# Week 5, 2026: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints Oct 11, 2026 · not played yet · 4 calls on record Who do pundits pick in Vikings vs Saints? Of 4 pundits with a call on record, all 4 take the Vikings. 1 named a score; the median has the Vikings by 3. Every call is graded once the game is final. Page: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-5-vikings-at-saints Picks: - [John Breech](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-breech) took the Vikings, Vikings 19–Saints 16; said Oct 6, 2026; not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/adff8191-46ce-4758-bbee-d01fc48361d3 - [Jason Harmon](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/jason-harmon) took the Vikings; said Oct 5, 2026; not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ae2419c2-6231-4d35-bfc4-3ea10897ef57 - [Greg Auman](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/greg-auman) took the Vikings; said Oct 2, 2026; not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e05ef528-8257-4d4e-ab8f-1e7ab16f6a5a - [Ross Jackson](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ross-jackson) took the Vikings; said May 15, 2026; not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/479e95ee-26de-4174-8e2c-1d918dc1fc5b ## How they come in The Vikings are 4-0 and have won 4 straight; the Saints are 1-3 and have lost 2 straight. On win totals, 17 pundits put the Vikings at 9.6 wins on average, and 15 pundits put the Saints at 8.4 wins on average. Venue: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana - Minnesota Vikings: 4-0, won 4 straight (86 scored, 51 allowed) - Last games: W 15-10 vs Dolphins; W 23-16 at Buccaneers; W 9-3 at Bears - Unit ranks this season: offense 22nd, defense 1st of 32 - Last season: 9-8 - Win-total calls: 17 pundits, average 9.6, 6 to 12 wins - The side most pundits took won 1 of 3 Vikings games - New Orleans Saints: 1-3, lost 2 straight (105 scored, 128 allowed) - Last games: L 24-45 vs Falcons; L 27-35 vs Raiders; W 24-17 at Ravens - Unit ranks this season: offense 13th, defense 31st of 32 - Last season: 6-11 - Win-total calls: 15 pundits, average 8.4, 2 to 11 wins - The side most pundits took won 2 of 4 Saints 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 - [Kyler Murray](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray) (Starting QB, QB): 433 passing yards · 1 TD, 2 INT · 63.4% completions · 3 games; 30th in the NFL in passing yards - No. 2 Bryan DeArdo, Sep 24, 2026: an injured Kyler Murray, who will make his first start this Sunday against the Buccaneers since a Week 1 injury (not settled yet) - No. 5 Tom Pelissero, Sep 23, 2026: Kyler's back this week. (not settled yet) - [Aaron Jones](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/aaron-jones) (RB1, RB): 297 rushing yards on 72 carries · 1 TD · 9 catches for 68 · 4 games; 11th in the NFL in rushing yards - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Sep 17, 2026: Aaron Jones to be 1st on the depth chart (scored 100 out of 100) - No. 7 Derek Brown, Sep 17, 2026: Aaron Jones to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - [Justin Jefferson](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/justin-jefferson) (WR1, WR): 13 catches for 179 yards · 2 TD · 3 games; 58th in the NFL in receiving yards - No. 7 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Justin Jefferson to fall short of his draft cost (the first round) (not settled yet) - No. 9 Bucky Brooks, Sep 3, 2026: Justin Jefferson to make All-Pro (not settled yet) - [T.J. Hockenson](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/t-j-hockenson) (TE1, TE): 22 catches for 195 yards · 1 TD · 4 games; 47th in the NFL in receiving yards - [Dallas Turner](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/dallas-turner) (Sack leader, LB): 5.5 sacks · 10 solo tackles · 4 games; 2nd in the NFL in sacks - [Blake Cashman](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/blake-cashman) (Tackle leader, LB): 2.5 sacks · 15 solo tackles · 4 games; 48th in the NFL in solo tackles - [Tyler Shough](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tyler-shough) (Starting QB, QB): 1,203 passing yards · 9 TD, 3 INT · 67.2% completions · 4 games; 3rd in the NFL in passing yards - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Sep 3, 2026: Tyler Shough to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - No. 7 Derek Brown, Sep 26, 2026: Tyler Shough to finish top ? at his position, by fantasy points (not settled yet) - [Travis Etienne](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/travis-etienne) (RB1, RB): 128 rushing yards on 30 carries · 0 TD · 11 catches for 51 · 3 games; 36th in the NFL in rushing yards - No. 7 Derek Brown, Sep 8, 2026: Travis Etienne to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - No. 11 Ross Jackson, Sep 10, 2026: Travis Etienne to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - [Chris Olave](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chris-olave) (WR1, WR): 35 catches for 491 yards · 1 TD · 4 games; 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards - No. 7 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Chris Olave to outplay his draft cost (wide receiver 12 price tag) (not settled yet) - No. 9 Bucky Brooks, Aug 2, 2026: Chris Olave to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - [Juwan Johnson](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/juwan-johnson) (TE1, TE): 21 catches for 232 yards · 3 TD · 4 games; 23rd in the NFL in receiving yards - No. 11 Ross Jackson, Aug 28, 2026: Juwan Johnson to make the roster (scored 100 out of 100) - No. 26 Andrew Erickson, Aug 29, 2026: Juwan Johnson to outplay his draft cost (Late-round only) (not settled yet) - [Chase Young](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chase-young) (Sack leader, DE): 3.5 sacks · 5 solo tackles · 4 games; 6th in the NFL in sacks - No. 11 Ross Jackson, Aug 28, 2026: Chase Young to make the roster (scored 100 out of 100) - [Jonas Sanker](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonas-sanker) (Tackle leader, S): 17 solo tackles · 4 games; 22nd in the NFL in solo tackles - No. 10 Rich Hribar, Sep 8, 2026: Jonas Sanker to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet) - No. 11 Ross Jackson, Aug 28, 2026: Jonas Sanker to make the roster (scored 100 out of 100) --- 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-5 Method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology