Fantasy: 9 bold predictions for 2016

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2016 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

theScore's Justin Boone and David P. Woods deliver nine bold predictions for the 2016 fantasy season.

David Johnson will finish as RB1 and be the undisputed No. 1 pick in 2017 drafts

Johnson will prove to be the exception to the Zero-RB trend, which suggests drafting wide receivers in the early rounds instead of running backs. In a featured role (and make no mistake - Chris Johnson is no threat to steal carries), the Arizona Cardinals sophomore will improve on the 13 touchdowns he scored as a rookie and also lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage. It's Johnson, not Todd Gurley, who will emerge as the best fantasy asset in 2015's historically deep running back class. - David P. Woods

Jordan Reed will be fantasy's No. 1 tight end

The only times Rob Gronkowski hasn't ended the year with the fantasy tight end crown is when he's missed a significant amount of games. Reed was the clear runner-up at the position last year, and even averaged more fantasy points per game than Gronk in PPR formats. This season, Reed will continue to be the Redskins' top receiving option, while playing a full 16-game slate for the first time in his career. With Tom Brady set to miss the season's first four games, Gronk's numbers might see a slight downtick, just enough for Reed to pass him. - Justin Boone

Lamar Miller won't finish as a top-20 fantasy RB

Miller is being drafted in the first round on the promise that the Houston Texans will do what multiple coaching staffs in Miami failed to do: use him as a true feature back. Instead, the Texans will learn Miller simply doesn't have the body or mentality to be a workhorse. The Texans' offensive line won't help matters, as it will be exposed as one of the NFL's weakest. Miller will get banged up, lose the faith of his coaches, and eventually settle in to a timeshare that kills his fantasy value. - Woods

Marvin Jones will score more fantasy points than Calvin Johnson in 2015

No one, not even the Lions front office, expected Jones to fill the void left by the retirement of Johnson. However, Jones appears to have emerged as Detroit's new No. 1 receiver, while showing strong chemistry with new quarterback Matt Stafford. Jones isn't an all-world talent like Megatron was, but he's a skilled wideout who's finally getting a chance in a feature role. While he might not top Johnson's yardage, a double-digit touchdown season will allow Jones to end the year with more fantasy points than his predecessor. - Boone

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will both be top-8 fantasy QBs

The first and second overall picks in the 2015 NFL Draft will build on their promising rookie campaigns and ascend to fantasy QB1 status as sophomores. Don't worry about Mike Evans' drops last season, or the Titans' insistence they want to be a run-first team. Winston and Mariota are truly special talents and both will take big leaps forward as the game starts to slow down for them. By 2018, the pair could be the clear-cut QB1 and QB2 in fantasy football. - Woods

Demaryius Thomas won't finish as a top-20 fantasy receiver

Thomas will see a four-year run of top-12 fantasy performances, including three top-five finishes, come to an end in 2016. Thomas' numbers dipped last season with Peyton Manning's declining play and will take an even bigger hit this year as he catches passes from the combo of Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch. Thomas' bread and butter bubble screens won't be as prevalent in the Broncos' post-Manning offense and he'll struggle to get back to double digit scores. - Boone

Spencer Ware will score more fantasy points than Jamaal Charles

Charles will turn 30 this season, is coming off a second torn ACL, and is reportedly not at full health for the start of the season. The Chiefs will recognize Charles' best days are behind him and look to maximize his upside and limit his risk of reinjury by using their veteran primarily on passing downs. The 24-year-old Ware will handle the bulk of the Chiefs' early-down work, as well as red-zone carries, and will easily outpace Charles' fantasy production. - Woods

Stefon Diggs will top 1,000 yards and 8 TDs

While it might take a little time for Sam Bradford to get comfortable in the Vikings' offense, his arrival will help mitigate the loss of Teddy Bridgewater, and allow Diggs to build on a solid rookie campaign where he amassed 720 yards and four touchdowns. With Laquon Treadwell making a slow transition to the pro game, Diggs will be Minnesota's featured receiver and an excellent value pick for fantasy owners, currently going off the board in the ninth round. - Boone

3 TEs drafted outside the top 12 will finish as top-10 TEs

A trio of players from a group that includes Martellus Bennett, Dwayne Allen, Jared Cook, Virgil Green, and Vance McDonald, all of whom are being drafted outside the top-12 tight ends in standard leagues, will finish the season as clear TE1s. Every one of them plays in an appealing scheme and has a chance to be one of his team's primary red-zone weapons. Unless Rob Gronkowski falls in your draft, there's no reason to spend an early draft pick at tight end. - Woods