Ralph Vacchiano· Sep 21, 2026
Vacchiano says the Saints, whom he had already called the NFC's biggest surprise of the season, are good enough to win the weak NFC South, though not yet a championship contender.
“The Saints probably aren't a championship contender yet, but they're good enough to finish on top of the weak NFC South.”
published in writing · read the original →
2 checkable claims — 1 division winner and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
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Who this take is about
2 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsSep 21, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“The Saints probably aren't a championship contender yet, but they're good enough to finish on top of the weak NFC South.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsNew Orleans SaintsSep 21, 2026
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
“I told you the New Orleans Saints were for real, and were going to be the biggest surprise in the NFC this year.”
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 division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Daniel DiBerardinisDivision Winners · Atlanta FalconsMiss · 0Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. He also gives a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · New York GiantsMiss · 0Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Cowherd unveiled his top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Baltimore RavensMiss · 0Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. He also names the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.
- Danny ParkinsDivision Winners · Baltimore RavensMiss · 0Parkins lays the points with the Eagles and Cowboys, takes Baltimore to beat Pittsburgh and win the AFC North, picks Carolina over Tampa Bay and Seattle over San Francisco, and says he'd probably pick the Rams to come out of the NFC.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.