John Breech· Sep 20, 2026
Grading Week 2, Breech says the Saints — fresh off upsetting the Ravens in Baltimore — look like a club that could beat expectations this season.
“The Saints feel like they could be a surprise team this season.”
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- Surprise Team CallsNew Orleans SaintsSep 20, 2026
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
“The Saints feel like they could be a surprise team this season.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Jake CielyTrade and Signing Calls · Romeo DoubsMiss · 0On a Fantasy Pros free-agency show, Jake Seely gave his projected 2026 landing spots for a long list of free agents, including Aaron Rodgers to Minnesota, Daniel Jones back to Indianapolis, Malik Willis to Miami, Alec Pierce to the Raiders, Mike Evans to the 49ers, Deebo Samuel to Pittsburgh, Kenneth Walker to Arizona, Breece Hall to Kansas City and Kyle Pitts and Dallas Goedert re-signing with their current teams.
- Cynthia FrelundMock Draft Picks · Shedeur SandersMiss · 0In her first mock draft for 2025, Frelund has the Titans taking Travis Hunter first overall rather than a quarterback, and Shedeur Sanders going ninth to the Saints; she also says her simulations have Hunter off the board no later than third overall.
- Rich HribarPositional Finishes · Derek CarrHit · 100Hribar published his 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how he prioritizes drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1.
- Doug JoubertRoster Spot Calls · Daniel CarlsonHit · 100Joubert expects Daniel Carlson to win the Saints' place kicker job, as reflected in the site's final 53-man roster projection.
- Ross JacksonRoster Spot Calls · Spencer RattlerHit · 100Ross Jackson gives his final preseason 53-man roster projection for the New Orleans Saints, naming who makes the initial roster at every position group, who starts on injured reserve or the practice squad, and who the five starting offensive linemen and kicker will be.
- Ross JacksonRoster Spot Calls · Chris Rumph IIMiss · 0Ross Jackson lays out his early defensive 53-man roster projection for the 2026 Saints, naming five edge rushers, four interior defensive linemen, five cornerbacks, five linebackers and five safeties, plus his kicker, punter and long snapper, and sends Mike Heldman, Chris Rumph and Jackson Sirmon to the practice squad.
More surprise team calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Gilberto ManzanoSurprise Team Calls · Las Vegas RaidersPendingManzano calls the 2-0 Raiders under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak one of the season's biggest surprise teams and a club now thinking playoffs, sees the 2-0 49ers headed for another winning season, and views New Orleans as the class of the NFC South with Tyler Shough playing well.
- Nick WrightSurprise Team Calls · Atlanta FalconsPendingWright stuck by his preseason call of a 12-5 Bills team that wins its division, picked the Jaguars to beat Denver outright, leaned Texans over Cincinnati, still has Atlanta as his deep sleeper, counts New England among his 14 playoff teams, and recalled pegging Washington for a 5-12 or 6-11 year with a bottom-six defense.
- Pete PriscoSurprise Team Calls · New York JetsPendingA Week 2 NFL power rankings column places the Seahawks first and the Dolphins last, with the 49ers rising six spots after beating the Rams and the Cowboys falling 12 after losing to the Giants. It also suggests the Cardinals and Jets could be better than expected.
- Steve HartmanSurprise Team Calls · Cincinnati BengalsPendingHartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo.
- Bill CowherSurprise Team Calls · Pittsburgh SteelersPendingCowher said the Steelers are flying under the radar entering the season and will have a better identity, framing them as a team that beats expectations.
- JJ WattSurprise Team Calls · Jacksonville JaguarsPendingWatt gave Seattle's defensive front the edge over New England's, said the Jaguars remain underrated and under-discussed, and described USC product Lloyd as the Packers' bell-cow starting back.