# John Middlekauff: In a long mailbag, Middlekauff picked the 49ers to win the NFC West, said he'd lean toward Matt Stafford starting Week 1 despite real concern about the elbow, stuck with Daniel Jones as the Colts' starting quarterback over Anthony Richardson, expected Omarion Hampton to start and put up big rookie numbers with Offensive Rookie of the Year on the table, and thought Denver could win 11-12 games.

**Claimed:** Jul 31, 2025
**Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/john-middlekauff
**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://omny.fm/shows/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff/top-qb-coach-combos-will-stafford-injury-derail-rams-biggest-draft-bust-rookie-rb-s-any-hope-for-the-jets

8 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls, 2 player season numbers, 1 award pick, 1 division winner and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 8 have settled, averaging 41.5 out of 100, against 52.1 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> I don't think it's outrageous to go offensive rookie of the year.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **San Francisco 49ers to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: San Francisco 49ers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Omarion Hampton to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 91.67 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Matthew Stafford to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Omarion Hampton to win Offensive Rookie of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Denver Broncos to finish with 11 wins**
  - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 40 out of 100, against 5 for a naive guess
- **Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Omarion Hampton to record 1,300 rushing yards**
  - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 39 for a naive guess
- **Omarion Hampton to record 10 rushing tds**
  - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 72.63 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers
- Omarion Hampton — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/omarion-hampton
- Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers
- Matthew Stafford — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/matthew-stafford
- Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams
- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- Daniel Jones — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/daniel-jones
- Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/colts

## What others said about the same people

- Bucky Brooks on Keenan Allen: Brooks predicted J.J. McCarthy won't be on the Vikings' roster (traded or released), said Kyler Murray wins the Vikings' QB competition, made a series of 2025 award picks, made 2026 Heisman/draft projections including Arch Manning as the front-runner for the No. 1 overall pick, and said none of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow win a championship this season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10c3797b-f9e0-41ca-a2a3-5d765a242a79 (scored 100)
- Mike Tannenbaum on Stefon Diggs: Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f7a29c18-face-49c0-b84f-33715b4c6678 (scored 0)
- Nick Shook on Francis Mauigoa: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52)
- Scott Bogman on Olaivavega Ioane: He gave David Bailey to Tennessee at 4, Sonny Styles to Washington at 7, Caleb Downs to Cincinnati at 10, Carnell Tate to the Rams at 13, Denzel Boston to the Jets at 16, Kayden McDonald to Carolina at 19, Vega Ioane to the Chargers at 22, Peter Woods to Chicago at 25, Emmanuel Pregnon to Houston at 28 and Romello Height to Denver at 31, and insisted both Bailey and Downs are top-10 locks. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0b0cd1a9-31f7-40d9-9b9e-f52957c10494 (scored 70.71)
- Chris Brockman on Mac Jones: Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c06d1a3a-78d8-4aec-8574-159821b42aab (scored 0)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: 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)
- Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100)
- John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100)
- Mark Chichester on Deshaun Watson: Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef347873-c28b-4a47-bb04-2488937cd3cf (scored 100)
- Zachary Pereles on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1b6d3216-38ff-4922-9e0a-807497573121 (scored 100)

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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:
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