# Fox Sports: In a news roundup, FOX Sports states that Travis Etienne steps into the undisputed lead running back role in New Orleans with Alvin Kamara injured, and notes Will Howard is in a tight battle to make the 53-man roster while Drew Allar could be the Steelers' starting quarterback as early as next season.

**Claimed:** Aug 20, 2026
**Pundit:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/fox-sports
**Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fox-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-vita-vea-gets-his-deal-sparks-eagles-patriots-practice-more

2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

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

Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> While Etienne steps into the undisputed lead role, Kamara was still expected to play a role in the Saints' offense.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Drew Allar to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Travis Etienne to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Travis Etienne, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Drew Allar — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/drew-allar
- Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers
- Travis Etienne — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/travis-etienne
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints

## What others said about the same people

- Bryan DeArdo on Drew Allar: A CBS Sports piece lays out Pittsburgh's quarterback pecking order: Aaron Rodgers starts, Mason Rudolph is the No. 2, rookie Drew Allar sits at No. 3 and Will Howard is fourth, with the Steelers expected to keep all four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster rather than trading Howard. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4af69b53-867a-4e1f-8e7d-7f699e4ed649 (scored 100)
- Ross Jackson on Juwan Johnson: Ross 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b43691e9-1673-4236-ba12-7d60ad3b95f5 (scored 100)
- Doug Joubert on Will Sherman: Joubert projects the Saints' 53-man roster ahead of the cutdown deadline, naming every player he expects to make the team by position group, plus several players he expects to receive PUP/IR designations, and predicting Torricelli Simpkins will later be moved to the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80c9bcdf-68ec-49a5-a1d1-e59f4bee2653 (scored 100)
- Jack Markowski on Will Howard: Markowski writes that Howard now appears locked into the 53-man roster, that Pittsburgh is unlikely to move Rudolph, and that Rudolph has the inside track to be the backup behind Aaron Rodgers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1085a04c-1453-40e5-ad1f-1d1573417b37 (scored 100)
- Grant Chachere on Barion Brown: Reviewing the Saints' unofficial depth chart, Chachere says Devaughn Vele is the No. 3 receiver, Barion Brown will be the fourth receiver and a lock to make the 53-man roster, and Travis Etienne will out-carry Alvin Kamara as the lead back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a21e4240-e93f-4f19-86ee-7190e37e3cfa (scored 100)
- Kevin Patra on Mason Rudolph: Patra argues the Steelers are increasingly likely to keep four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster, with Mason Rudolph and third-round pick Drew Allar both safe, leaving Will Howard's spot as the only real question. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5d2a53ae-b642-4021-9718-b3ab8e83c9b0 (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

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

- Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100)
- Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (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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