Simon Hunter· Aug 19, 2026
Simon Hunter says the NFC North is wide open and the healthy Vikings are the play: he's betting Minnesota to win the division and to go over 8.5 wins, and he'd back them at home in Week 1 against Green Bay. He also slots Jordan Jennings behind Justin Jefferson and Addison in the Vikings' receiver pecking order.
“So if I have to make a bet for this division, which I do, I am betting Minnesota.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
4 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner, 1 game outcome pick and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Minnesota Vikings · 2026 season · wins20 calls from 15 pundits between 1 wins and 12 wins. Simon Hunter said 9 wins. the room's median is 9 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
The game in this take
- Packers at Vikings 41 calls
4 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.
- Game Outcome PicksMinnesota VikingsAug 19, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to win
“I think they're plus one and a half at home against green Bay. I'm gonna make Chad bet that we're gonna be on Minnesota... That's a division dog at home week one. People are gonna be shocked.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- MIN
- score:
- 22-39
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- MIN
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- MIN
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsMinnesota VikingsAug 19, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to finish with 9 wins
“The odds are giving them at over eight and a half five to one. I have to take a chat. It's just it's just too good a value.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersMinnesota VikingsAug 19, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to win the division
“So if I have to make a bet for this division, which I do, I am betting Minnesota. I'm betting the divisional odds.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJauan JenningsMinnesota VikingsAug 19, 2026
Jauan Jennings to be 3rd on the depth chart
“They brought in Juan Jennings, who's a number you know, that's a stud receiver. He's the number two, number three receiver behind Addison”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice 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.
- Matt OkadaDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100In 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.
- Mike FanelliDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fanelli ranks all 32 NFL teams for 2026 fantasy purposes, with the Bengals first and the Dolphins last, and makes assorted calls including Joe Burrow winning Comeback Player of the Year, Drake Maye leading the league in passing touchdowns, various starting-role and depth-chart projections, plus sleepers (Godwin, Travis Hunter, Jonathon Brooks) and a bust call on De'Von Achane.
- Jordan DajaniDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports piece states Kyler Murray will be Minnesota's Week 1 starting quarterback with J.J. McCarthy as the backup, and suggests Tua Tagovailoa appears to have the Falcons' starting job locked up.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Drew LockMiss · 0In 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.
- Ralph VacchianoDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Vacchiano 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.
- Steven RuizDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In 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.
- Mike FlorioDepth Chart Calls · Shedeur SandersMiss · 0Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3.
- Nathan JahnkeDepth Chart Calls · Jalen TolbertMiss · 0PFF'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.
- Emmett MatasovskyDepth Chart Calls · Christian IzienMiss · 0Matasovsky 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.