# Mike Kadlick: Kadlick expects Atlanta to start Cooper Rush at quarterback in Week 2 against Carolina, with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa still injured. **Claimed:** Sep 17, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Kadlick — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/mike-kadlick **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-week-2-schedule-2026-ranking-all-16-games 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. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > They'll travel to Atlanta this weekend to face off against the Falcons, who'll likely start quarterback Cooper Rush as Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa continue to deal with injuries. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Cooper Rush to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cooper Rush, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Cooper Rush — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cooper-rush - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/falcons ## What others said about the same people - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - John Breech on Tua Tagovailoa: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a040e9f9-5016-4dce-b2b3-a4c411e950f5 (scored 0) - Matt Okada on Tua Tagovailoa: In a PPR-framed fantasy draft guide, Okada makes a few non-fantasy claims: rookie Jeremiyah Love will be Arizona's featured back despite being listed as RB2, Tua Tagovailoa will be Atlanta's Week 1 starter, and Kyler Murray will open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8ada4169-6627-4730-a98d-6869382735d2 (scored 0) - theScore on Tua Tagovailoa: theScore's staff power rankings for all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/24fe7834-99fc-43fe-a5c1-5de6d46c8cd5 (scored 0) - Mike Fanelli on Tua Tagovailoa: Fanelli ranks all 32 NFL teams for 2026 fantasy purposes, with the Bengals first and the Dolphins last, and makes assorted calls including Joe Burrow winning Comeback Player of the Year, Drake Maye leading the league in passing touchdowns, various starting-role and depth-chart projections, plus sleepers (Godwin, Travis Hunter, Jonathon Brooks) and a bust call on De'Von Achane. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2c6f6ca7-2193-4aef-8a62-e4a7f535b80a (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Rich Hribar on Malik Willis: Hribar previews the Week 1 Dolphins-Raiders game, calling Malik Willis a strong floor-based QB2 for fantasy, noting Kirk Cousins is the Raiders' starter and not a Week 1 streamer in 1QB leagues, and listing expected defensive starters for both teams. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0ff48079-418b-4d5a-9eb2-6e66b0e6f6e1 (scored 100) - Randy Gurzi on Jadarian Price: Gurzi suggests the Seahawks could sign three free agents — safety Donovan Wilson, guard Kevin Zeitler, and running back Kareem Hunt — if weaknesses show up after Week 1. He also notes Trevon Diggs starting on the practice squad and describes Seattle's projected backfield roles. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/350eed1b-4675-4a2d-aaf5-812e20678283 (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Malik Willis: An 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Warren Sharp on Kirk Cousins: Sharp argues Raiders rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is not ready to play, predicting he won't start Week 1 or Week 2 and that Kirk Cousins will be the Week 1 starter, with Mendoza sitting behind him for a long stretch. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f6c6fdb0-ba07-4779-bdb0-bed9dfc089c6 (scored 100) - Greg Auman on Malik Willis: Auman states Malik Willis will be Miami's Week 1 starting quarterback and the player the Dolphins build their season around, despite having only six career starts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4954ba44-5b36-43a2-9dcf-26538ad31e26 (scored 100) - Carter Bahns on Kirk Cousins: The newsletter says Shedeur Sanders' preseason Week 2 start may have won him the Browns' starting quarterback job over Deshaun Watson, and that Kirk Cousins will lead the Raiders' offense in Week 1. It also asserts Florida is the best college basketball team heading into 2026-27. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/551a6c15-18a9-488d-a1c2-52e7643735cd (scored 100) --- 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: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=mike-kadlick