Rich Eisen · Jun 26, 2025

Rich named his top five sleeper teams for 2025 — Saints, Patriots, Panthers, Raiders and, at No. 1, the 49ers — suggested Carolina could be a seven seed and the Raiders could make the playoffs, and reiterated a 15-2 Chiefs prediction with losses at Buffalo and at home to Denver while picking Kansas City to return to the Super Bowl.

“Number one on the list, the sleeper team of 2025 are the San Francisco forty niners.”

said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) · read the original →

12 checkable claims from this

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.

Game Outcome Picks New Orleans SaintsJun 26, 2025
New Orleans Saints to win
“they they do have a home date to start with the Arizona Cardinals... I could see them winning week one.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
won:
ARI
score:
20-13
skill:
0
they picked:
NO
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Las Vegas RaidersJun 26, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders to make the playoffs
“Raiders making the playoffs maybe in the same way. Could this be the version of the Broncos from last year?”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skill
How this was scored
team:
LV
skill:
-200
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
100
naive said:
false
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
false
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Carolina PanthersJun 26, 2025
Carolina Panthers to make the playoffs
“Now this one's a real possibility to shock people, be a seven seed. Right? I'm serious.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skill
How this was scored
team:
CAR
skill:
200
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Buffalo BillsJun 26, 2025
Buffalo Bills to win
“I gave it at Buffalo and home for the Broncos.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
won:
BUF
score:
21-28
skill:
0
they picked:
BUF
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive pick:
BUF
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Season Win Totals Kansas City ChiefsJun 26, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs to finish with 15 wins
“Well, behind the fifteen and two Chiefs... I gave the Chiefs two losses.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
KC
naive:
11.75
skill:
0
what happened:
6
season:
2025
zero at:
5
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
predicted:
15
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Conference Champions Kansas City ChiefsJun 26, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl
“Are you taking them to win the AFC this year? I haven't thought about it. But if you're gonna put me on the spot right now, I'm sure. Yes.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Surprise Team Calls Carolina PanthersJun 26, 2025
Carolina Panthers to beat expectations
“number three on the list, I'm staying in the NFC South. I'm I'm talking Panthers here.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Denver BroncosJun 26, 2025
Denver Broncos to win
“I gave it at Buffalo and home for the Broncos.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Surprise Team Calls San Francisco 49ersJun 26, 2025
San Francisco 49ers to beat expectations
“Number one on the list, the sleeper team of 2025 are the San Francisco forty niners.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Surprise Team Calls New England PatriotsJun 26, 2025
New England Patriots to beat expectations
“Alright. Number four, your Patriots.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Surprise Team Calls Las Vegas RaidersJun 26, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
“Number two on the list... Pete Carroll and the Raiders, we're sleeping on them.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Surprise Team Calls New Orleans SaintsJun 26, 2025
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
“Number five, I'm gonna start with the Saints.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?