# Mike Moraitis: Moraitis expects the newly signed Darren Waller, despite being nearly 34, to be Carolina's best tight end as a pass-catcher and athlete, and to be a red-zone/goal-line weapon for Bryce Young, while warning his injury history should temper expectations.

**Claimed:** Aug 14, 2026
**Pundit:** Mike Moraitis — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/mike-moraitis
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi/what-expect-carolina-panthers-signing-darren-waller

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> the veteran is still a plus pass-catcher and athlete and is better than any of Carolina's other players at the position in both areas

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Darren Waller to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Darren Waller — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/darren-waller
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers

## What others said about the same people

- Scott Kennedy on Carolina Panthers: Expects the Falcons to fall to 0-2 in Cooper Rush starts, losing 24-13 to Carolina. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0be929d-8c00-4148-b8d0-968b34e5d510 (scored 52.38)
- Seth Walder on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/61d68b2a-468b-44a5-b949-a6b152bbafc0 (scored 100)
- Garrett Chapman on Carolina Panthers: Thinks Atlanta matches up well but still falls short, picking Carolina 23-20. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5be072b2-97fa-40f2-999b-b1007f18e933 (scored 50)
- Jerry Jones on Carolina Panthers: Predicts Carolina pulls away from Atlanta, with the Falcons defense keeping it close early, in a 27-16 Panthers win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/12652a3a-c719-4206-a93b-f5b8ebc09beb (scored 52.38)
- Eric Moody on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8781a68b-56d0-4cd0-bf58-b7791e174082 (scored 100)
- Pamela Maldonado on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/738530b5-6f35-4dc3-95f4-716358983f8a (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

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

- Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100)
- Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF'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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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