# Panthers vs Steelers prediction: what pundits picked

Week 16, 2026: Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers

Dec 27, 2026 · not played yet · 1 call on record · updated Aug 29, 12:44 AM ET

Who do pundits pick in Panthers vs Steelers? The one pundit with a call on record so far takes the Panthers. Every call is graded once the game is final.

Page: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-16-panthers-at-steelers

Picks:

- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) took the Panthers; said Aug 28, 2026; on The Rich Eisen Show (podcast); not settled yet

## How they come in

The Panthers are 3-5 and have lost 3 straight; the Steelers are 6-2 and have won 4 straight. On win totals, 12 pundits put the Panthers at 7.4 wins on average, and 19 pundits put the Steelers at 9.1 wins on average.

Venue: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

- Carolina Panthers: 3-5, lost 3 straight (199 scored, 219 allowed)
  - Last games: L 21-26 vs Broncos; L 19-27 at Packers; L 13-43 vs Buccaneers
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 13th, defense 28th of 32
  - Last season: 8-9
  - Win-total calls: 13 pundits, average 7.4, 2 to 17 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 5 of 8 Panthers games
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-2, won 4 straight (180 scored, 144 allowed)
  - Last games: W 27-6 vs Browns; W 16-10 at Saints; W 26-19 at Buccaneers
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 14th, defense 3rd of 32
  - Last season: 10-7
  - Win-total calls: 19 pundits, average 9.1, 6 to 12 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 6 of 8 Steelers games

## Players to watch

Each club's starting quarterback, leading rusher, receiver and tight end, and its sack and tackle leaders, with their 2026 regular season so far, with the latest call on each from a pundit ranked on the leaderboard whose record beats the naive pick, made since the 2026 schedule came out ("No." is that rank). Leaderboard: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/leaderboard

- [Bryce Young](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bryce-young) (Starting QB, QB): 2,197 passing yards · 16 TD, 6 INT · 60.4% completions · 8 games; 8th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 5 Tom Pelissero, Jul 17, 2026: Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated (not settled yet)
  - No. 36 Chris Brockman, Oct 5, 2026: Bryce Young to finish top 8 at his position, by an unstated measure (not settled yet)
- [Chuba Hubbard](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chuba-hubbard) (RB1, RB): 619 rushing yards on 134 carries · 7 TD · 26 catches for 167 · 8 games; 10th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 20, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 17, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Tetairoa McMillan](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tetairoa-mcmillan) (WR1, WR): 46 catches for 625 yards · 3 TD · 8 games; 14th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 8, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to outplay his draft cost (Round 3) (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to fall short of his draft cost (a top 20 wide receiver price tag) (not settled yet)
- [Darren Waller](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/darren-waller) (TE1, TE): 23 catches for 299 yards · 4 TD · 8 games; 67th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 18 Carter Bahns, Aug 28, 2026: Darren Waller to be cut (scored 0 out of 100)
- [Princely Umanmielen](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/princely-umanmielen) (Sack leader, LB): 3 sacks · 12 solo tackles · 8 games; 51st in the NFL in sacks
- [Devin Lloyd](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/devin-lloyd) (Tackle leader, LB): 2 sacks · 31 solo tackles · 2 interceptions · 7 games; 45th in the NFL in solo tackles
  - No. 4 Bryan DeArdo, Sep 23, 2026: Devin Lloyd to win Defensive Player of the Year (not settled yet)
- [Aaron Rodgers](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/aaron-rodgers) (Starting QB, QB): 1,871 passing yards · 13 TD, 6 INT · 60.8% completions · 8 games; 16th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 4 Bryan DeArdo, Oct 25, 2026: Aaron Rodgers — Fourth all-time in regular season wins by a starting quarterback: should pass Drew Brees for fourth all-time by season's end (not settled yet)
  - No. 15 Mike Florio, Sep 4, 2026: Aaron Rodgers to move — “will retire from football after the upcoming season” (not settled yet)
- [Jaylen Warren](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaylen-warren) (RB1, RB): 704 rushing yards on 119 carries · 3 TD · 25 catches for 294 · 8 games; 6th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Oct 15, 2026: Jaylen Warren to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 24 Rich Hribar, Aug 4, 2026: Jaylen Warren to fall short of his draft cost (outside of the RB1 range in ADP) (not settled yet)
- [DK Metcalf](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/dk-metcalf) (WR1, WR): 33 catches for 378 yards · 1 TD · 8 games; 43rd in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 4 Bryan DeArdo, Aug 5, 2026: DK Metcalf to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 12, 2026: DK Metcalf to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Darnell Washington](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/darnell-washington) (TE1, TE): 19 catches for 254 yards · 3 TD · 8 games; 99th in the NFL in receiving yards
- [T.J. Watt](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/t-j-watt) (Sack leader, LB): 7.5 sacks · 13 solo tackles · 1 interception · 7 games; 4th in the NFL in sacks
  - No. 18 Carter Bahns, Aug 7, 2026: T.J. Watt to make Pro Football Hall of Fame (not settled yet)
  - No. 43 Richard Sherman, Nov 4, 2026: T.J. Watt to win Defensive Player of the Year (not settled yet)
- Payton Wilson (Tackle leader, LB): 1 sack · 35 solo tackles · 1 interception · 8 games; 20th in the NFL in solo tackles

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The room is counted in pundits, each one's latest call standing. Accuracy is out of 100; the naive pick is the home team.
The week: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-16
Method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology