Diante Lee· Aug 12, 2026
A Ringer post-draft power ranking of all 32 teams for the 2026 season, ranked by how much the writer would trust each team to win the Super Bowl, with Denver picked to win the AFC, Detroit projected among the NFC's four best, and win-total calls on Pittsburgh and Miami.
“Right now, they’re my pick to win the AFC.”
published in writing · read the original →
12 checkable claims — 6 depth chart calls, 2 season win totals, 1 conference champion, 1 power ranking, 1 seeding, byes and home field and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 12 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 7 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 6.
Where this call stands in the room
Kyler Murray · 2026 season12 calls from 11 pundits between 1 and 2. Diante Lee 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.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
12 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.
- Trade and Signing CallsA.J. BrownAug 12, 2026
A.J. Brown to move
“Once A.J. Brown is traded—a move that’s expected in early June—Hurts will need to prove himself”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- A.J. Brown
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he leaves
- was with:
- PHI
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- traded → NE (from PHI)
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he stays where he is
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Depth Chart CallsK.C. ConcepcionCleveland BrownsAug 12, 2026
K.C. Concepcion to be 1st on the depth chart
“The Browns will also be starting two rookie receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKenyon SadiqNew York JetsAug 12, 2026
Kenyon Sadiq to be 1st on the depth chart
“drafting tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the no. 16 pick ... Each of these players should be an immediate starter”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsMiami DolphinsAug 12, 2026
Miami Dolphins to finish with 4 wins
“Even if everything goes right, this team might squeeze out only four wins because of its youth and lack of playmaking talent.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Seeding, Byes and Home FieldDetroit LionsAug 12, 2026
Detroit Lions to take the top seed
“If this team can just survive the regular season better than it did the past few years, I expect this to be one of the NFC’s four best teams by January.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsPittsburgh SteelersAug 12, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with ? wins
“I don’t think the Steelers can be more than a ho-hum eight- or nine-win team with this version of Rodgers at the helm.”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
- Conference ChampionsDenver BroncosAug 12, 2026
Denver Broncos to reach the Super Bowl
“With the addition of receiver Jaylen Waddle ... Right now, they’re my pick to win the AFC.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDenzel BostonCleveland BrownsAug 12, 2026
Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart
“The Browns will also be starting two rookie receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsOmar CooperNew York JetsAug 12, 2026
Omar Cooper to be 1st on the depth chart
“trading back up into the first round to get receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at no. 30. Each of these players should be an immediate starter”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKyler MurrayMinnesota VikingsAug 12, 2026
Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart
“The Vikings have upgraded at quarterback with the addition of Kyler Murray, who is expected to take the starting job from J.J. McCarthy.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 12, 2026
“In creating these power rankings, I’m taking into consideration overall team strength ... but each team is ultimately ranked by how much I’d trust it to win the Super Bowl next season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDavid BaileyNew York JetsAug 12, 2026
David Bailey to be 1st on the depth chart
“Each of these players should be an immediate starter and can contribute to this rebuild”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Minnesota VikingsHit · 90Simms 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 · Detroit LionsHit · 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Denver BroncosHit · 100Previewing 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.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Tice 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.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Minnesota VikingsHit · 100Monson 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.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Rashod BatemanMiss · 0In his Week 2 waiver wire column, Fitzmaurice recommends a slate of pickups he expects to outperform their current rostership (Kaelon Black, Deebo Samuel, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith and others), lays out several depth-chart expectations (Black as the 49ers' No. 2 back, Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over in Cleveland, Penix returning for Atlanta), and flags Fool's Gold/drop candidates such as Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne and Rashid Shaheed.
- Bill HuberDepth Chart Calls · Chris McClellanMiss · 0Huber's first Packers rookie progress report projects second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse to hold onto his spot with the No. 1 defense, third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan to start in Week 1, and fifth-round lineman Jager Burton to be the team's top interior backup rather than a starter.
- Randy GurziDepth Chart Calls · Jadarian PriceHit · 100Gurzi suggests the Seahawks could sign three free agents — safety Donovan Wilson, guard Kevin Zeitler, and running back Kareem Hunt — if weaknesses show up after Week 1. He also notes Trevon Diggs starting on the practice squad and describes Seattle's projected backfield roles.