# Darren Smith: Smith picks L.J. Snead over Kristian Fulton to stick on the roster, believes the defensive lineman (FAU) is a lock to make the team, and states firmly that Patrick Mahomes will start under center in Week 1. **Claimed:** Aug 27, 2026 **Pundit:** Darren Smith — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/darren-smith **Outlet:** Locked On Chiefs (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/locked-on-chiefs-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/194e78/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/991e4a1b-5d12-4619-83ff-6448c2e3e44f/episodes/244dd505-f46d-4e0f-9b76-5f75bab69025/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=991e4a1b-5d12-4619-83ff-6448c2e3e44f&awEpisodeId=244dd505-f46d-4e0f-9b76-5f75bab69025&feed=9czLVzrJ 3 checkable claims — 2 roster spot calls and 1 depth chart call — 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. 2 of 3 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > I've already said Mahomes gonna play week one, so you can mark it down. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **L'Jarius Sneed to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: L'Jarius Sneed, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Felix Anudike-Uzomah to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Patrick Mahomes to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - L'Jarius Sneed — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/l-jarius-sneed - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Felix Anudike-Uzomah — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/felix-anudike-uzomah - Patrick Mahomes — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/patrick-mahomes ## What others said about the same people - Pete Prisco on Kansas City Chiefs: Prisco is the lone expert cited picking Kansas City, 20-17 over Denver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bea2711b-1066-488c-9180-75b8af7b8ab8 (scored 57.14) - Mike Florio on Kansas City Chiefs: Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b20f46e-ebc0-462f-9e7a-2ab82f91a2ea (scored 57.14) - John Pluym on Kansas City Chiefs: Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e7e5c159-21f2-4766-92de-857294ef51cf (scored 100) - Matt Verderame on Kansas City Chiefs: Verderame's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4f51f97-310d-4665-a47e-fdab93ff1fd1 (scored 100) - Mike Kadlick on Kansas City Chiefs: Kadlick's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/934613ff-97e3-4894-a383-faa755bdfc35 (scored 100) - Pete Prisco on Kansas City Chiefs: An unsigned CBS Sports Week 1 picks column predicts final scores for all 16 games, including a Seahawks rout of the Patriots in the Super Bowl rematch and a late Chiefs win over Denver in Patrick Mahomes' return. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d6f9bde0-aad0-4013-967c-c197b2e9be19 (scored 57.14) ## More roster spot calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (scored 0) - Cody Rourke on Mitchell Fraboni: Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ecf0b4d8-7096-41e4-b8bd-f37d5cdcd8d5 (scored 0) - Sayre Bedinger on Adam Prentice: Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac244b64-ba35-48be-bad9-b54ef4f4fcfc (scored 0) - Bob Morris on Adam Prentice: Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fbd4f215-eaf5-4bff-9431-d661656ff28a (scored 100) - Erick Trickel on Adam Prentice: After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3b8bcd8c-c4ab-4a02-9bb6-39d20cae9d37 (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Aaron Donald: Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ea18c6ec-7662-4e66-91ed-4d0ef9d7d97d (scored 100) --- 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=darren-smith