Episode Summary: 2026 NFL Draft Team-by-Team Grades w/ Silva (April 27, 2026)
Adam and Silva run through grades on every team. Silva gives the Rams an F over the Ty Simpson pick and the Cardinals a D for taking Jeremiyah Love at 3. Raiders pull an A with Fernando Mendoza at 1, Treydan Stukes at 38, and a fourth-round chance on Jermod McCoy. Plus: Saints B+ with Adam dropping four bets on the offense, Eagles A with Jalen Hurts’ middle-of-the-field rate flagged as a fit issue for Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers, and Chiefs D+ over the Trent McDuffie trade and the trade-up for Mansoor Delane.
Listen to the Full Episode
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
Takeaway #1 (1:22): Cardinals D. Jeremiyah Love opens 23 overall on DraftKings, ETR’s straight math says Round 3
- Adam Levitan: Anyone looking at our best ball ranks is going to be surprised where we have Jeremiyah Love. He went 3 overall, and people expected him in Round 1. Our straight math on Love had him closer to a third-round pick. We juiced his ceiling because the ceiling case is exciting. That gets him to 23 overall on DraftKings. Once you mix in Tyler Allgeier, give Carson Beck some starts, and give targets to Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Michael Wilson, it’s hard to get there on Love.
- Evan Silva: Mid- to late-second-round pick in his gut. The Cardinals are not going to score many touchdowns. Bad offensive line. They’re paying Allgeier. He’s 15 to 20 pounds heavier than Love and was good at short yardage in Atlanta. They brought back James Conner, probably their best pass-blocking back. It also doesn’t make sense to load Love with a ton of work in Year 1. They want him healthy when they actually have a competitive roster in 2027. Touchdowns tilt fantasy, and Love is going to have to hit them from a long way away. Much harder in the NFL than the schedule Notre Dame played last year.
Takeaway #2 (28:24): Rams F. Silva says the NFL Network PR machine is out in full force
- Evan Silva: F. The Rams’ PR machine is out in full effect. They have a direct line to the media because the NFL Network office is literally across the street from the Rams’ office. Peter Schrager was at Sean McVay’s wedding. Dan Orlovsky is boys with that whole crew. The media is out to protect the Rams. That is absolutely a real thing.
- Evan Silva: We saw the body language Sean McVay gave off after the Ty Simpson pick. McVay’s a body language guy. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He had no energy and didn’t even seem genuine when he was talking about Simpson. Genuinely pissed. If by Week 8 Puka Nacua gets banged up or Davante Adams looks out of gas, McVay is going to be staring at the names they could have had in Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq. The kind of pick that leads to a rift.
- Adam Levitan: Two takeaways. First, it makes me a little more worried about the Matthew Stafford back and neck stuff we heard about last year. Maybe the Rams know more than we do about Stafford’s situation. We’re not baking that into projection. Second, it’s going to be hard not to be higher than the market on Davante Adams. People aren’t excited about drafting him. But behind Puka, it’s Adams, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, and Jordan Whittington. We’re going to be higher than market, at least to start best ball.
Takeaway #3 (1:21:23): Raiders get an A. Adam projecting 150 catches for Brock Bowers if Fernando Mendoza is good
- Evan Silva: A. Building irrational confidence that Fernando Mendoza is a lock franchise quarterback. The way he carries himself, his size, arm strength, athleticism, will be brought along under Klint Kubiak in a Tom Brady-governed situation. A lot to bet on. Treydan Stukes at 38 was a guy Daniel Jeremiah had at 29 overall in his final mock to Kansas City. Took a fourth-round chance on Jermod McCoy at the perfect spot. Even if they redshirt him in his first season, it’s worth it. 10 picks total.
- Adam Levitan: If Mendoza is good, it’s been an incredible offseason for Brock Bowers. No target competition. The knee is healthy. Mendoza and Kubiak come in. Bowers can’t do Jaxon Smith-Njigba things, but he can do things JSN can’t. Racking up volume. Brock is going to catch 150 passes this year. We have him 19 overall on DraftKings and Trey McBride 15. Gut says Bowers should be higher.
Listen to the Full Episode
Spotify: Listen on Spotify
Apple Podcasts: Listen on Apple Podcasts
YouTube: Watch on YouTube
About Establish The Run
Establish The Run was founded by Adam Levitan and Evan Silva, two of the most respected analysts in fantasy football and sports betting. ETR delivers high-quality, actionable analysis across season-long, best ball, DFS, and props.
Join our Free Email List: Sign Up
Subscribe to ETR: Subscribe
