Daring Fantasy Soccer Predictions for the 2026 NFL season

We have come to it ultimately — Week 1 of the 2026 fantasy soccer season. There is no such thing as a higher time to disclose our boldest predictions for the marketing campaign forward — which can come true?

Luther Burden III emerges as a fantasy WR1

Burden returned from his groin damage two and half weeks earlier than the season opener, that means he’ll be all techniques go for Week 1. In the meantime, head coach Ben Johnson is speaking about difficult for the highest-scoring offense of all time, which ought to get the eye of fantasy managers as a result of he has the expertise to do it.

Commercial

Be part of a Yahoo Fantasy Soccer league for the 2026 NFL season

Burden is without doubt one of the gamers Johnson is constantly talked up this offseason, after the 22-year-old caught hearth down the stretch as a rookie. From Week 10 when his taking part in time elevated, Burden was the WR28 in fantasy factors per sport whereas taking part in at a 1,000-yard tempo. Along with posting the third greatest yards per route run amongst all wideouts (behind solely Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba), Burden additionally completed top-20 amongst receivers in each targets per route run and yards after the catch. The latter is especially spectacular contemplating he caught far fewer passes (47) than the gamers forward of him in that class.

With 150 mixed targets left behind by the departures of DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus, the chance is there for a number of pass-catchers to thrive. You need to be joyful in case you have any Bears in your fantasy roster, however Burden and tight finish Colston Loveland are positioned for transcendent campaigns. — Justin Boone

Colston Loveland is the TE1 

Boone put this on a tee for me, I will smack it down the golf green.

Commercial

Ben Johnson is without doubt one of the greatest offensive designers within the league and the Bears should outscore a weak (and injury-ravaged) protection on the opposite aspect. I see the upside for Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze, however they each have apparent damage considerations. And why cannot Loveland be the goal hog on this offense? During the last 4 video games of 2025 (playoffs included), he went bonkers: 48 targets, 28 catches, 378 yards, two touchdowns. 

Let’s simply recognize how absurd that closing Loveland run was. When you projected these stats for a full 17-game season, we’re taking a look at 204 targets, 119 catches, 1,606 yards and eight.5 touchdowns. That ceiling is likely to be unrealistic, however Loveland has a authentic probability to outscore all of the tight ends in 2026. He is been essentially the most enjoyable choose you may make within the fourth spherical all summer time, with Ladd McConkey (save us, Mike McDaniel) not far behind. — Scott Pianowski

I do know what you are pondering. Two top-10 huge receivers from the identical offense? Sure.

Commercial

Dak Prescott is a strolling 4,000-yard passer when wholesome, and he made a push for the passing title final season. Dallas completed second in passing yards and seventh in scoring throughout Brian Schottenheimer’s first season as head coach. Extra importantly, all 11 offensive starters can be again if not for the damage to Tyler Smith. This isn’t a projection constructed on a brand new scheme or chemistry that also must be created. We already noticed it work. Now give Pickens a full offseason in Dallas and one other yr studying how his sport suits alongside Lamb. Pickens can proceed what he began final season whereas a wholesome Lamb will get again to being considered one of soccer’s most dominant receivers.

Dallas will be balanced on the bottom, harmful at tight finish and nonetheless deadly via the air as a result of this passing sport runs via arguably the perfect receiver duo in soccer. If Prescott pushes 4,500 yards and 30-plus touchdowns, there’s sufficient quantity for each. My daring prediction is that Lamb and Pickens each end inside the highest 10. — Ray Garvin

De’Zhaun Stribling finishes because the rookie WR1

In every other scenario, the fantasy soccer world can be fawning over the thirty third general choose — who drew rave opinions in coaching camp and preseason motion — solely needing to compete with (a 33-year-old) Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. (on a retirement tour) for targets on an offense that’s perennially high 10 in scoring. But right here we’re, with Stribling solely capable of climb as excessive as WR47 in consensus rankings throughout draft season.

Commercial

I get it. His faculty profile had questions. The draft neighborhood poorly projected the place he can be chosen. However should not we be selecting gamers as if Kyle Shanahan is right? That the 6-foot-2, 207 lbs receiver with 4.36 velocity and a number of the greatest blocking tape within the class and outside-to-inside versatility would possibly simply be higher than believed?

If that reads like a supercharged model of Jauan Jennings, I will take his 2024 season as a pleasant rookie season projection: 77 catches for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns in 15 video games. This season, with Carnell Tate coping with the Titans probably disappointment, Makai Lemon’s sluggish preseason and KC Concepcion glued to Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders … that is likely to be sufficient for the rookie WR1 title. — Josh Norris

Commercial

Emeka Egbuka leads the NFL in receptions

I do not care about his second half of the season skid in manufacturing whereas he and his quarterback performed via accidents. Not one of the different, albeit high quality, pass-catchers on the workforce trouble me. My solely concern about Emeka Egbuka’s outlook in 2026 is a toe damage that bothered him in coaching camp. Nevertheless, contemplating he is all however a lock to play in Week 1, I am not even positive that is a hindrance.

Egbuka put up a stable rookie season whereas taking part in out of place because the Buccaneers’ X-receiver, whereas Mike Evans missed most of final yr. Even with Evans gone now, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson mentioned Egbuka would transfer to the Z place in his offense. That’s primarily the position Drake London has held down the final two seasons in Atlanta, the place he lined up off the ball greater than on and was within the slot on over 37% of his snaps. The 2025 Falcons lead the NFL in passing yards on performs the place a receiver was in movement on the snap. The Bucs, underneath the identical scheme, will provide higher quarterback and offensive line play to this scheme.

Commercial

Egbuka advantages from that whereas additionally taking part in a receiver position that matches his prospect profile as an enormous slot and motion Z-receiver a lot better than we noticed final season. — Matt Harmon

Chase Brown finishes inside the highest 5 at RB

Fortunately, we have already seen proof of idea when testing out the concept of Chase Brown as a top-five RB. Final yr was Brown’s first because the unquestioned starter for the Bengals. He ranked inside the highest 12 in each alternative metric, from general rush fee (65% – eleventh) to focus on share (15% – sixth). Plus, the previous Illini held on to the lead job on the aim line, out-touching Samaje Perine 2:1 when Joe Burrow was energetic.

Nevertheless, it is the outcomes that ought to’ve had us desirous to click on on Brown on the 1-2 flip.

Commercial

His per-touch stats had been forward of a number of the first-round darlings and only a shade behind the elites. And as simply considered one of 9 rushers with greater than 60% of his workforce’s carries mixed with a double-digit goal fee, Chase already has one half of the “expertise plus scenario” equation locked up.

Now, let’s think about his surroundings. Let’s entertain the concept the combination of under-center ideas will give Brown extra advantageous seems on the LOS. Let’s purchase into the concept their defensive additions will take (a few of) the burden off Burrow’s shoulders and put it on Brown’s. In that actuality, Brown vaults into the highest 5 ranks by season’s finish. — Chris Allen

Kenneth Walker III finishes inside the highest 3 at RB

A few of the greatest fantasy RB seasons of the previous 20 years have been with coach Andy Reid. From Brian Westbrook to LeSean McCoy to Jamal Charles. He did not have Patrick Mahomes at QB when these gamers had been hitting both. Mahomes will likely be efficient however will not be leaned on as a lot, and the Chiefs protection will flirt with top-10 numbers as they usually do. It is an incredible arrange for fantasy factors, particularly with their inside OL being the perfect of Walker’s profession.

Commercial

There’s proof of idea with Walker having an elite upside, too. Within the closing six video games final yr together with playoffs, Walker averaged 19.4 half PPR factors regardless of powerful matchups. Do not be shocked if it is a profession yr in touchdowns and receptions. — Hayden Winks

Jaylen Waddle lastly fixes his fantasy notion

Jaylen Waddle has largely been seen as a disappointment. For the final three seasons in Miami, he is completed outdoors the highest 20 fantasy WRs in PPG and has left a number of video games attributable to smaller accidents. Though he hasn’t missed a ton of video games in his profession, there was a handful of weeks misplaced attributable to mid-game exits. That has pushed his ADP all the way down to WR21 within the consensus, and makes me purchase again in on a participant who has harm me earlier than.

Commercial

I can not promise that he won’t miss a snap in 18 weeks, however I do imagine that so long as he is on the sector, he’ll be profitable managers’ video games. Sean Payton and the Broncos paid a hefty value, each in draft capital and financially. He’s the clear WR1 on a workforce whose QB led the league in passing makes an attempt. The Broncos, with restricted WR expertise, ranked seventh in workforce WR fantasy factors final season, as two WRs ranked inside the highest eight in purple zone targets (the one workforce), and Sutton rating to 5 in routes and fifteenth in fantasy PPG. That fantasy passing offense simply gave up a primary and third spherical draft choose together with $29M per yr handy choose their workforce’s subsequent WR1. — Joel Smyth