Patricia Traina#84 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 28, 2026
Previewing the Giants' preseason finale, Traina says John Michael Schmitz is locked in as the starting center and identifies Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields and Darius Slayton as receivers certain to make the 53-man roster.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Patricia Traina said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromJohn Michael Schmitz is firmly entrenched as the starter, but his backup still needs to be resolved.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Giants' Final Preseason Tune-up Leaves Three Roster Questions Still Unsettled
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 28
- GradedSep 25
- 1Malik Nabers to make the roster“forced the Giants to rethink the bottom of their receiver depth chart behind prospective roster locks Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, and Darius Slayton”
- 2Malachi Fields to make the roster“prospective roster locks Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, and Darius Slayton”
- 3John Michael Schmitz to be 1st on the depth chart“John Michael Schmitz is firmly entrenched as the starter, but his backup still needs to be resolved.”
- 4Darius Slayton to make the roster“prospective roster locks Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, and Darius Slayton”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers to make the roster1 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Malachi Fields to make the roster2 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| John Michael Schmitz to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Darius Slayton to make the roster4 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 2 hits · 2 waiting | 100 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive4 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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.
1Roster Spot CallsMalik NabersNew York Giants
Malik Nabers to make the roster
What happened3 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- NYG
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Malik Nabers
- 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
2Roster Spot CallsMalachi FieldsNew York Giants
Malachi Fields to make the roster
What happened3 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×2difficulty=+200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- NYG
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Malachi Fields
- 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:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
3Depth Chart CallsJohn Michael SchmitzNew York Giants
John Michael Schmitz to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Roster Spot CallsDarius SlaytonNew York Giants
Darius Slayton to make the roster
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
100naive 50
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin predicted final scores for seven Week 10 games, taking the Giants over the Commanders, the Lions, Chiefs, Packers, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens to win their respective matchups.
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.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.