Lane Mills· Aug 16, 2026
Reviewing the Titans' preseason opener, Mills describes rookie guard Fernando Carmona as the starter at right guard and the answer on the offensive line, and frames Tyjae Spears as being positioned for an expanded role behind Tony Pollard.
“On a more positive note, rookie guard Fernando Carmona looks like the answer Tennessee was searching for all offseason on the offensive line.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — 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.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 1.
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Who this take is about
3 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 CallsTyjae SpearsTennessee TitansAug 16, 2026
Tyjae Spears to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Spears got behind the likes of Carmona and Latham to deliver a taste of what could come in his anticipated expanded role this year. Pollard will need a successor sooner rather than later”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsCordale FlottTennessee TitansAug 16, 2026
Cordale Flott to be 1st on the depth chart
“Flott, who is expected to hold down the secondary alongside Alontae Taylor, needs a much better showing against the Seahawks.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Fernando Carmona to be 1st on the depth chart
“Carmona getting the start at right guard shocked folks at first, but it's clear that the Titans knew exactly what they had in him on the offensive line from the jump.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Colin CowherdMock Draft Picks · Cam WardHit · 100Cowherd delivered his own top-15 draft board — what he would do as GM of each team — pairing prospects with picks 1 through 15, and separately argued Shedeur Sanders is a far better prospect than Daniel Jones and that Aaron Rodgers should retire.
- Cody KesslerMock Draft Picks · Cam WardHit · 100Kessler disagreed that the Titans can skip a quarterback, predicting Tennessee takes Cam Ward with the first overall pick, and said Ward will be the first quarterback drafted in this class.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Abdul CarterHit · 92In his latest mock draft, Jeremiah has the Titans staying at No. 1 and selecting Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter first overall.
- Eric CohenGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Cohen 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.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
- AJ HawkGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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