and Lions, and picked a slate of Week 9 games including a Packers win in New England, a Panthers upset of Denver, and blowouts for Detroit, Kansas City and Houston. They also tabbed Jonah Coleman as a late-season Offensive Rookie of the Year pick.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.Jordan Dajani · Depth Chart Calls · Drew Kendall · Miss 0
Dajani expects Cam Jurgens to move back to center as the Ravens' starter after the trade, and projects a rebuilt Eagles offensive line for Week 5 with Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell starting from left tackle to right tackle.