Fantasy: 8 bold predictions for the 2026 season

theScore's Eric Patterson offers up his bold predictions for the 2026 fantasy football season.

Walker takes RB1 crown

To be the top-scoring running back, you need to be in a good offense and have a key role in the passing game while getting all the goal-line work. Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Christian McCaffrey, and Jonathan Taylor fit that bill, but so does Kenneth Walker III, who's being drafted as RB11 according to FantasyPros' average draft position (ADP).

Patrick Mahomes already said that he plans to run less this season after tearing his ACL last year. Rashee Rice has a boatload of issues, and Travis Kelce is another year older ... and slower. The Chiefs' offense will run through Walker the way Andy Reid's offenses have run through the position in the past: LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, and Kareem Hunt all had fantastic years under Reid.

Walker, the Super Bowl MVP, was unstoppable in the Seahawks' playoff run last year, and this may be the best offensive line he's ever had. He's as explosive a back as you'll find in the NFL, and Kansas City's offense has lacked that element in recent seasons.

He has a path to lead the NFL in touchdowns, surpass 1,400 yards on the ground, and catch at least 60 passes out of the backfield. Walker is one of a few running backs with RB1 upside, but he's being picked in the second round.

Achane finishes outside RB20

De'Von Achane is a special talent, but the fantasy environment in Miami is dreadful. Malik Willis is a complete unknown at quarterback and his run-first approach will eat into Achane's rushing upside. The Dolphins have zero receiving threats, and Willis' arm is questionable, meaning Achane will face stacked boxes as the only weapon defensive coordinators are worried about. The speedy tailback will have to rely heavily on dump-offs from his quarterback to have a decent floor, and he'll get far fewer of those than he did from Tua Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins aren't expected to win many games, and they have the fourth-lowest projected team points total for the season, according to Sharp Football Analysis. They also project to score the third-fewest points during the fantasy football playoffs.

Achane is being selected as the seventh running back off the board. That's ahead of Saquon Barkley, Chase Brown, Omarion Hampton, and Walker, who are all in much better fantasy environments for running backs. Achane comes with way too many risks, especially at his draft slot.

Corum sneaks inside top-20 RBs

Blake Corum is one injury away from being a league winner and is currently being drafted as RB36. The third-year running back will split time with Kyren Williams to open the season, but the usage gap between them isn't as wide as you may think. In five of the final six regular-season games last year, Williams received 66 carries to Corum's 49. Even with a 60-40 split in Williams' favor, Corum has a chance to be viable in fantasy.

Corum was one of the most productive running backs when given the opportunity last season. He ranked first in expected points added per play (EPA/play) and fifth in yards per carry among running backs with at least 100 carries, according to SumerSports.

The Rams project to have one of the league's best defenses and are expected to win double-digit games. Running the ball to control the clock, keep opposing offenses off the field, and help Matthew Stafford stay upright and out of trouble will be a huge part of their offense. Scoring at least 10 touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards is within Corum's range of outcomes, and that's with Williams playing a full slate of games.

Jefferson reclaims WR1 status

Justin Jefferson is two years removed from finishing as the WR2, and he was the top scorer at the position in 2022. His talent is undeniable, but the Vikings' quarterback play last year was too poor to overcome.

However, there's a chance Kyler Murray - with the help of head coach Kevin O'Connell - can lead Jefferson to this year's WR1. Jefferson still commanded a 30% target share last year, but thanks to Minnesota's anemic offense, that meant just 141 targets and 84 receptions, Jefferson's lowest full-season total. He only found the end zone twice last year, which is surely a blip. It's safe to predict Jefferson will turn in his fourth 100-catch season and surpass 1,000 yards for the seventh straight season.

The Vikings' schedule is also favorable to Jefferson. Minnesota plays 10 games indoors and faces its division opponents five times during the fantasy season. The Bears, Packers, and Lions do not project to have good secondaries, and those games could turn into shootouts. The Vikings also get to play the Buccaneers, Dolphins, Saints, Falcons, Commanders and Jets - all teams that have struggled against the pass in recent years.

Murray has his flaws, but he can also extend plays with his legs, and he throws a solid deep ball. Those skills plus Jefferson's ability to get open and stretch the field could make them one of the NFL's most explosive QB-WR duos.

Tyson outscores Olave

Prior to last season, there were legitimate concerns that Chris Olave might be forced to retire if he suffered another concussion. But after Olave managed to play 16 games, that narrative seemed to vanish, although his concussion history hasn't.

There's reason to believe Jordyn Tyson can outscore his Saints teammate even if you ignore Olave's injury risk. The first-round rookie profiles similarly to Olave: Both receivers line up in various spots on the field with diverse route trees, which will allow head coach Kellen Moore to get creative. Olave will likely command opposing defenses' attention with double-teams and bracket coverage, giving Tyson ample space to succeed in this fast-paced offense.

Olave had a 29.4% target share last year - the highest of his career, with no other Saints receiver over 10%. Olave's share will almost certainly be reduced to accommodate Tyson, and if Tyson lives up to the hype as the best receiver in his draft class, they could wind up splitting that share.

Olave is currently being drafted as WR12 in half-PPR leagues, while Tyson is WR33. That gap is way too big.

Golden outscores Watson

Matthew Golden is being drafted as WR51, while Christian Watson is WR29. That's a huge difference in draft capital, but there may not be much separating the two Packers wideouts when the season ends.

Watson had a strong finish to the 2025 campaign, which boosted expectations of his performance in 2026. However, don't forget that he's never played a full season in the NFL in his four-year career. He always seems to be dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, and he tore his ACL in January 2025.

Golden, a 2025 first-round pick, fought for playing time in the Packers' crowded receiving corps as a rookie. However, he's slated to begin this season as the Packers' X-receiver with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks no longer on the roster. He'll be on the field for a large portion of Green Bay's offensive snaps, which bodes well for the speedster's opportunities.

The Packers could struggle defensively while waiting for Micah Parsons to return. Josh Jacobs' status is also up in the air, so the Packers' passing attack could be their best route to winning games. Wide receivers tend to take a big step in Year 2, and Golden has the chance to be the Packers' top target-earner early in the campaign.

Bowers sets single-season receptions record

Does this count as a bold prediction if setting the NFL record was the Raiders' goal for Brock Bowers in 2025?

The current record is held by Michael Thomas, who caught 149 passes for the Saints in 2019. Bowers had 112 as a rookie with a trio of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Kirk Cousins, who will likely start Week 1 for the Raiders, knows a thing or two about targeting a single player; Jefferson caught 128 of Cousins' passes in 2022. And when Fernando Mendoza eventually takes over, there's no better security blanket for a rookie than targeting Bowers.

Klint Kubiak is arriving from Seattle, bringing the offense that helped Jaxon Smith-Njigba earn Offensive Player of the Year honors. The new Las Vegas head coach will undoubtedly make Bowers the focal point of the passing game.

The third-year tight end should be treated as a top-tier wide receiver in fantasy drafts, but he can slot into a position with very little depth. Bowers is being picked behind Trey McBride at 20th overall. That's too low for a player who will lead his position in points.

Purdy finishes as top-5 QB

Brock Purdy won fantasy championships last year. During the playoff stretch, Purdy finished as the QB1 twice (including championship weekend) and QB4. The ceiling is clearly there; it's just a matter of putting everything together for a full regular season.

Injuries are already starting to hit the 49ers - Ricky Pearsall is out for the year with a PCL issue. However, San Francisco's reunited with Deebo Samuel, a familiar face for Purdy. Adding Mike Evans only raises Purdy's touchdown floor, and once George Kittle returns, Purdy will have some of the league's best red-zone weapons at his disposal.

The former "Mr. Irrelevant" isn't afraid to use his legs either. He had 66 rushing attempts in 2024 and took off 33 times in only nine games last year. Purdy's rushing potential also helps elevate his fantasy floor.

After Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, the rest of the top five is wide-open. Purdy is being picked as the 13th quarterback off the board. That'll go down as one of the season's biggest fantasy-draft steals once he leads more teams to titles in 2026.

Subscribe to push notifications in our NFL Fantasy News section.