# Derek Brown: Brown expects Jonathan Brooks to break out as Carolina's lead back, Quinshon Judkins to own the bulk of Cleveland's backfield work including the red zone, and Tony Pollard to soak up the overwhelming majority of Tennessee's running back touches under Brian Daboll's one-back tendencies.

**Claimed:** Jun 23, 2026
**Pundit:** Derek Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/derek-brown
**Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/fantasypros-fantasy-football-podcast/12-hard-fantasy-football-draft-decisions-expert-picks-player-debates-ep-2057

3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — 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.

> I think Brooks is gonna break out. I think it's gonna be the lead running back.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jonathon Brooks to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Quinshon Judkins to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Tony Pollard to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jonathon Brooks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathon-brooks
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers
- Quinshon Judkins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/quinshon-judkins
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Tony Pollard — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tony-pollard
- Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/titans

## What others said about the same people

- 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)
- Paul Keren on Teven Jenkins: Keren says Teven Jenkins still projects as Cleveland's Week 1 starting right guard despite a push from KT Leveston, and that Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams will be the Browns' lead linebackers. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/86b36112-724c-4f9c-a4fd-cf74a38be8e4 (scored 0)
- Eric Cohen on Tennessee Titans: Cohen says the Bears win easily in Carolina, and that Tennessee starts 1-0 over a Jets team he considers the third-worst in the league. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/37c0b874-cb1b-43c8-b78e-96a7b287ae62 (scored 0)
- Kirk Herbstreit on Tennessee Titans: Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5bc3755c-9b84-484f-b8f2-b18d51a12261 (scored 0)
- AJ Hawk on Tennessee Titans: AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/74f9146c-d27f-4851-b8a4-4103d043308f (scored 0)
- Brady Quinn on Carolina Panthers: In the show's Week 1 picks-against-the-spread segment, Quinn took the Steelers over the Falcons, the Panthers at home over the Bears, the Bengals over the Buccaneers, the Texans at home over the Bills, and the Cowboys on the road over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/696da78f-ea04-4f40-9242-4fb9a3f93d91 (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)
- 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)

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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

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=derek-brown
