# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd is high on Fernando Mendoza, calling him a first-round prospect who fits none of the bust profiles, and expects Kirk Cousins to open the season as the starter. Among his five bold predictions he has Justin Herbert winning multiple playoff games and Caleb Williams winning MVP. **Claimed:** Aug 13, 2026 **Pundit:** Colin Cowherd — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/colin-cowherd **Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/1508ddb2-0c9a-42f6-aafe-ae3300346aa9/294f3a66-290c-49f0-ae93-b4a50141a9ad/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 4 checkable claims — 1 award pick, 1 depth chart call, 1 mock draft pick and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > Caleb Williams MVP. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Fernando Mendoza to be picked “first round prospect” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kirk Cousins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Williams to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Kirk Cousins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kirk-cousins - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears ## What others said about the same people - 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) - Chris Roling on Los Angeles Chargers: Roling predicts a lopsided Chargers home win over the Cardinals in Week 1, 30-10, and advises starting Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton in fantasy while sitting Ladd McConkey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d4c64a5c-84bf-4ed6-9779-882e9a8fb212 (scored 30.95) - Eric Cohen on Chicago Bears: Cohen says the Bears win easily in Carolina, and that Tennessee starts 1-0 over a Jets team he considers the third-worst in the league. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/37c0b874-cb1b-43c8-b78e-96a7b287ae62 (scored 100) - Pete Prisco on Los Angeles Chargers: Prisco predicts the Lions blow out the Saints in Detroit and that the Chargers rout the Cardinals behind a new-look offense. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2bb82ce8-249f-4f77-b543-f84d64882973 (scored 0) - Shanna McCarriston on Los Angeles Chargers: The unsigned CBS Sports preview picks the Chargers to beat the Cardinals 27-17 in Week 1, and expects rookie Jake Slaughter to step in at center for Los Angeles after Tyler Biadasz's injury. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/77fd63b2-8b02-46a8-a1f9-dc052aa896c6 (scored 45.24) ## 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) --- 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=colin-cowherd