Bucky Brooks· Aug 23, 2026
Brooks is all-in on the Cowboys, predicting they reach the Super Bowl by beating the Rams in the NFC Championship Game, with Dak Prescott winning MVP behind 4,000-plus passing yards and 1,000-yard seasons from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. He also sees Shedeur Sanders taking over as Cleveland's starter with Deshaun Watson finished there, Kirk Cousins opening as the Raiders' starter, a six-win Jets season, the Giants as a dark horse, and names three under-the-radar breakout receivers.
“Print out those Dallas Cowboys going to the super Bowl shirts.”
said on air or in an interview · Fox Sports Radio (podcast) · read the original →
16 checkable claims — 3 player season numbers, 3 sleeper calls, 2 depth chart calls, 2 season win totals, 1 award pick, 1 conference champion, 1 playoff pick, 1 surprise team call, 1 top player list and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 18 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 7 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 5.
Where this call stands in the room
Shedeur Sanders · 2026 season13 calls from 12 pundits between 1 and 2. Bucky Brooks 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.
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Who this take is about
16 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.
- Award PicksDak PrescottDallas CowboysAug 23, 2026
Dak Prescott to win MVP
“he is going to be the guy against the MVP... you've got Dak Prescott for MVP on the back”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKirk CousinsLas Vegas RaidersAug 23, 2026
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart
“I believe that they will start cousins early and then eventually give it to the quarterback to take over.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Player Season NumbersCeeDee LambDallas CowboysAug 23, 2026
CeeDee Lamb to record 1,000 receiving yards
“when these guys go for both go well over a thousand yards”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsNew York JetsAug 23, 2026
New York Jets to finish with 6 wins
“We're looking at six wins, six and eleven. Maybe we get to seven and ten. That's kind of where we are with the Jests.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsDallas CowboysAug 23, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to reach the Super Bowl
“Print out those Dallas Cowboys going to the super Bowl shirts. Go ahead and start selling them out your shrunk because because look it's there, Dallas Cowboys going to the super Bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsNew York GiantsAug 23, 2026
New York Giants to beat expectations
“The team is the New York Giants... I think the Giants are a dark horse in terms of what they not only do during the regular season, but how they handle and eventually knock off somebody into postseason.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsAtlanta FalconsAug 23, 2026
Atlanta Falcons to finish with 8 wins
“I don't think they'd be picking in the top five... but I think they fall seven to ten eighty nine. Is is kind of where they're destined.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsParker WashingtonAug 23, 2026
Parker Washington to outplay his draft cost
“Parker Wasashington and Jackson mill is someone that is certainly making big things happen”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Player Season NumbersDak PrescottDallas CowboysAug 23, 2026
Dak Prescott to record 4,000 passing yards
“when these guys go for both go well over a thousand yards and he passes for four thousand yards”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles RamsAug 23, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“It's in LA. They're gonna play the Rams in the NFC Championship game.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsShedeur SandersCleveland BrownsAug 23, 2026
Shedeur Sanders to be 1st on the depth chart
“It looks like it's gonna be a situation where Sho Dr Sanders is going to have to be is going to be the starting quarterback.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
George Pickens to record 1,000 receiving yards
“when these guys go for both go well over a thousand yards”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Deshaun Watson to move to Cleveland Browns
“I think it's over for him in Cleveland... I think he's played his nast snap.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
De'Zhaun Stribling to outplay his draft cost
“I would say Desjon Stripling from the San Francisco forty nine ers... He's also someone that is emerging.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Sleeper CallsMatthew GoldenGreen Bay PackersAug 23, 2026
Matthew Golden to outplay his draft cost
“I would say keep an eye on Matthew Golden from the Green Bay Packers former number one, who's gonna get a chance to have more opportunities”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Top Player ListsAug 23, 2026
“Top for top four, I would say like Pat Mahomes, Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, then Joe Burrow.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Ralph VacchianoDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta.
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland.
- 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.
- Paul KerenDepth Chart Calls · Teven JenkinsMiss · 0Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers.
- John BreechDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0The unsigned Pick Six newsletter expects Seth McLaughlin to step into the Lions' starting center job with Cade Mays injured, and suggests Tua Tagovailoa is on track to be Atlanta's Week 1 starting quarterback.
More sleeper calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Matt Money SmithSleeper Calls · Tre HarrisMiss · 0Smith says Ladd McConkie is a legitimate No. 1 receiver who could post a Jaylen Waddle-like season of roughly 1,700 yards and eight touchdowns, and he predicts second-year Chargers receiver Trey Harris will have a big year under Mike McDaniel. He also expects Philip Rivers to become an NFL head coach and thinks the Chargers offense will be good in the coming season.
- Chad Ochocinco JohnsonSleeper Calls · Saquon BarkleyMiss · 0Johnson says the Steelers aren't legitimate Super Bowl contenders even with Aaron Rodgers back, and that Saquon Barkley can have a bounce-back season in year nine with the Eagles competing for a championship if the offensive line stays healthy.
- Ross JacksonSleeper Calls · Devaughn VeleMiss · 0Ross Jackson agreed to the same Saints mock draft board — Jeremiah Love at eight, Akeem Mesador in the second, Keonte Scott at 73, Keelan Rutledge and Ted Hurst in the fourth, Xavien Harris at 148, Aaron Anderson in the fifth and Bryce Boettcher in the sixth — and also called Devon Vellet a 2026 breakout candidate.
- Greg CosellSleeper Calls · Omarion HamptonMiss · 0Cosell expects the Nick Bonito vs. Will Campbell matchup to be pivotal, predicts Caleb Williams' future is bright, expects the Chargers' run game to improve dramatically under Mike McDaniel with a good season from Omarion Hampton, and expects Sean Payton not to hide Stidham.
- Andrew EricksonSleeper Calls · Saquon BarkleyMiss · 0Erickson gave his 2026 first-round board, leaning on running backs early with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja'Marr Chase as his WR1 and Christian McCaffrey slipping to 12. He also touted Malik Nabers as a buying opportunity, projected big touchdown numbers for Burrow and Chase, and called Barkley a buy-low.
- Joe PisapiaSleeper Calls · Omarion HamptonMiss · 0Joe Pisapia's 2026 first round is receiver-heavy, starting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja'Marr Chase, insisting Amon-Ra St. Brown belongs in the top five, keeping Justin Jefferson in round one, and dropping Christian McCaffrey to 12. He also sees Omarion Hampton as a value who will be a top-10 pick a year later.