Jared Koch· Aug 24, 2026
Koch highlights five Texans preseason standouts, suggesting Jared Wayne could claim the final receiver roster spot, Aiden Fisher could sneak onto the 53-man roster, Jaylen Reed has locked in a Week 1 roster spot, Marlin Klein will climb the tight end depth chart, and Wade Woodaz has a solid chance at the LB3 role.
“But when he is back, there's a pretty solid chance he finds his way to that LB3 role on the depth chart that's been wide open since E.J. Speed's been out with a torn quad.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
4 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
4 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.
- Roster Spot CallsJared WayneHouston TexansAug 24, 2026
Jared Wayne to make the roster
“But Wayne's recent performance could be creating an extremely compelling case that makes him the final name at the position to make it onto the roster past cutdown day.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- HOU
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- 3d2b4311-337b-4fe5-b0dd-5d2dfaa7ac2a
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsAiden FisherHouston TexansAug 24, 2026
Aiden Fisher to make the roster
“might be the perfect storm for Fisher to be someone who sneaks onto a 53-man roster spot”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsWade WoodazHouston TexansAug 24, 2026
Wade Woodaz to be 3rd on the depth chart
“there's a pretty solid chance he finds his way to that LB3 role on the depth chart”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsJaylen ReedHouston TexansAug 24, 2026
Jaylen Reed to make the roster
“Reed's chances to make the Week 1 roster were already pretty solidified entering training camp, but production like this certainly does lock that status in even further”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- John BreechGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Breech picks the Texans to upset the Bills in Houston, trusting Houston's defense to smother Josh Allen, and takes the Raiders to beat the Dolphins by at least a touchdown.
- Judah FortgangGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0PFF's divisional-round same-game parlay picks: Tampa Bay beats Cincinnati with Cade Otton exploiting the Bengals' linebackers, Las Vegas beats Miami behind Kirk Cousins attacking a depleted Dolphins secondary, and Houston beats Buffalo with C.J. Stroud throwing effectively and Jaylin Noel benefiting from the slot matchup.
- Judah FortgangGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0An unsigned PFF betting piece argues Cooper Rush will struggle against Pittsburgh's disruption pressure in Week 1, and that Buffalo's rebuilt secondary without Sean McDermott will be exploitable by C.J. Stroud, leading them to back Houston winning through the air.
- Simon HunterGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Hunter picked Houston and the Giants as underdog money line plays, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit as favorites, and used Pittsburgh plus the Chargers as his survivor picks for week one.
- Chad MillmanGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Millman backed several week one sides outright: Miami to beat the Raiders straight up, the Jets over the Titans, an underdog money line parlay of Houston and the Giants, and a favorites money line parlay of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. He also stands by his preseason take that Drake Maye is a top-five NFL quarterback.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Wildes parlayed two upsets: Houston beating Buffalo and Indianapolis beating Baltimore, and had picked Dak Prescott as league MVP.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Cody RourkeRoster Spot Calls · Mitchell FraboniMiss · 0Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
- Sayre BedingerRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeMiss · 0Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up.
- Bob MorrisRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut.
- Erick TrickelRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader).
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.