# Bradley Locker: An unsigned PFF piece naming 10 players who take on outsized importance due to injuries and absences, projecting several of them into starting roles for 2026 (Brandon Coleman at left tackle in Washington, Woods at safety in Chicago, Ebukam on Atlanta's edge, Scruggs at center in Detroit and Lloyd in Green Bay's backfield). **Claimed:** Sep 2, 2026 **Pundit:** Bradley Locker — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/bradley-locker **Outlet:** Pro Football Focus — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/pro-football-focus **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.pff.com/news/10-nfl-players-set-to-step-up-amid-absences-in-2026/ 5 checkable claims — 5 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > The young tackle pencils in as Washington's blindside protector with Laremy Tunsil out. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Samson Ebukam to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Samson Ebukam, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet - **Juice Scruggs to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Juice Scruggs, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Devin Lloyd to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Devin Lloyd, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brandon Coleman to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Brandon Coleman, Washington Commanders - Verdict: not settled yet - **JT Woods to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: JT Woods, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Samson Ebukam — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/samson-ebukam - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/falcons - Juice Scruggs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/juice-scruggs - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Devin Lloyd — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/devin-lloyd - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers - Brandon Coleman — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/brandon-coleman - Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/commanders - JT Woods — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jt-woods - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears ## 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) - Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on Ozzy Trapilo: Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdfe5f0f-6783-4730-b9bb-d942e28b037a (scored 0) - Pete Martuneac on Ozzy Trapilo: After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d42f10ad-a71c-4ea9-95e8-2b53fde77971 (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) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100) - Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's fantasy football preseason recap projects depth-chart outcomes, roster spots and fantasy value for numerous players across several preseason games, including Chig Okonkwo's expanded role in Washington, Ja'Kobi Lane as Baltimore's WR3, Malachi Fields winning the Giants' starting X job, and Zachariah Branch being a fantasy bust relative to his late-round cost. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/22a4578b-eb92-41d2-820b-1a7eaa2e4e2f (scored 0) --- 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=bradley-locker