Ralph Vacchiano· Aug 13, 2026
Vacchiano expects the Ravens under new coach Jesse Minter to win 10-plus games and contend for the Super Bowl, with a healthy Lamar Jackson near the top of the MVP race. He also flags rookie WR Ja'Kobi Lane as a deep fantasy sleeper battling for the No. 3 receiver job and expects Derrick Henry to stay healthy and power an unstoppable rushing attack.
“But all the pieces are right there for the Ravens to win 10-plus games, even in what could be a much more competitive AFC North.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
5 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 award pick, 1 season win total and 1 sleeper call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Baltimore Ravens · 2026 season · wins20 calls from 13 pundits between 9 wins and 14 wins. Ralph Vacchiano said 10 wins. the room's median is 12 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.
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Who this take is about
5 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.
- Sleeper CallsJa'Kobi LaneBaltimore RavensAug 13, 2026
Ja'Kobi Lane to outplay his draft cost
“If you're looking for a deep sleeper in your fantasy league, keep an eye on rookie WR Ja'Kobi Lane, the Ravens' third-round pick.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensAug 13, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 10 wins
“But all the pieces are right there for the Ravens to win 10-plus games, even in what could be a much more competitive AFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksLamar JacksonBaltimore RavensAug 13, 2026
Lamar Jackson to win MVP
“If he's healthy, pencil him in near the top of the MVP race.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJa'Kobi LaneBaltimore RavensAug 13, 2026
Ja'Kobi Lane to be 3rd on the depth chart
“Right now, Lane is battling for the No. 3 job, but I'm told he's been outstanding all summer long”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsRashod BatemanBaltimore RavensAug 13, 2026
Rashod Bateman to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Bateman, the No. 2 WR, has been a perennial disappointment”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mason CameronDepth Chart Calls · Ethan PocicMiss · 0An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · Baltimore RavensClose · 58In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts.
- Jared DubinGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Dubin is high on the Ravens and low on the Colts, predicting a big Baltimore road win.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
- AJ HawkGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Baltimore RavensClose · 67Dajani picks the Rams over the 49ers, Texans over Bills, Ravens over Colts, Bengals over Buccaneers, Vikings over Packers, Cowboys over Giants and Broncos over Chiefs in Week 1, with exact scores. He also predicts the Bills win the AFC East, the Cowboys win their division, and Caleb Downs wins Defensive Rookie of the Year.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Drew LockMiss · 0In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy.
- Steven RuizDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier.
- Mike FlorioDepth Chart Calls · Shedeur SandersMiss · 0Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3.
- Nathan JahnkeDepth Chart Calls · Jalen TolbertMiss · 0PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies.