WaltSep 1, 2026

A pre-Week 1 power ranking of all 32 teams for the 2026 season, led by the Rams, Seahawks and Bills, with the Dolphins last; also projects Josh Allen as MVP, backs the Saints to win the Super Bowl, and expects Kirk Cousins to start games for the Raiders.

Published in writing · Walter FootballRead the original

Waiting3 calls, none settled yet

—Average accuracynothing settled yet

—A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

0 of 3Settled3 still waiting

3Waitingnot graded yet

What Walt said

our reading, beside the words we read it from

The Rams are a powerhouse and will be difficult to beat this year.

Walt, the lead quote · each call’s own words are below

Where it was published: Walter Football
The piece: NFL Power Rankings 2026: Pre-Week 1 NFL Power Rankings
The original: Read the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

1Josh Allen to win MVP“2026 NFL MVP Projection: 1. Josh Allen, QB, Bills”
2New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl“I bet the Saints to win the Super Bowl at 100/1.”
3Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart“it sounds like Kirk Cousins will be starting a bunch of games, especially after Fernando Mendoza crapped the bed in the preseason.”

Box score

HitCloseMissWaiting

Call	Kind	What happened	Score	Naive	Skill
Josh Allen to win MVP¹	Award Picks	—	—	—	—
New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl²	Super Bowl Picks	—	—	—	—
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart³	Depth Chart Calls	—	—	—	—
3 calls · 3 waiting			—	—

How each call scored

3 checkable claims — 1 award pick, 1 depth chart call and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

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

Kirk Cousins · 2026 season

Walt — 1the room — 35 calls from 29 punditsmedian 1

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.

1Award Picks Josh Allen Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen to win MVP
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
2Super Bowl Picks New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
3Depth Chart Calls Kirk Cousins Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Who this take is about

Where do you stand on this one?Pick every open claim on Picks →

Others on the same people

Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere.
Tom Pelissero · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Pelissero laid out the Giants' quarterback situation with Jameis Winston starting, said Jayden Daniels likely won't be back when Washington plays the Giants and that Caleb Williams is unlikely to play Monday night, and floated Joey Porter Jr. landing in Dallas and Kirk Cousins being traded in-season.
Tom Pelissero · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Pelissero expects the Raiders to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall, and says Kirk Cousins will be released March 11 while Tua Tagovailoa will be released before March 13 if Miami can't trade them.
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta.

More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

Jeremy Brener · Depth Chart Calls · Drew Lock · Hit 100
Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback.
Jeremy Brener · Depth Chart Calls · Jalen Milroe · Miss 0
Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury.
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.
Zachary Pereles · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
Pereles writes that if Deshaun Watson can't clear concussion protocol in time, the Browns would likely turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Week 9 against the Saints.
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.
Garrett Podell · Depth Chart Calls · Carson Beck · Miss 0
Podell argues the Cardinals have maxed out with Jacoby Brissett and that rookie Carson Beck should be ramped up to replace them as starter, targeting Week 8 at Dallas for Beck's regular-season debut.