# Rich Hribar: Hribar trusts Justin Herbert in Week 1 under new OC Mike McDaniel, expecting improved red-zone efficiency but a decline in rushing production. He views Jacoby Brissett as a volume-based QB2 for a Cardinals team likely to be pass-heavy as road underdogs, and expects Jake Slaughter, Cole Strange and Kayode Awosika to start on the Chargers' interior line. **Claimed:** Sep 9, 2026 **Pundit:** Rich Hribar — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/rich-hribar **Outlet:** Sharp Football Analysis — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sharp-football-analysis **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/fantasy/cardinals-chargers-week-1-fantasy-football-preview-nfl-worksheet-rich-hribar-2026/ 4 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls and 1 positional finishe — 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 below the rest of the room on every one. > While McDaniel will surely use Herbert's athleticism, I expect his rushing production to decline somewhat. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jake Slaughter to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jake Slaughter, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cole Strange to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cole Strange, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kayode Awosika to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kayode Awosika, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacoby Brissett to finish top 24 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jake Slaughter — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jake-slaughter - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Cole Strange — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cole-strange - Kayode Awosika — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kayode-awosika - Jacoby Brissett — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jacoby-brissett - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cardinals ## What others said about the same people - Henry McKenna on Carson Beck: McKenna predicts Kyler Murray will win the Vikings' starting QB job over J.J. McCarthy, that Minnesota will make the playoffs if Murray cuts out the hero ball, that both QBs will play in 2026, and wonders whether rookie Carson Beck could unseat Jacoby Brissett as Arizona's Week 1 starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9025c533-03e6-4e1f-8773-b8ef2f1d46ea (scored 0) - Chris Roling on Los Angeles Chargers: Roling predicts a lopsided Chargers home win over the Cardinals in Week 1, 30-10, and advises starting Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton in fantasy while sitting Ladd McConkey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d4c64a5c-84bf-4ed6-9779-882e9a8fb212 (scored 30.95) - Pete Prisco on Los Angeles Chargers: Prisco predicts the Lions blow out the Saints in Detroit and that the Chargers rout the Cardinals behind a new-look offense. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2bb82ce8-249f-4f77-b543-f84d64882973 (scored 0) - Shanna McCarriston on Los Angeles Chargers: The unsigned CBS Sports preview picks the Chargers to beat the Cardinals 27-17 in Week 1, and expects rookie Jake Slaughter to step in at center for Los Angeles after Tyler Biadasz's injury. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/77fd63b2-8b02-46a8-a1f9-dc052aa896c6 (scored 45.24) - Simon Hunter on Los Angeles Chargers: Hunter picked Houston and the Giants as underdog money line plays, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit as favorites, and used Pittsburgh plus the Chargers as his survivor picks for week one. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5ac46502-b65b-469b-befc-16fbc672b011 (scored 0) - Brandon Deutsch on Los Angeles Chargers: Deutsch streamed the Chargers defense in Week 1, forecasting a blowout win of more than 20 points over the Cardinals. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cc329622-3510-4f49-925b-ef46ad069d42 (scored 0) ## 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) - 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) - 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) - 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) --- 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=rich-hribar