# Raju Byfield: In a preseason "studs" column, Byfield forecasts several depth-chart outcomes — Caleb Douglas as Miami's No. 2 receiver, Mike Washington as Jeanty's top backup, Joe Milton as Dallas' backup QB, Kyle Williams fourth in New England — plus John Metchie making the Panthers' roster and Jeremiyah Love being a draft-day discount who outperforms his cost once healthy. **Claimed:** Aug 27, 2026 **Pundit:** Raju Byfield — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/raju-byfield **Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fantasypros **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/14-preseason-studs-2026-fantasy-football/ 5 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls and 1 roster spot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 3. > He should be considered questionable at best for Week 1 of the regular season, but has already shown enough that he will be a RB2 with weekly RB1 upside once he is healthy. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **John Metchie III to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: John Metchie III, Carolina Panthers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Joe Milton III to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyle Williams to be 4th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyle Williams, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mike Washington to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Mike Washington, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Douglas to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - John Metchie III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/john-metchie-iii - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers - Joe Milton III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joe-milton-iii - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Kyle Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyle-williams - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Mike Washington — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mike-washington - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Caleb Douglas — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-douglas - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on Carolina Panthers: 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 47.62) - Connor Rogers on Carolina Panthers: Rogers 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Las Vegas Raiders: 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 100) - Nate Tice on Las Vegas Raiders: Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100) - Nate Tice on New England Patriots: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 100) - Chris Broussard on New England Patriots: Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dee7585c-6da6-4afc-9954-ff32cf8de4e3 (scored 0) ## 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) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (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) --- 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. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=raju-byfield