# Ross Jackson: Ross Jackson ranks the 10 most important New Orleans Saints players entering 2026, with quarterback Tyler Shuck first, Chase Young second and Chris Olave third, plus honorable mentions. They also suggest safety Julian Blackmon is the logical candidate to become the first Saint since 2017 to top four interceptions in a season.

**Claimed:** Jun 16, 2026
**Pundit:** Ross Jackson — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ross-jackson
**Outlet:** Locked On Saints (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/locked-on-saints-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/83ac39/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/26a658f6-15f1-4878-ab5f-d78d7d886aa9/episodes/1c3e7a95-35dc-4f46-8d13-b6f3fecc1753/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=26a658f6-15f1-4878-ab5f-d78d7d886aa9&awEpisodeId=1c3e7a95-35dc-4f46-8d13-b6f3fecc1753&feed=aKgoC4uX

4 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 player season number and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 4 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 below the rest of the room on every one.

> The New Orleans Saints' most important player going into 2026 is Tyler Shuck.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- “Tyler Shuck, number one. Chase Young, number two. Chris Olave, number three. Calvin Banks junior. Carl Granderson, cornerback Kool Aid McKendree as well as safety. Julian Blackman give us four through seven. And then eight was Jawan Johnson. Nine, David Edwards. 10, Travis h Han junior.”
  - Kind: Top Player Lists
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **David Edwards to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: David Edwards, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Julian Blackmon to record 5 interceptions**
  - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Julian Blackmon, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kool-Aid McKinstry to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kool-Aid McKinstry, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- David Edwards — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-edwards
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints
- Julian Blackmon — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/julian-blackmon
- Kool-Aid McKinstry — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kool-aid-mckinstry

## What others said about the same people

- Doug Joubert on Charlie Smyth: Joubert projects the Saints' 53-man roster ahead of the cutdown deadline, naming every player they expect to make the team by position group, plus several players they expect to receive PUP/IR designations, and predicting Torricelli Simpkins will later be moved to the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/80c9bcdf-68ec-49a5-a1d1-e59f4bee2653 (scored 100)
- Pete Prisco on New Orleans Saints: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 95.24)
- Grant Chachere on New Orleans Saints: Chachere picks the Saints to beat the Browns 24-10, arguing Cleveland's switch to Shedeur Sanders with Deshaun Watson out tilts the game toward New Orleans. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2c694760-ef96-4645-9ef4-c00bae62de32 (scored 69.05)
- Chris Simms on New Orleans Saints: Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17eb747a-90b1-472f-bb6d-e71c0c69133a (scored 92.86)
- Connor Rogers on New Orleans Saints: Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/11646f69-18dd-4831-a7de-e4115ded875c (scored 100)
- Chris Long on New Orleans Saints: Previewing the Week 9 slate, Chris Long expects the Saints to beat Cleveland, the Colts to beat Dallas, New England to edge Green Bay, and Baltimore to beat the Chargers on Monday night. They also call the Packers a top-10 defense once Micah Parsons returns, names their top six quarterbacks of the season, and expects Brandon Ayuk to be released, with Will Lee and Trevion Henderson sidelined this week. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/623f8e00-789e-4239-9edc-5e1285346b9d (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Jeremy Brener on Drew Lock: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100)
- Jeremy Brener on Jalen Milroe: Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42d1bd81-5e19-456e-9f68-b3b135170ec0 (scored 0)
- Michael Moore on Shedeur Sanders: In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e26319a3-10aa-49a6-a24d-a257521363f0 (scored 100)
- Zachary Pereles on Shedeur Sanders: Pereles writes that if Deshaun Watson can't clear concussion protocol in time, the Browns would likely turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Week 9 against the Saints. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6dad75dd-1818-4a6a-91ea-832f491c2530 (scored 100)
- Nic Bodiford on Joe Fagnano: Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a13b9f29-bb76-4c56-b226-aca74b21f5b7 (scored 100)
- Garrett Podell on Carson Beck: Podell argues the Cardinals have maxed out with Jacoby Brissett and that rookie Carson Beck should be ramped up to replace them as starter, targeting Week 8 at Dallas for Beck's regular-season debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2f499498-ebbe-41f8-8ea3-41fe96f79432 (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.

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