Walt· Aug 1, 2026
In a rolling 'Disaster Ratings' feature covering NFL injuries, retirements and suspensions across multiple seasons, the site grades how damaging each situation is and makes scattered forecasts about replacement starters, individual games and team outlooks.
“The quartet of McCaffrey, Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle will be enough for the 49ers to make a deep run into the playoffs, but the margin for error has shrunk.”
published in writing · Walter Football · read the original →
19 checkable claims — 11 depth chart calls, 5 game outcome picks, 1 division winner, 1 playoff pick and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 20 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
The games in this take
- Texans at Jaguars 5 calls
- Cardinals at Rams 9 calls
19 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.
- Surprise Team CallsArizona CardinalsAug 1, 2026
Arizona Cardinals to beat expectations
“I consider the Cardinals an underrated team that could potentially sneak into the playoffs in a weak NFC.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksBuffalo BillsAug 1, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win
“The Bills should be able to handle the Cardinals in Week 1 without Samuel”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles RamsAug 1, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win
“they were expected to lose to the Lions and beat the Cardinals even with him”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsSam DarnoldAug 1, 2026
Sam Darnold to be 1st on the depth chart
“Instead, Sam Darnold will be the starter”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsBroderick JonesAug 1, 2026
Broderick Jones to be 1st on the depth chart
“Pittsburgh will now have to go back to Jones because Fautanu is dealing with a knee injury.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsPatrick PaulAug 1, 2026
Patrick Paul to be 1st on the depth chart
“His replacement will be 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul, who was woeful in four full games last year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksHouston TexansAug 1, 2026
Houston Texans to win
“Not having Campbell will make defeating the Texans extremely difficult, but this is a game Jacksonville is likely to lose anyway.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 1, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to win
“The other team is the Chiefs, and the Jaguars probably weren't going to win that game anyway.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu to be 1st on the depth chart
“his injury will allow first-round rookie Olu Fashanu to start”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksDetroit LionsAug 1, 2026
Detroit Lions to win
“they were expected to lose to the Lions and beat the Cardinals even with him”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTrevor PenningAug 1, 2026
Trevor Penning to be 1st on the depth chart
“the Saints will be forced into starting a rookie and the anemic Trevor Penning at tackle”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsAmarius MimsAug 1, 2026
Amarius Mims to be 1st on the depth chart
“it's unclear how well Amarius Mims will play in his place”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsOren BurksAug 1, 2026
Oren Burks to be 1st on the depth chart
“Oren Burks will step in, and he can do an OK job in relief, but he's a clear downgrade from Dean.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsCam SmithAug 1, 2026
Cam Smith to be 1st on the depth chart
“Second-round rookie Cam Smith will have to fill the void.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTaliese FuagaAug 1, 2026
Taliese Fuaga to be 1st on the depth chart
“the Saints will be forced into starting a rookie and the anemic Trevor Penning at tackle. The rookie, Tallies Fuaga, may pan out”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksSan Francisco 49ersAug 1, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs
“The quartet of McCaffrey, Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle will be enough for the 49ers to make a deep run into the playoffs”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJoseph OssaiAug 1, 2026
Joseph Ossai to be 1st on the depth chart
“The Bengals are still OK on the edge because they have Joseph Ossai ready to step into a full-time starting role”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTyleik WilliamsAug 1, 2026
Tyleik Williams to be 1st on the depth chart
“the Lions also have first-round rookie Tyleik Williams to start next to D.J. Reader”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersJacksonville JaguarsAug 1, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division
“even if the Jaguars get off to a bit of a slow start, they should still be able to win their weak division”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- 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.
- Emmett MatasovskyDepth Chart Calls · Christian IzienMiss · 0Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab.
- Jared DubinDepth Chart Calls · Daniel FaaleleMiss · 0Dubin grades the Faalele trade, predicting Faalele has a decent chance to be Jacksonville's Week 1 starting right guard in competition with Wyatt Milum, and that Evan Neal's odds of making the Giants' 53-man roster improved while Jon Runyan and Francis Mauigoa hold the Giants' starting guard jobs.
- John ShipleyDepth Chart Calls · Patrick MekariMiss · 0Shipley projects second-year cornerback Jabbar Muhammad to make the Jaguars' 53-man roster and describes him as the team's clear No. 5 cornerback, a role that would earn him a game-day jersey. He also identifies Patrick Mekari, Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland as projected Week 1 offensive line starters.
- Henry McKennaDepth Chart Calls · Carson BeckMiss · 0McKenna predicts Kyler Murray will win the Vikings' starting QB job over J.J. McCarthy, that Minnesota will make the playoffs if Murray cuts out the hero ball, that both QBs will play in 2026, and wonders whether rookie Carson Beck could unseat Jacoby Brissett as Arizona's Week 1 starter.
- Mike TannenbaumTrade and Signing Calls · Stefon DiggsMiss · 0Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco.
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.