Grant Chachere· Aug 12, 2026
Reviewing the Saints' unofficial depth chart, Chachere says Devaughn Vele is the No. 3 receiver, Barion Brown will be the fourth receiver and a lock to make the 53-man roster, and Travis Etienne will out-carry Alvin Kamara as the lead back.
“His performance in training camp so far likely has him as the fourth wide receiver in the rotation after Olave, Tyson and Vele.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
4 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls and 1 roster spot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 1.
Where this call stands in the room
Travis Etienne · 2026 season9 calls from 9 pundits between 1 and 1. Grant Chachere said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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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 CallsBarion BrownNew Orleans SaintsAug 12, 2026
Barion Brown to make the roster
“Devaughn Vele Listed as the Third Option, Barion Brown a Lock to Make Roster”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- NO
- skill:
- 200
- player:
- Barion Brown
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- 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:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Depth Chart CallsBarion BrownNew Orleans SaintsAug 12, 2026
Barion Brown to be 4th on the depth chart
“His performance in training camp so far likely has him as the fourth wide receiver in the rotation after Olave, Tyson and Vele.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Travis Etienne to be 1st on the depth chart
“While it does have an “OR” in between the two tailbacks, expect Etienne to get a few more carries than Kamara.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDevaughn VeleNew Orleans SaintsAug 12, 2026
Devaughn Vele to be 3rd on the depth chart
“that question has been answered as Devaughn Vele was listed as the No. 3 wide receiver in the rotation”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Ross JacksonRoster Spot Calls · Juwan JohnsonHit · 100Ross Jackson gives his final preseason 53-man roster projection for the New Orleans Saints, naming who makes the initial roster at every position group, who starts on injured reserve or the practice squad, and who the five starting offensive linemen and kicker will be.
- Doug JoubertRoster Spot Calls · Will ShermanHit · 100Joubert projects the Saints' 53-man roster ahead of the cutdown deadline, naming every player he expects to make the team by position group, plus several players he expects to receive PUP/IR designations, and predicting Torricelli Simpkins will later be moved to the practice squad.
- Doug JoubertRoster Spot Calls · Kelvin Banks Jr.Miss · 0Joubert grades the Saints' units after their win at Baltimore and predicts that left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. will be placed on injured reserve, with one of three practice-squad tackles potentially elevated.
- Doug JoubertRoster Spot Calls · Daniel CarlsonHit · 100Joubert expects Daniel Carlson to win the Saints' place kicker job, as reflected in the site's final 53-man roster projection.
- Ross JacksonRoster Spot Calls · Carl GrandersonHit · 100Ross Jackson lays out his early defensive 53-man roster projection for the 2026 Saints, naming five edge rushers, four interior defensive linemen, five cornerbacks, five linebackers and five safeties, plus his kicker, punter and long snapper, and sends Mike Heldman, Chris Rumph and Jackson Sirmon to the practice squad.
- Ross JacksonRoster Spot Calls · Jeremiah WrightMiss · 0Ross Jackson projects the New Orleans Saints' offensive 53-man roster: three quarterbacks with Tyler Shough starting and Spencer Rattler as the backup, four running backs including Alvin Kamara, six wide receivers with Jalen Polk making it, three tight ends, ten offensive linemen with a set starting five, and Charlie Smith at kicker.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay.
- 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.