# Carter Bahns: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason overreactions piece judges that Shedeur Sanders will indeed open the season as Cleveland's starting quarterback, that J.J. McCarthy has slipped below the No. 2 spot in Minnesota, and that rookie Trey Smack has solved Green Bay's kicking problem. It dismisses the ideas that De'Zhaun Stribling wins Offensive Rookie of the Year and that the Jets' defense is fixed. **Claimed:** Aug 23, 2026 **Pundit:** Carter Bahns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/carter-bahns **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-preseason-week-2-overreactions-shedeur-sanders-browns-jets-defense/ 3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 6 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 above the room on 1 and below it on 2. > And after Watson's disastrous showing on Saturday, it is hard to picture the veteran winning the job. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Shedeur Sanders to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **J.J. McCarthy to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trey Smack to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Trey Smack, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Shedeur Sanders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/shedeur-sanders - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns - J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Trey Smack — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/trey-smack - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers ## What others said about the same people - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100) - Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback and to be one of the better quarterback values in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he likewise likes Tyler Shough as New Orleans' entrenched starter with an easy schedule. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/18bf77c0-c921-4593-997e-8405355274e9 (scored 100) - Paul Keren on Teven Jenkins: Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/86b36112-724c-4f9c-a4fd-cf74a38be8e4 (scored 0) - Matt Okada on Kyler Murray: In a PPR-framed fantasy draft guide, Okada makes a few non-fantasy claims: rookie Jeremiyah Love will be Arizona's featured back despite being listed as RB2, Tua Tagovailoa will be Atlanta's Week 1 starter, and Kyler Murray will open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8ada4169-6627-4730-a98d-6869382735d2 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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) - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0) - 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) - Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's fantasy football preseason recap projects depth-chart outcomes, roster spots and fantasy value for numerous players across several preseason games, including Chig Okonkwo's expanded role in Washington, Ja'Kobi Lane as Baltimore's WR3, Malachi Fields winning the Giants' starting X job, and Zachariah Branch being a fantasy bust relative to his late-round cost. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/22a4578b-eb92-41d2-820b-1a7eaa2e4e2f (scored 0) --- 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: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=carter-bahns