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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Caleb Williams will finish as QB1

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.

Cam Skattebo will finish among the top 10 fantasy RBs

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.

De’Zhaun Stribling will lead all rookie WRs in fantasy points

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.

Christian McCaffrey will NOT finish among the top 10 RBs

Daniel Dopp: After smashing the fantasy landscape in 2025, McCaffrey is a major regression candidate given his 450-touch workload last season. McCaffrey, 30, has three seasons of 400-plus touches in his nine-year career. Unfortunately, the seasons following such a heavy touch count have proven to be … lackluster. McCaffrey missed significant time in the previous follow-up seasons and did not live up to draft expectations, scoring fewer than 100 fantasy points in each. Consider me out on McCaffrey because of those workload concerns.

Josh Allen’s career year leads to DJ Moore being a top-five WR

Michael F. Florio: We have seen a more aggressive passing attack in the preseason with Joe Brady fully in charge of the Bills’ offense. In his lone two preseason drives, Allen averaged more air yards per attempt than in any game in the past two seasons. My prediction? This leads to career highs in passing yards and touchdowns for Allen (and a second MVP) and Moore is heavily targeted (like he was with Brady in Carolina), leading to a top-five fantasy WR season.

The Ravens will have top-10 options at every position

Eric Karabell: QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry and the Ravens D/ST are going in the top 10 at their respective positions. Jackson and Henry will be great, of course. Don’t stop there! Zay Flowers was the No. 7 scorer at WR last season, and Mark Andrews has finished in the top five among TEs five times in seven seasons. They will thrive, too. Why stop there? Get K Tyler Loop, too!

Jonathan Taylor will finish outside of the top 12 fantasy RBs

Liz Loza: Taylor and Derrick Henry are two of just 15 RBs to clear 300 carries in consecutive campaigns over the past 20 years. Of the 13 remaining ball carriers, just six finished inside the top 12 fantasy RBs in the following season, and only two have finished inside the top eight. Furthermore, only four of those 13 backs played every game the next season. The question is not how often Taylor will be fed. It’s whether he can withstand the projected feast.

Chris Godwin Jr. will be a top-30 WR

Eric Moody: Before an ankle injury in 2024, Godwin was averaging 19.6 fantasy points. He played in just nine games last season, and it took him some time to ramp back up, but we got a glimpse of what he’s capable of in Week 17 when he turned eight targets into 23.8 fantasy points. He’s projected for the second-most targets on the Buccaneers behind Emeka Egbuka.

Colston Loveland will be the No. 1 TE

Adam Rank: I get it, I’m a homer. That shouldn’t dissuade you from taking Loveland in your fantasy drafts. In fact, I don’t even look at Brock Bowers and Trey McBride because I’m targeting Loveland. He was the No. 2 tight end from Weeks 8 to 18 last season, which was buoyed by a huge game in Week 18. Loveland also had 48 targets in his final four games (including playoffs). Lock him in for 300-plus fantasy points.

Brock Bowers will catch 130 passes, breaking the NFL’s single-season TE record

Field Yates: The shine is off Bowers just a little bit coming into this season, as an injury-impacted sophomore season has his stock lower than it should be. Not only is he, in my opinion, the most talented player at the position, he’s also the clear-cut primary target in an offense set to make a leap in 2026. The Raiders onboarded Jalen Nailor this offseason to play alongside Tre Tucker as their top two wideouts, but neither player is a real threat to challenge Bowers as the go-to. Leading the league in targets, catches or target share — maybe all three — is possible.