Jose Sanchez· Aug 15, 2026
Sanchez says the preseason opener hurt several 49ers: he expects Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing to be cut, Nick Martin to be off the team (possibly traded to the Titans), and he sets De'Zhaun Stribling as the No. 3 receiver with Demarcus Robinson No. 4.
“Unless he practices soon, I'd expect Kirk to be cut.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
6 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls, 2 depth chart calls and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
De'Zhaun Stribling · 2026 season23 calls from 13 pundits between 1 and 4. Jose Sanchez said 3. 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.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 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.
- Roster Spot CallsJacob CowingSan Francisco 49ersAug 15, 2026
Jacob Cowing to make the roster
“He is definitely a cut candidate after camp.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- f9912e01-25b2-43c7-b6b8-7625d4fc9a5b
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- 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:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
Christian Kirk to make the roster
“Unless he practices soon, I'd expect Kirk to be cut. He'd be a waste of a roster spot”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
De'Zhaun Stribling to be 3rd on the depth chart
“he placed his claim to being the cemented No. 3 receiver in the offense”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsNick MartinSan Francisco 49ersAug 15, 2026
Nick Martin to make the roster
“after he didn't impress against the Titans, he's easily going to be off the team”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Demarcus Robinson to be 4th on the depth chart
“Demarcus Robinson is surely No. 4, or will fluctuate with Stribling.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Nick Martin to move to Tennessee Titans
“A trade to the Titans is what I've been mentioning since Robert Saleh is the one who wanted Martin last year”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mike TannenbaumTrade and Signing Calls · Stefon DiggsMiss · 0Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · San Francisco 49ersMiss · 0In 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.
- Eric CohenGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Cohen says the Bears win easily in Carolina, and that Tennessee starts 1-0 over a Jets team he considers the third-worst in the league.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Herbstreit 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 · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0AJ 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.
- Mike FlorioScore Predictions · Tennessee TitansMiss · 26Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Cody RourkeRoster Spot Calls · Mitchell FraboniMiss · 0Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
- Sayre BedingerRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeMiss · 0Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up.
- Bob MorrisRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut.
- Erick TrickelRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader).
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.