# Raju Byfield: In a preseason "studs" column, Byfield forecasts several depth-chart outcomes — Caleb Douglas as Miami's No. 2 receiver, Mike Washington as Jeanty's top backup, Joe Milton as Dallas' backup QB, Kyle Williams fourth in New England — plus John Metchie making the Panthers' roster and Jeremiyah Love being a draft-day discount who outperforms his cost once healthy.

**Claimed:** Aug 27, 2026
**Pundit:** Raju Byfield — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/raju-byfield
**Outlet:** FantasyPros — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fantasypros
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/08/14-preseason-studs-2026-fantasy-football/

6 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls, 1 roster spot call and 1 sleeper call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

1 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 3.

> He should be considered questionable at best for Week 1 of the regular season, but has already shown enough that he will be a RB2 with weekly RB1 upside once he is healthy.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **John Metchie III to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: John Metchie III, Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Mike Washington to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Mike Washington, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Caleb Douglas to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kyle Williams to be 4th on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyle Williams, New England Patriots
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jeremiyah Love to outplay his draft cost**
  - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Joe Milton III to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- John Metchie III — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/john-metchie-iii
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers
- Mike Washington — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/mike-washington
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Caleb Douglas — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/caleb-douglas
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Kyle Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kyle-williams
- New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots
- Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love
- Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cardinals
- Joe Milton III — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/joe-milton-iii
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys

## What others said about the same people

- Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100)
- 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)
- Henry McKenna on Carson Beck: McKenna 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9025c533-03e6-4e1f-8773-b8ef2f1d46ea (scored 0)
- Fernando Alfaro-Donis on Kayshon Boutte: Argues the Raiders' weakest spot is their receiver room, expects Jalen Nailor to take a big step forward in Klint Kubiak's scheme with Kirk Cousins starting before Fernando Mendoza takes over, and suggests Las Vegas should trade a mid-round pick for Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte, who would immediately become their top option. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b988191f-a153-4f4b-a1b8-7b5a7a18265c (scored 0)
- Brandon Carney on Stefon Diggs: Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c4d477da-4fb8-4a25-a904-c5057a249a70 (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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)

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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:
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