Brent SobleskiAug 12, 2026
Sobleski ranks the NFL's 10 most talented rosters entering 2026 based on B/R NFL 1000 grades, with Houston first and Buffalo tenth. They also pick the Rams as the Super Bowl LXI favorite, expects the 49ers to improve on 12-5, and offers several depth-chart and positional judgments.
Published in writingRead the original
What Brent Sobleski said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAs along as the Rams' offensive tackles hold up, this squad enters the 2026 campaign as the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI.
- The piece
- B/R NFL 1000: Ranking the NFL's Most Stacked Teams Ahead of 2026
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Max Iheanachor to be 1st on the depth chart“April's first-round pick, Max Iheanachor, should slide into Fautanu's old spot.”
- 2Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart“First-round rookie Blake Miller will take over Sewell's vacated spot.”
- 3Nick Bosa to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year“As long as Bosa stays on the field, he'll likely find himself among the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation.”
- 4San Francisco 49ers to finish with 13 wins“As long as Niners display some durability this fall, Shanahan can push his team beyond last season's 12-5 finish.”
- 5Troy Fautanu to be 1st on the depth chart“Troy Fautanu will move from right to left tackle.”
- 6Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl“As along as the Rams' offensive tackles hold up, this squad enters the 2026 campaign as the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI.”
- 7Penei Sewell to be 1st on the depth chart“Three-time first-team All-Pro Penei Sewell will make the switch from right to left tackle.”
- 8Power Rankings“The following 10 teams have the highest concentration of top talent based on their average overall grade among those appearing on the list and how many of those individuals cracked B/R's Top 100.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Iheanachor to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Nick Bosa to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year3 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| San Francisco 49ers to finish with 13 wins4 | Season Win Totals | — | — | — | — | |
| Troy Fautanu to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl6 | Super Bowl Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Penei Sewell to be 1st on the depth chart7 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “The following 10 teams have the highest concentration of top…”8 | Power Rankings | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 8 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
8 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls, 1 award pick, 1 power ranking, 1 season win total and 1 super bowl pick — 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.
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.
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
San Francisco 49ers · 2026 season · wins7 calls from 6 pundits between 3 wins and 13 wins. Brent Sobleski said 13 wins. the room's median is 10 wins. 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.
1Depth Chart CallsMax IheanachorPittsburgh Steelers
Max Iheanachor to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsBlake MillerDetroit Lions
Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Award PicksNick BosaSan Francisco 49ers
Nick Bosa to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Season Win TotalsSan Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers to finish with 13 wins
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsTroy FautanuPittsburgh Steelers
Troy Fautanu to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Super Bowl PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Depth Chart CallsPenei SewellDetroit Lions
Penei Sewell to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
“The following 10 teams have the highest concentration of top talent based on their average overall grade among those appearing on the list and how many of those individuals cracked B/R's Top 100.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Bryan DeArdo · Trade and Signing Calls · Joey Porter Jr. · Miss 0
The piece predicts Joey Porter Jr. most likely stays with the Steelers through 2026, while listing possible trade destinations if they were moved.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd predicts Matt Stafford stays with the Rams rather than moving on, and says Travis Hunter may underachieve because they're being asked to play both ways — Cowherd doubts they're a No. 1 receiver and would slot them as a No. 2 receiver while being a No. 1 corner.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd believes Matt Stafford's public negotiation posturing means he ultimately stays in Los Angeles, and he flags Travis Hunter as a high draft pick who could underachieve because trying to play both cornerback and receiver full-time will hurt him.Christian Booher · Roster Spot Calls · Anthony Lucas · Miss 0
Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes.
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.