Pat Fitzmaurice· Sep 21, 2026
In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties.
“With Jayden Daniels dislocating his left elbow on Sunday, Marcus Mariota will quarterback the Commanders indefinitely.”
published in writing · FantasyPros · read the original →
12 checkable claims — 10 depth chart calls and 2 availability calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 22 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 10 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
Michael Penix Jr. · 2026 season13 calls from 13 pundits between 1 and 1. Pat Fitzmaurice said 1. the room's median is 1. 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
- Michael Penix Jr.
- Atlanta Falcons
- Tre Tucker
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Keaton Mitchell
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Khalil Shakir
- Buffalo Bills
- Brian Robinson
- Emmett Johnson
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Jonah Coleman
- Denver Broncos
- Adonai Mitchell
- New York Jets
- Malik Washington
- Miami Dolphins
- Marcus Mariota
- Washington Commanders
- Brian Branch
- Detroit Lions
- Kerby Joseph
12 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.
Michael Penix Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart
“Michael Penix Jr. is the best quarterback option the Falcons have, and as soon as he's ready to return from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season, he'll start for Atlanta.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTre TuckerLas Vegas RaidersSep 21, 2026
Tre Tucker to be 1st on the depth chart
“Tre Tucker erupted for 5-119-1 on seven targets Sunday against the Chargers and has to be considered the Raiders' No. 1 receiver.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Keaton Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Keaton Mitchell doesn't appear to have any standalone value, but he's clearly the top backup to Omarion Hampton.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKhalil ShakirBuffalo BillsSep 21, 2026
Khalil Shakir to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Even if Moore is out this week, Shakir is probably no better than the No. 2 target in the Buffalo passing attack behind surging tight end Dalton Kincaid.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsBrian RobinsonAtlanta FalconsSep 21, 2026
Brian Robinson to be 2nd on the depth chart
“"Clean" handcuffs always have appeal, and Brian Robinson Jr. is the clear backup to Bijan Robinson in Atlanta.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Emmett Johnson to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Emmett Johnson has no standalone value as the backup to Kenneth Walker III”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJonah ColemanDenver BroncosSep 21, 2026
Jonah Coleman to be 1st on the depth chart
“it's very possible Coleman will be Denver's lead back when the Broncos host the Rams in Week 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsAdonai MitchellNew York JetsSep 21, 2026
Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart
“The Jets' clear No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson, Mitchell had 3-60-0 on three targets against the Titans in Week 1”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsMalik WashingtonMiami DolphinsSep 21, 2026
Malik Washington to be 1st on the depth chart
“With Caleb Douglas in a walking boot ... Washington is expected to be Miami's No. 1 receiver in Week 3.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Marcus Mariota to be 1st on the depth chart
“With Jayden Daniels dislocating his left elbow on Sunday, Marcus Mariota will quarterback the Commanders indefinitely.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsBrian BranchDetroit LionsSep 21, 2026
“Neither Branch nor Joseph is expected back by Week 4.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsKerby JosephDetroit LionsSep 21, 2026
“Neither Branch nor Joseph is expected back by Week 4.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Joshua SchulmanGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Schulman endorses the view that the Chiefs will beat the Colts in their Sunday night matchup, calling ESPN's heavy lean toward Kansas City a fair assessment.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Amid his Week 2 spread picks, Wright made a few straight-up calls: Jacksonville wins outright at Denver, Carolina wins at Atlanta, and he'd be stunned if Kansas City lost to Indianapolis. He also expected Zay Flowers and Ladd McConkie to sit out with injuries.
- Greg JenningsGame Outcome Picks · Denver BroncosHit · 100Jennings put the Cardinals up as his upset alert over Seattle, backed the Texans over Cincinnati and the Bears over Minnesota with chips, put two chips on Denver beating Jacksonville, and wrote a headline of the Packers beating the Jets; he also called the Bengals a playoff team and the Chiefs winners over Indianapolis.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · New York JetsMiss · 0Wildes made the Jets beating the Packers his upset alert pick, arguing Green Bay's road losing streak and Jordan Love's recent interceptions will catch up with them.
- Rich EisenGame Outcome Picks · New York JetsMiss · 0Eisen picked Josh Allen to lead the NFL in total touchdowns over any QB-WR or QB-RB combo, flipped from the Lions to the Bears as NFC North winner, and made several Week 2 game calls, including the Patriots at home, the Jets over Green Bay, and both LA teams winning. He also picked a Jaguars-Broncos AFC title game.
- Nick ShookGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Shook said he would take the Steelers and Jaguars to win outright on the road, still expects the Chargers to beat the Raiders, and thinks Baltimore's run game will turn the Saints game into a double-digit Ravens win.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Matt SeveranceDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2.
- Rafael ZamoranoDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins.
- Bradley LockerDepth Chart Calls · Carson WentzHit · 100PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland.
- Bill HuberDepth Chart Calls · Chris McClellanMiss · 0Huber's first Packers rookie progress report projects second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse to hold onto his spot with the No. 1 defense, third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan to start in Week 1, and fifth-round lineman Jager Burton to be the team's top interior backup rather than a starter.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order.
- Ryan WilsonDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April.