Fantasy football: 10 bold predictions for the 2026 season - ESPN

Fortune favors the bold. Or so they say.

But that's what this exercise is all about — looking at the fantasy football season ahead and identifying the players we feel most strongly about. There's no backing down here.

Will these predictions come to fruition? We'll find out in five months if we were totally off, were on the right path or, hopefully, flat-out nailed it.

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Matt Bowen: Williams finished as the No. 5 QB in total scoring last season and scored 18.7 points per game (No. 7). We saw his playmaking skills, plus he provides a rushing boost (383 yards, three touchdowns). With a versatile and explosive receiving corps, led by tight end Colston Loveland, and an elite playcaller in Ben Johnson, I see a path for Williams to produce big-time numbers in 2026.

Mike Clay: Skattebo is becoming more affordable in drafts following the Giants' signing of Najee Harris, and you can sign me up for the discount. Harris wasn't much of a threat to Omarion Hampton last season, and that was before he suffered a torn Achilles. Skattebo, meanwhile, averaged 19.1 fantasy points during six full games, which would've ranked sixth among running backs over the full season.

Tristan H. Cockcroft: What more does Stribling need to do to crack the top 50 among wide receivers in ADP? Stribling, who ran a blazing 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine, caught a whopping 11 passes for 109 yards in his first two preseason games, earning the praise of the 49ers' coaching staff and players alike. He's likely to serve as the team's primary slot receiver and has heightened his statistical ceiling to Carnell Tate levels.

Daniel Dopp: After smashing the fantasy landscape in 2025, McCaffrey