Josh ReedAug 8, 2026
Reed argues fans are overreacting to Ravens camp standouts: rookie Ja'Kobi Lane won't unseat Rashod Bateman as the No. 2 receiver, and fifth-round rookie Adam Randall is at best battling for the No. 3 running back job behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, with both Randall and Rasheen Ali likely making the roster as special-teamers.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Josh Reed said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAll that being said, even if Randall absolutely balls out in the preseason, he's still likely only battling for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry and fellow veteran Justice Hill.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- The Biggest Overreaction Ravens Fans Should Avoid After Week 2 of Training Camp
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 8
- GradedSep 25
- 1Rasheen Ali to make the roster“The most likely scenario is that both players make the team and primarily play on special teams”
- 2Justice Hill to be 2nd on the depth chart“Hill remains one of the best pass-catching and protecting players at the position in the league, making him the favorite to retain his role as the preferred third-down backfield option”
- 3Adam Randall to be 3rd on the depth chart“he's still likely only battling for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry and fellow veteran Justice Hill”
- 4Rashod Bateman to be 2nd on the depth chart“to say that he's shown enough in just a few padded practices and no game action to overtake someone like Bateman ... is overly optimistic and premature”
- 5Derrick Henry to be 1st on the depth chart“With Henry as the unquestioned starter, slated to receive the bulk of the carries and snaps at the position”
- 6Adam Randall to make the roster“The most likely scenario is that both players make the team and primarily play on special teams”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rasheen Ali to make the roster1 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Justice Hill to be 2nd on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Adam Randall to be 3rd on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Rashod Bateman to be 2nd on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Derrick Henry to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Adam Randall to make the roster6 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 1 hit · 5 waiting | 100 | 100 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive6 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls and 2 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 6 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 below the rest of the room on every one.
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
Rashod Bateman · 2026 season8 calls from 5 pundits between 1 and 2. Josh Reed said 2. the room's median is 2. 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 CallsRasheen AliBaltimore Ravens
Rasheen Ali to make the roster
What happened3 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BAL
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Rasheen Ali
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- 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 CallsJustice HillBaltimore Ravens
Justice Hill to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsAdam RandallBaltimore Ravens
Adam Randall to be 3rd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsRashod BatemanBaltimore Ravens
Rashod Bateman to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsDerrick HenryBaltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Roster Spot CallsAdam RandallBaltimore Ravens
Adam Randall to make the roster
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nathan Jahnke · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
In a Week 9 recap, Jahnke expects Mark Andrews to remain Baltimore's lead tight end but says rookie Matt Hibner is more likely than Josh Cuevas to eventually overtake them, and they anticipate the Ravens acquiring Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback. They also suggest Brian Thomas Jr. may have played their final game for Jacksonville ahead of the trade deadline.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.Mike Florio · Roster Spot Calls · Jake Moody · Miss 0
Florio expects Jake Moody to be promoted from Baltimore's practice squad to the 53-man roster if Tyler Loop lands on injured reserve.John Breech · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
Breech picks the Jaguars to blow out the quarterback-depleted Ravens on Thursday night, and in Week 9 takes the Bengals to outlast the Falcons in a Madrid shootout. They also expect Jacoby Brissett to be a Raven within 48 hours and to make their first Baltimore start in Week 11.
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.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.