# Henry McKenna: In a set of 12 bold predictions for the 2026 NFL season, McKenna forecasts A.J. Brown leading the league in receptions, Caleb Williams topping 4,000 yards with a Bears playoff berth, the Lions going worst-to-first in the NFC North, Tyler Shough cracking the top 10 in passing, Aaron Donald reaching 14 sacks, Maxx Crosby leading the league in sacks, a Seahawks rookie back winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Dak Prescott winning MVP as Dallas makes the playoffs.

**Claimed:** Sep 1, 2026
**Pundit:** Henry McKenna — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/henry-mckenna
**Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fox-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/12-bold-nfl-predictions-who-wins-mvp-worst-first-tops-myles-garrett-sacks

12 checkable claims — 3 positional finishes, 2 award picks, 2 player season numbers, 2 playoff picks, 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> They’re going to make the playoffs. And when that happens, Prescott’s numbers and win totals will put him in the MVP race.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Maxx Crosby to move**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Maxx Crosby
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Tyler Shough to finish top 10 at his position, by passing yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Javonte Williams to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Maxx Crosby to finish top 1 at his position, by sacks**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Detroit Lions to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Detroit Lions
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Sam Darnold to record 14 sacks**
  - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Sam Darnold, Los Angeles Rams
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Caleb Williams to record 4,000 passing yards**
  - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Dak Prescott to win MVP**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Ray Rice to win Offensive Rookie of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Ray Rice, Seattle Seahawks
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **A.J. Brown to finish top 1 at his position, by receptions**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: A.J. Brown, New England Patriots
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Maxx Crosby — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/maxx-crosby
- Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears
- Tyler Shough — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tyler-shough
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints
- Javonte Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/javonte-williams
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions
- Sam Darnold — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/sam-darnold
- Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams
- Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams
- Dak Prescott — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/dak-prescott
- Ray Rice — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ray-rice
- Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks
- A.J. Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/a-j-brown
- New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots

## What others said about the same people

- Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0)
- Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100)
- Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0)
- Mike Moraitis on Ozzy Trapilo: Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdfe5f0f-6783-4730-b9bb-d942e28b037a (scored 0)
- Pete Martuneac on Ozzy Trapilo: After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d42f10ad-a71c-4ea9-95e8-2b53fde77971 (scored 0)
- Michael Hanich on Bud Clark: Hanich suggests Nick Emmanwori may miss Week 1 after ankle surgery, and that Noah Igbinoghene is making a strong case to be the Seahawks' Week 1 starting nickel, with Bud Clark also possibly stepping into a starting role if Emmanwori is out. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c15b8321-a10e-421f-8076-039ca96a05a8 (scored 0)

## More positional finishes

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

- Chris Brockman on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called his shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 100)
- Ryan Tracy on Bryan Cook: Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; he names Brian Robinson as his target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/18bb787c-4f93-4c95-b8c2-02daeeffe823 (scored 0)
- Pat Gustavson on Bijan Robinson: Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out his own coaching landing spots. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/06884586-5b21-40c8-9439-e303a3e8a806 (scored 75)
- JP Acosta on Bijan Robinson: JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named his own first-team All-Pro roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/660e3494-2b0b-415e-beb7-9e3bf3464e30 (scored 75)
- Chris Brockman on Josh Allen: Brockman opened with a series of week-one overreactions: Josh Allen repeats as MVP with Buffalo as the AFC's No. 1 seed, Bills-Ravens is both the game of the year and an AFC title game preview, Aaron Rodgers mirrors his 2021 MVP season with 40 TDs, the NFC Championship is played at Lambeau, the Colts are AFC South front runners, Cincinnati's slow start dooms them, Christian McCaffrey has a top-five MVP season, and the Chargers are the team to beat in the AFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/be6a3b07-690f-47a4-ad43-e4308584eb9c (scored 16.67)
- Ndamukong Suh on Nnamdi Madubuike: Asked who is the best at his position in the league today, Suh named Justin Madubuike, saying Jalen Carter is still too raw. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0096de7a-d4fb-4d17-8b94-94802e68d456 (scored 0)

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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

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