Fox Sports· Aug 1, 2026
The AP report states it is inevitable that rookie Fernando Mendoza eventually takes over as the Raiders' starting quarterback, with Kirk Cousins serving as a bridge starter to open the season.
“Fernando Mendoza eventually taking over as the Raiders' starting quarterback seems inevitable, so much so that the only question is a matter of when it occurs.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.
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.
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- Depth Chart CallsFernando MendozaAug 1, 2026
Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart
“Fernando Mendoza eventually taking over as the Raiders' starting quarterback seems inevitable, so much so that the only question is a matter of when it occurs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Shannon SharpeProspect vs Prospect Calls · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Sharpe expects Myles Garrett, now with the Rams, to remain dominant and post at least 14-15 sacks, and he also thinks Micah Parsons will again reach double-digit sacks. He predicts the Dolphins win only two games this season, and says Jeremiah Smith won't go ahead of Mendoza at the top of the draft.
- Colin CowherdMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Cowherd is high on Fernando Mendoza, calling him a first-round prospect who fits none of the bust profiles, and expects Kirk Cousins to open the season as the starter. Among his five bold predictions he has Justin Herbert winning multiple playoff games and Caleb Williams winning MVP.
- Jaime EisnerMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100A seven-round Raiders mock draft projecting Fernando Mendoza first overall to Las Vegas and nine additional picks, including Denzel Boston in Round 2 and A.J. Haulcy in Round 3.
- Chris BrockmanPosition Order Calls · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Brockman argued four Ohio State players will be taken in the top 10, that Fernando Mendoza will be the first QB off the board and top Tom Brady's 2001 statistical line as a rookie, that Jeremiah Love will beat Ashton Jeanty's rookie production, that tight ends Kenyan Sadiq and Eli Stowers both go top 20, that Ty Simpson is the second QB drafted in round one and starts Week 1, that Jimmy Garoppolo gets the Cardinals over .500, and that Mike Evans leaves Tampa for a contender and goes further in the playoffs than the Bucs.
- Rich EisenMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Eisen endorsed four Ohio State players going in the top 10 (with Arvel Reese no lower than seventh), listed Mendoza, Jeremiah Love, Miami's left tackle, Penn State's interior guard and Bailey as top-10 picks, said Love won't get out of the top five, and agreed Mendoza's rookie numbers would beat Brady's 2001 line and that Mike Evans will leave Tampa to chase a ring.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In 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.
- 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.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Hribar 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.
- 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.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In 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.