# Tyler Sullivan: An unsigned CBS Sports piece argues J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings will split before the 2026 regular season, and that Carson Wentz is poised to pass him on the depth chart as Kyler Murray's primary backup, pushing McCarthy to QB3. **Claimed:** Aug 26, 2026 **Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/what-should-vikings-do-with-j-j-mccarthy/ 3 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 3 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 above the rest of the room on every one. > In a broader sense, the best path forward for both parties in the wake of not naming him the starter appears to be going their separate ways before the 2026 regular-season campaign begins. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **J.J. McCarthy to move to Minnesota Vikings** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings - 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 - **Carson Wentz to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Carson Wentz — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/carson-wentz ## 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) - 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) - 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) - Mike Fanelli on Kyler Murray: Fanelli 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2c6f6ca7-2193-4aef-8a62-e4a7f535b80a (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Kyler Murray: An 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/19a4034c-aa5b-4af7-8032-43473ee363dd (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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) - 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) - 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=tyler-sullivan