Zachary Pereles· Aug 27, 2026
In a 'fact or fiction' piece after the Ravens-Commanders joint practice, the unbylined writer argues Baltimore's defense will finish as a top-five unit, and rejects the notion that rookie Ja'Kobi Lane has passed Rashod Bateman, saying Bateman remains the Ravens' No. 2 receiver behind Zay Flowers.
“But Bateman is still ahead of him.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
3 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls and 1 position group ranking — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 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
Ja'Kobi Lane · 2026 season16 calls from 11 pundits between 1 and 3. Zachary Pereles said 3. the room's median is 3. 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
3 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.
- Position Group RankingsBaltimore RavensAug 27, 2026
“The Ravens' defense will be a top-five unit: Fact”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsRashod BatemanBaltimore RavensAug 27, 2026
Rashod Bateman to be 2nd on the depth chart
“After Flowers (who was out Wednesday), Bateman is still the No. 2 receiver.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJa'Kobi LaneBaltimore RavensAug 27, 2026
Ja'Kobi Lane to be 3rd on the depth chart
“Ja'Kobi Lane has surpassed Rashod Bateman: Fiction ... Lane will play plenty ... But Bateman is still ahead of him.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mason CameronDepth Chart Calls · Ethan PocicMiss · 0An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · Baltimore RavensClose · 58In 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.
- Jared DubinGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Dubin is high on the Ravens and low on the Colts, predicting a big Baltimore road win.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Herbstreit 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 · Baltimore RavensHit · 100AJ 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.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Baltimore RavensClose · 67Dajani picks the Rams over the 49ers, Texans over Bills, Ravens over Colts, Bengals over Buccaneers, Vikings over Packers, Cowboys over Giants and Broncos over Chiefs in Week 1, with exact scores. He also predicts the Bills win the AFC East, the Cowboys win their division, and Caleb Downs wins Defensive Rookie of the Year.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Drew LockMiss · 0In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona.
- 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy.
- 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.