# Warren Sharp: Sharp argues Raiders rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is not ready to play, predicting he won't start Week 1 or Week 2 and that Kirk Cousins will be the Week 1 starter, with Mendoza sitting behind him for a long stretch. **Claimed:** Aug 28, 2026 **Pundit:** Warren Sharp — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/warren-sharp **Outlet:** Sharp Football Analysis — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sharp-football-analysis **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/analysis/fernando-mendoza-preseason-stats/ 2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room. > There's no way Mendoza starts Week 1. Or Week 2. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Kirk Cousins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kirk-cousins - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza ## What others said about the same people - Carter Bahns on Kirk Cousins: The newsletter says Shedeur Sanders' preseason Week 2 start may have won him the Browns' starting quarterback job over Deshaun Watson, and that Kirk Cousins will lead the Raiders' offense in Week 1. It also asserts Florida is the best college basketball team heading into 2026-27. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/551a6c15-18a9-488d-a1c2-52e7643735cd (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Kirk Cousins: An unsigned preseason overreaction piece: Kirk Cousins, not rookie Fernando Mendoza, will start Week 1 for the Raiders; 49ers second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling could be the most productive rookie receiver in 2026 and the team's top target; Cam Ward's rough preseason isn't a real problem; Drew Allar isn't yet Pittsburgh's 2027 starter; and D.J. Moore will boost Buffalo's offense. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/171507fa-f1c7-4308-957f-f9114e41996a (scored 100) - John Breech on Kirk Cousins: In a preseason Week 1 winners-and-losers piece, CBS Sports says Bengals receiver Dohnte Meyers is now likely to make the roster, suggests fantasy drafters consider 49ers rookie De'Zhaun Stribling, expects Kirk Cousins rather than rookie Fernando Mendoza to start Week 1 for the Raiders, and suggests Anthony Richardson has moved ahead of Riley Leonard for the Colts' backup quarterback job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d028cdb8-972f-4e80-af43-d5f967fdd8f4 (scored 100) - Carter Bahns on Kirk Cousins: Unsigned piece states Kirk Cousins, who started the Raiders' preseason opener, will also be the Week 1 starting quarterback, while suggesting rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza could eventually take the job if Las Vegas falls out of contention. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d1f095c-4039-4192-b023-126b2cc23e59 (scored 100) - Eric Patterson on Kirk Cousins: In a bold-predictions column for the 2026 fantasy season, Patterson calls Kenneth Walker III the top-scoring RB in Kansas City, fades De'Von Achane, likes Blake Corum as a top-20 back, predicts Justin Jefferson reclaims WR1 with Kyler Murray, has Jordyn Tyson outscoring Chris Olave and Matthew Golden outscoring Christian Watson, sees Brock Bowers breaking the single-season receptions record, and pegs Brock Purdy as a top-five quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5f496296-76b7-4eda-b83a-8ed21f9d01e5 (scored 100) - Mike Fanelli on Kirk Cousins: Fanelli ranks all 32 NFL teams for 2026 fantasy purposes, with the Bengals first and the Dolphins last, and makes assorted calls including Joe Burrow winning Comeback Player of the Year, Drake Maye leading the league in passing touchdowns, various starting-role and depth-chart projections, plus sleepers (Godwin, Travis Hunter, Jonathon Brooks) and a bust call on De'Von Achane. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2c6f6ca7-2193-4aef-8a62-e4a7f535b80a (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Rich Hribar on Malik Willis: Hribar previews the Week 1 Dolphins-Raiders game, calling Malik Willis a strong floor-based QB2 for fantasy, noting Kirk Cousins is the Raiders' starter and not a Week 1 streamer in 1QB leagues, and listing expected defensive starters for both teams. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0ff48079-418b-4d5a-9eb2-6e66b0e6f6e1 (scored 100) - Randy Gurzi on Jadarian Price: Gurzi suggests the Seahawks could sign three free agents — safety Donovan Wilson, guard Kevin Zeitler, and running back Kareem Hunt — if weaknesses show up after Week 1. He also notes Trevon Diggs starting on the practice squad and describes Seattle's projected backfield roles. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/350eed1b-4675-4a2d-aaf5-812e20678283 (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Malik Willis: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Greg Auman on Malik Willis: Auman states Malik Willis will be Miami's Week 1 starting quarterback and the player the Dolphins build their season around, despite having only six career starts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4954ba44-5b36-43a2-9dcf-26538ad31e26 (scored 100) - Diante Lee on Malik Willis: An unsigned Ringer training camp preview posing one question per team; it commits to a few concrete outcomes — Aaron Donald coming out of retirement with the Rams, Kyler Murray winning Minnesota's starting quarterback job, and Malik Willis opening as Miami's Week 1 starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d9fd78de-f61e-44e8-8f31-2ddefa840186 (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Jalyx Hunt: From an Eagles training camp practice, Kerr projects Willie Lampkin as a possible 53-man roster player, Jalyx Hunt as the likely Week 1 starting edge rusher over Nolan Smith, Byron Young as the No. 4 defensive tackle, Jake Elliott as the uncontested kicker, and Darius Cooper pressuring Hollywood Brown for the WR4 role. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f314062a-7912-4727-8ff1-9edc813f10e1 (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=warren-sharp