# Noah Strackbein: Strackbein predicts undrafted journeyman receiver Brandon Smith will keep impressing and make the Steelers' 53-man roster this season, and that he'll be among the first wideouts on the field in the preseason opener against Green Bay. **Claimed:** Aug 13, 2026 **Pundit:** Noah Strackbein — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/noah-strackbein **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/onsi/pittsburgh-steelers-brandon-smith-biggest-opportunity-packers 2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 roster spot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > So big that, if he keeps pulling off the unthinkable, he's going to end up on the 53-man team this season. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Brandon Smith to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Brandon Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brandon Smith to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Brandon Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Brandon Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brandon-smith-6775 - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers ## What others said about the same people - Nick Wright on Pittsburgh Steelers: Wright called the Chiefs the NFL's best team and predicted they'd control the Raiders on the road en route to the 12-5 season he had forecast, while also picking the Steelers, Bills and Vikings in Week 4. He expects Tyreek Hill to return to Kansas City, with his Arrowhead return coming Nov. 8 against the Jets, and sees Josh Simmons missing Week 4 but back by the Seahawks game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1084e46f-ca77-4c03-9425-ac0fa5492de2 (scored 0) - Ty Schmit on Pittsburgh Steelers: Schmidt picked the Steelers to beat the Browns, arguing teams missing multiple offensive line starters play badly against fronts like Pittsburgh's, and he also said he doesn't believe Jerry Jones will pay Joey Porter Jr. right away in Dallas. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/82e62b39-211f-43a1-95fc-a260faf4b4a4 (scored 0) - Chuck Pagano on Pittsburgh Steelers: Pagano picked the Steelers to win Thursday night in Cleveland, citing Pittsburgh's pass rush against a patched-together Browns offensive line and expecting a low-scoring rivalry game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cf66fb18-c5a0-43d4-aa30-388d02edc42e (scored 0) - AJ Hawk on Pittsburgh Steelers: Hawk said his instincts were on Pittsburgh from the start and he stuck with the Steelers to win in Cleveland on Thursday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/44d77c6f-361c-434f-af25-75e959afb410 (scored 0) - Connor "Boston Connor" Campbell on Pittsburgh Steelers: After flirting with taking Cleveland because of the Browns' Thursday night home history, Connor landed on the Steelers to win the game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/355d60f8-6bfd-4870-b712-a1821d039d38 (scored 0) - Anthony “Tone Digs” DiGuilio on Pittsburgh Steelers: Despite reciting the Browns' dominant Thursday night home history, Tone sided with the Steelers to win the game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cea3db87-dee9-43d7-96e6-baad881e39ac (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Christian Booher on Blake Miller: Booher lays out the Lions' projected depth chart for their Week 4 game at Carolina, naming starters, backups and reserves at every position, and suggests safety Bishop Fitzgerald could make his debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/de49ff55-54a5-4410-ba7c-0b7e1f1a2f68 (scored 0) - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: Bahns calls it reality that Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, with Deshaun Watson set to fail. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/18802de8-941e-4551-b6e3-df7a752020b6 (scored 0) - Carter Bahns on Shedeur Sanders: A CBS Sports preseason overreaction column argues Shedeur Sanders will take over as Cleveland's starting quarterback by Week 4, that Ja'Kobi Lane has a real path to a No. 2 receiver role as a rookie, and that Kenneth Walker III is a legitimate lead back atop the Chiefs' depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e82d31e3-169f-4419-a38c-ceaaa1d053a7 (scored 0) - Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100) --- 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.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.co/corrections?pundit=noah-strackbein