Brandon Carney· Aug 19, 2026
Carney ran through preseason takeaways and injury news before a mock draft, calling out a batch of rookies and veterans he's targeting or avoiding in fantasy drafts, and staking out several depth-chart calls (Jeremiah Love as Arizona's workhorse, David Montgomery getting the bulk of carries, Juwan Johnson as a borderline top-10 tight end).
“To me, it's really about Olave being a really elite high end receiver draft pick and Juwan Johnson being, like, borderline top 10 tight end to me now.”
said on air, transcribed by us · Bran Coverage with BenchwarmerBran (podcast) · read the original →
15 checkable claims — 9 depth chart calls, 3 fantasy bust calls, 2 sleeper calls and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 20 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 1 and below it on 4.
Where this call stands in the room
Caleb Douglas · 2026 season12 calls from 8 pundits between 1 and 2. Brandon Carney 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.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
15 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Depth Chart CallsTyler AllgeierArizona CardinalsAug 19, 2026
Tyler Allgeier to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Tyler Allgeier just absolute clear backup and very much best case scenario from a workload perspective from Jeremiah Love.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsChris OlaveAug 19, 2026
Chris Olave to outplay his draft cost (second round pick)
“Chris Olave becomes a great second round pick to me... now the targets are gonna be even more funneled through him in a really good offense.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Fantasy Bust CallsChristian McCaffreyAug 19, 2026
Christian McCaffrey to fall short of his draft cost (at six)
“I'm not taking Christian McCaffrey at six. No. I'm not taking him at five.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDJ MooreAug 19, 2026
DJ Moore to be 1st on the depth chart
“that's a new number one receiver for Josh Allen”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJ.K. DobbinsAug 19, 2026
J.K. Dobbins to be 1st on the depth chart
“I think JK Dobbins is gonna open the season with a lot of carries.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJeremiyah LoveArizona CardinalsAug 19, 2026
Jeremiyah Love to be 1st on the depth chart
“He was the absolute workhorse for this team with the starters in this preseason game... know confidently that he's gonna be the guy there in Arizona”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Positional FinishesJuwan JohnsonAug 19, 2026
Juwan Johnson to finish top 10 at his position, by fantasy points
“Jawan Johnson being, like, borderline top 10 tight end to me now”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsMalik WashingtonMiami DolphinsAug 19, 2026
Malik Washington to be 1st on the depth chart
“Caleb Douglas, clear starter with Malik Washington... Washington's gonna be a starter.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDenzel BostonCleveland BrownsAug 19, 2026
Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart
“Denzel Boston, we've already established as a starter for the Browns.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsCyrus AllenKansas City ChiefsAug 19, 2026
Cyrus Allen to outplay his draft cost (last round pick)
“Cyrus Allen is just, like, the most fun last round pick you can make... If there's anybody that has a remote chance of being as impactful as, like, a Puka Nacua his rookie year... it's Cyrus Allen.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Fantasy Bust CallsAlec PierceIndianapolis ColtsAug 19, 2026
Alec Pierce to fall short of his draft cost (at ADP)
“I'm not taking Alec Pierce under almost any circumstances at at ADP. Not in a redraft league, certainly.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Harold Fannin Jr. to fall short of his draft cost (tight end eight)
“Pretty out on Fannin. Given where he's going... Sleepers got him down at tight end eight”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDavid MontgomeryAug 19, 2026
David Montgomery to be 1st on the depth chart
“I think David Montgomery is gonna get the lion's share of carries.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsCaleb DouglasMiami DolphinsAug 19, 2026
Caleb Douglas to be 1st on the depth chart
“Caleb Douglas, clear starter with Malik Washington, funny enough, with the Dolphins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJacory Croskey-MerrittAug 19, 2026
Jacory Croskey-Merritt to be 1st on the depth chart
“He's gonna be their starter... I think Jakori Kroskey Merritt, good old Bill is gonna have a big workload... he is seemingly the early down back”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms 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.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal.
- Jake ArthurScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 98Arthur expects a close Chiefs win on Sunday Night Football at Arrowhead, predicting a final score of 27-23 for Kansas City.
- Zach HicksScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 98Hicks predicts a lower-scoring, field-goal-heavy game with the Chiefs beating the Colts 23-19, citing Indianapolis' red-zone success against Kansas City historically.
- John MiddlekauffGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Middlekauff expects blowout wins for Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami in Week 3, picks Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh in the AFC North matchup, and takes Tennessee over the Giants if Jameis Winston is taking snaps.
- Alain PoupartScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsClose · 74Previewing the Week 3 home opener, he predicted the Chiefs would comfortably beat the Dolphins, saying Miami's defense couldn't contain Kansas City and its offense wasn't ready for a shootout.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Jonah ColemanMiss · 0In 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.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Hribar 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.
- Bradley LockerDepth Chart Calls · Carson WentzHit · 100PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In 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.