Zachary Pereles· Aug 18, 2026
In a piece naming the hottest seat on all 32 teams, Pereles makes a handful of concrete forecasts: the Cowboys make the playoffs if their defense is merely average, Blake Miller starts at right tackle for the Lions, Jonah Savaiinaea is the Dolphins' starting right guard, and Kyler Murray is Minnesota's starter.
“If Dallas is middle of the pack -- or really just mediocre -- defensively, it will be a playoff team.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
6 checkable claims — 5 depth chart calls and 1 playoff pick — 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Kyler Murray · 2026 season15 calls from 11 pundits between 1 and 2. Zachary Pereles 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
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Who this take is about
6 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.
- Depth Chart CallsBlake MillerDetroit LionsAug 18, 2026
Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart
“Miller will slot in at right tackle as Penei Sewell switches to the left side for the Lions.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsKyler MurrayMinnesota VikingsAug 18, 2026
Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart
“Kyler Murray winning the Vikings' starting quarterback job wasn't a surprise, but it wasn't the smoothest sailing, either.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTua TagovailoaAtlanta FalconsAug 18, 2026
Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart
“he's already in the hot seat as the presumed starter”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDallas CowboysAug 18, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
“If Dallas is middle of the pack -- or really just mediocre -- defensively, it will be a playoff team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsPenei SewellDetroit LionsAug 18, 2026
Penei Sewell to be 1st on the depth chart
“Miller will slot in at right tackle as Penei Sewell switches to the left side for the Lions.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJonah SavaiinaeaMiami DolphinsAug 18, 2026
Jonah Savaiinaea to be 1st on the depth chart
“Savaiinaea is the clear starter at right guard, but if he doesn't improve significantly from his rookie season, he might not be there for long.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- 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.
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis 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.
- 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.
- Nathan JahnkeDepth Chart Calls · Jalen TolbertMiss · 0PFF'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.
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.
- 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.
- Paul KerenDepth Chart Calls · Teven JenkinsMiss · 0Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers.
- 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.
- Mike MoraitisDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0Moraitis 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.
- Noah ComptonDepth Chart Calls · C.J. AllenMiss · 0After watching the Colts' eleventh training camp practice, Compton says rookie linebacker CJ Allen is still expected to start the regular-season opener, identifies Alec Pierce as the team's top receiver and Cam Taylor-Britt as the first cornerback behind the starting trio, and declares the kicking job Blake Grupe's to lose.