Fortune favors the bold. Or so they are saying.
But that is what this train is all about — taking a look at the fantasy football season forward and figuring out the gamers we really feel most strongly about. There’s no backing down right here.
Will these predictions come to fruition? We’ll discover out in 5 months if we had been completely off, had been on the proper path or, hopefully, flat-out nailed it.
Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Football. Play the No. 1 Fantasy sport for free!
Caleb Williams will end as QB1
Matt Bowen: Williams completed as the No. 5 QB in complete scoring final season and scored 18.7 factors per sport (No. 7). We noticed his playmaking abilities, plus he gives a dashing increase (383 yards, three touchdowns). With a flexible and explosive receiving corps, led by tight finish Colston Loveland, and an elite playcaller in Ben Johnson, I see a path for Williams to supply big-time numbers in 2026.
Cam Skattebo will end amongst the high 10 fantasy RBs
Mike Clay: Skattebo is turning into extra reasonably priced in drafts following the Giants’ signing of Najee Harris, and you may signal me up for the low cost. Harris wasn’t a lot of a risk to Omarion Hampton final season, and that was earlier than he suffered a torn Achilles. Skattebo, in the meantime, averaged 19.1 fantasy factors throughout six full video games, which might’ve ranked sixth amongst operating backs over the full season.
De’Zhaun Stribling will lead all rookie WRs in fantasy factors
Tristan H. Cockcroft: What extra does Stribling have to do to crack the high 50 amongst broad receivers in ADP? Stribling, who ran a blazing 4.36 40-yard sprint at the mix, caught a whopping 11 passes for 109 yards in his first two preseason video games, incomes the reward of the 49ers’ teaching workers and gamers alike. He’s prone to function the crew’s major slot receiver and has heightened his statistical ceiling to Carnell Tate ranges.
Christian McCaffrey will NOT end amongst the high 10 RBs
Daniel Dopp: After smashing the fantasy panorama in 2025, McCaffrey is a serious regression candidate given his 450-touch workload final season. McCaffrey, 30, has three seasons of 400-plus touches in his nine-year profession. Unfortunately, the seasons following such a heavy contact rely have confirmed to be … lackluster. McCaffrey missed vital time in the earlier follow-up seasons and didn’t stay as much as draft expectations, scoring fewer than 100 fantasy factors in every. Consider me out on McCaffrey due to these workload considerations.
Josh Allen‘s profession yr results in DJ Moore being a top-five WR
Michael F. Florio: We have seen a extra aggressive passing assault in the preseason with Joe Brady totally accountable for the Bills’ offense. In his lone two preseason drives, Allen averaged extra air yards per try than in any sport in the previous two seasons. My prediction? This results in profession highs in passing yards and touchdowns for Allen (and a second MVP) and Moore is closely focused (like he was with Brady in Carolina), resulting in a top-five fantasy WR season.
The Ravens can have top-10 choices at each place
Eric Karabell: QB Lamar Jackson, RB (*10*) and the Ravens D/ST are entering into the high 10 at their respective positions. Jackson and Henry shall be nice, after all. Don’t cease there! Zay Flowers was the No. 7 scorer at WR final season, and Mark Andrews has completed in the high 5 amongst TEs 5 instances in seven seasons. They will thrive, too. Why cease there? Get Okay Tyler Loop, too!
Jonathan Taylor will end exterior of the high 12 fantasy RBs
Liz Loza: Taylor and Derrick Henry are two of simply 15 RBs to clear 300 carries in consecutive campaigns over the previous 20 years. Of the 13 remaining ball carriers, simply six completed inside the high 12 fantasy RBs in the following season, and solely two have completed inside the high eight. Furthermore, solely 4 of these 13 backs performed each sport the subsequent season. The query isn’t how typically Taylor shall be fed. It’s whether or not he can stand up to the projected feast.
Chris Godwin Jr. shall be a top-30 WR
Eric Moody: Before an ankle harm in 2024, Godwin was averaging 19.6 fantasy factors. He performed in simply 9 video games final season, and it took him a while to ramp again up, however we acquired a glimpse of what he is able to in Week 17 when he turned eight targets into 23.8 fantasy factors. He’s projected for the second-most targets on the Buccaneers behind Emeka Egbuka.
Colston Loveland shall be the No. 1 TE
Adam Rank: I get it, I’m a homer. That should not dissuade you from taking Loveland in your fantasy drafts. In truth, I do not even take a look at Brock Bowers and Trey McBride as a result of I’m focusing on Loveland. He was the No. 2 tight finish from Weeks 8 to 18 final season, which was buoyed by an enormous sport in Week 18. Loveland additionally had 48 targets in his remaining 4 video games (together with playoffs). Lock him in for 300-plus fantasy factors.
Brock Bowers will catch 130 passes, breaking the NFL’s single-season TE file
Field Yates: The shine is off Bowers just a bit bit coming into this season, as an injury-impacted sophomore season has his inventory decrease than it must be. Not solely is he, in my view, the most gifted participant at the place, he is additionally the clear-cut major goal in an offense set to make a leap in 2026. The Raiders onboarded Jalen Nailor this offseason to play alongside Tre Tucker as their high two wideouts, however neither participant is an actual risk to problem Bowers as the go-to. Leading the league in targets, catches or goal share — perhaps all three — is feasible.