Chris RolingAug 15, 2026
After the Chargers' preseason opener, Roling projects Kayode Awosika as the Week 1 starting left guard with rookie Jake Slaughter backing them up and Branson Taylor as the backup swing tackle, expects Derius Davis to hold the return job, sees Brenen Thompson as a roster lock, and pegs Amar Johnson as the leader for the fourth running back spot behind Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Chris Roling said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromTaylor winding up as the backup swing tackle to push Trey Pipkins while Slaughter backs up Awosika at left guard might be the play by Week 1.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Biggest Questions Exiting Chargers’ Preseason Win Over Texans
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 14
- GradedSep 25
- 1Brenen Thompson to make the roster“Thompson is a rookie hand-picked by Mike McDaniel, so he's not going anywhere. His inclusion would make it about five wideouts as a lock already.”
- 2Omarion Hampton to be 1st on the depth chart“Nobody is knocking Omarion Hampton from the major role.”
- 3Jake Slaughter to be 2nd on the depth chart“Taylor winding up as the backup swing tackle to push Trey Pipkins while Slaughter backs up Awosika at left guard might be the play by Week 1.”
- 4Derius Davis to be 1st on the depth chart“Wideout Derius Davis remains top dog in the race, it seems”
- 5Branson Taylor to be 2nd on the depth chart“Taylor winding up as the backup swing tackle to push Trey Pipkins while Slaughter backs up Awosika at left guard might be the play by Week 1.”
- 6Kimani Vidal to be 3rd on the depth chart“or even solid third option at running back, Kimani Vidal”
- 7Amar Johnson to be 4th on the depth chart“That fourth running back spot now has Johnson fighting with Desrosiers and Jaret Patterson... Onlookers might be able to pencil in Johnson as having a major lead over the other two at this point.”
- 8Kayode Awosika to be 1st on the depth chart“One could reason that, perhaps Awosika is firmly installed as the starting left guard now.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenen Thompson to make the roster1 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| Omarion Hampton to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Jake Slaughter to be 2nd on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Derius Davis to be 1st on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Branson Taylor to be 2nd on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kimani Vidal to be 3rd on the depth chart6 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Amar Johnson to be 4th on the depth chart7 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kayode Awosika to be 1st on the depth chart8 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 1 hit · 7 waiting | 100 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive8 checkable claims — 7 depth chart calls and 1 roster spot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 3.
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
Jake Slaughter · 2026 season21 calls from 16 pundits between 1 and 2. Chris Roling said 2. 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.
1Roster Spot CallsBrenen ThompsonLos Angeles Chargers
Brenen Thompson 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:
- LAC
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Brenen Thompson
- 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
2Depth Chart CallsOmarion HamptonLos Angeles Chargers
Omarion Hampton to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsJake SlaughterLos Angeles Chargers
Jake Slaughter to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsDerius DavisLos Angeles Chargers
Derius Davis to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsBranson TaylorLos Angeles Chargers
Branson Taylor to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Depth Chart CallsKimani VidalLos Angeles Chargers
Kimani Vidal to be 3rd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Depth Chart CallsAmar JohnsonLos Angeles Chargers
Amar Johnson to be 4th on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
8Depth Chart CallsKayode AwosikaLos Angeles Chargers
Kayode Awosika to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Kevin Wildes · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Wildes used their upset alert on the winless Chargers to beat the Rams.Greg Auman · Score Predictions · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 21
Auman predicts an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl with the Chargers beating the Rams 24-21.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Nick Wright ran through their projected 2025 records for all 16 AFC teams, calling Baltimore a 13-win regular-season juggernaut, Houston a 12-win team with the league's best defense, and going under on the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Chargers; they also picked the Chiefs' game-by-game schedule to 12-5 and said Buffalo wins the AFC East.Eric Mangini · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Mangini took the Titans to upset the Texans, and in the chips segment backed the Chargers to upset Denver, the Patriots over the Raiders, and the Rams over the Bills.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.