16 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: One Pick for Every AFC Team (2026)

July 17, 2026

Dan Fornek's 16 bold predictions for the 2026 fantasy football season. Dan gives one bold fantasy football prediction for each AFC team in 2026.

The 2026 fantasy football season is right around the corner. Training camps will start firing up within the next 10 days, and the Hall of Fame Game is on August 6.

We have already gotten some actionable information during OTAs, but soon there will be plenty of new videos and reports to digest and interpret for the 2026 fantasy season. Until then, fantasy managers who are drafting early (or into best ball formats) can use any edge to put together the best team possible.

Below is a hot take for each AFC team heading into the 2026 NFL season.

Baltimore Ravens

Mark Andrews finishes as a top-5 tight end in fantasy

2025 was a disappointment for both Mark Andrews and the fantasy managers who drafted him. Andrews statistically had his worst career season in 2025 despite playing 17 games, catching 48 of 70 targets for a career-low 422 yards and five touchdowns.

His 8.8 YPR was a career low and just the second time in his career he had fewer than 12.0 YPR. He finished as the TE21 in PPR points per game (7.7) among tight ends with at least 10 games played.

It’s fair to wonder if Andrews’ age has finally caught up to him. But if 2025 was just a down year in a bad offense (with an injured Lamar Jackson), then Andrews could be one of the best values in early drafts.

The Ravens let both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar leave in free agency this offseason, replacing them with a blocking tight end (Durham Smythe) and two Day 3 rookies (Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas).

That, combined with the team’s questionable receiving depth chart after Zay Flowers, puts Andrews in a position to function as the secondary target in the offense again in 2026.

Add in a new offensive coordinator (Declan Doyle) whose coaching past features tenures with Sean Payton (2019 to 2024) and Ben Johnson (2025), and you have a situation where a tight end could be used as a focal point of the passing attack.

Andrews was the TE7 in PPR points per game in 2024 and is two years removed from being the TE4 in PPR scoring (in 10 games).

Buffalo Bills

DJ Moore finishes as a top-12 WR in fantasy

DJ Moore had some big highlights in 2025 with the Chicago Bears, but the season as a whole was very underwhelming. Moore posted career-lows in receptions (50) and receiving yards (682) despite playing in 17 games, but salvaged some fantasy value with six touchdowns. Still, the highlights suggested that Moore had more to give than the box scores showed.

Caleb Williams TO DJ Moore

BEARS WIN pic.twitter.com/3ShtuowNYm

— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

It’s fair to wonder if Moore is washed after back-to-back underwhelming seasons in Chicago, one of which came with Ben Johnson as his head coach. However, Moore’s new home with the Buffalo Bills is intriguing for fantasy.

Buffalo’s passing attack has been spread out in recent seasons, but it wasn’t that long ago that a supremely talented wide receiver (Stefon Diggs) was able to dominate the target share with Buffalo. From 2020 to 2023, Diggs averaged 161.0 targets, 111.3 receptions, 1,343.0 receiving yards, and 9.3 touchdowns per season.

Moore probably isn’t as talented as Diggs was during that stretch, but he’s undeniably more talented than the other pass-catchers on this offense. It isn’t hard to see a path where Moore is fed targets from Josh Allen throughout the season and posts the volume needed to be a top-12 WR in fantasy in 2026.

Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow finishes outside the top-7 quarterbacks

Injuries derailed another season for Joe Burrow in 2025, limiting him to just eight games played and a QB15 finish in points per game (16.8). It was the second time in the last four seasons that injuries have forced Burrow to finish outside the top-12 QBs in fantasy. Of course, in the other two seasons, he was a top-4 passer.

Injuries (hopefully) won’t be the reason Burrow finishes outside the top-7 quarterbacks in 2026. The Bengals offensive line gelled in 2025, especially in the run game. The Bengals were fifth in the NFL in rushing success rate (44.6%) and EPA (19.38).

A more efficient run game is good, especially if Cincinnati’s upgrades on defense can take some pressure off Burrow and the offense. The Bengals invested heavily along the defensive line (Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and 2026 second-round pick Cashius Howell) and in the secondary (safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger) to improve their defense.

A healthy Burrow is one of the few passers in the NFL capable of being the overall QB1 in fantasy with zero rushing upside. However, an improved defense will allow the Bengals to take pressure off him in the run game, hopefully keeping him healthy, which will put him behind the rushing-threat quarterbacks in fantasy.

Cleveland Browns

Denzel Boston finishes as the top rookie receiver in fantasy

Fantasy drafters will gravitate toward second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and 2026 first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion in the Browns’ passing attack in 2026, but there is a world where second-round pick Denzel Boston is the player to target in fantasy.

From a skill-set standpoint, there isn’t much competition to what Boston brings to the table as an outside receiver with a big catch radius who can win in contested situations. Boston converted 75% of his contested-catch situations in his final season at Washington and showed the ability to dominate red-zone situations. He caught 14 of 20 red-zone passes over his final two seasons.

Fannin was excellent in fantasy in 2025, but had one glaring weakness in his game. Among tight ends with at least eight contested targets, he ranked 20th in contested-catch rate (42.1%). He also missed OTAs with an undisclosed injury.

Boston’s size and physicality could earn him a role as an outside wide receiver immediately, while Concepcion gets slot snaps while competing for touches with Jerry Jeudy. If Boston can make the most of those additional opportunities (and have some touchdown luck), he can lead all receivers in fantasy in 2026.

Denver Broncos

Jaylen Waddle finishes as a top-12 WR in fantasy

The Denver Broncos needed to add explosiveness to their passing attack after 2025. The Broncos ranked 22nd in explosive passing rate in 2025 (7.4%), with most of the heavy lifting being done by Courtland Sutton.

Even then, Sutton was the WR37 in yards per route run (1.7) and the WR24 in explosive pass rate (13.7%) last season. Denver addressed that issue by trading for veteran wide receiver Jaylen Waddle before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Waddle finished as the WR13 in yards per route run (2.3) and was the WR23 in explosive yards (408) despite catching passes from Tua Tagovailoa, Quinn Ewers, and Zach Wilson in 2025. His 14 catches of 20+ yards were tied for 17th among all wide receivers.

Jaylen Waddle is a BLUR. 43-yard TD!

MIAvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/k6ggqc9Qu1

— NFL (@NFL) October 26, 2025

The Broncos have been searching for a player who can generate explosives on quick passes to maximize the offense with Bo Nix at quarterback. That aligns well with Waddle’s skill set, giving him a chance to finish as a top-12 WR in fantasy in 2026.

Houston Texans

Nico Collins finishes as the WR1 in fantasy

Nico Collins finished as the WR9 in fantasy points per game (15.1) despite inconsistencies (and a concussion) from C.J. Stroud. Collins played just 15 games, but still ranked 15th in targets (120) and eighth in receiving yards (1,117) among all wide receivers. He also finished tied as the WR7 in yards per route run (2.5).

The Texans ultimately chose to invest in their offensive line and run game this offseason instead of upgrading their pass-catching group. It’s fair to assume that young players like Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel will take a step, but that doesn’t mean they will command targets over Collins.

If an improved offensive line can help Stroud regain his rookie-year form, then this passing attack can take a big step in 2026. If Collins can earn more opportunities while maintaining his impressive 2025 efficiency metrics, he has WR1 overall in fantasy in his range of outcomes.

Indianapolis Colts

Josh Downs is a top-24 fantasy WR in PPR formats

Fantasy managers have been enticed by Josh Downs' talent over the last three seasons, but have been consistently disappointed by a slot-specific role in Indianapolis. 2026 might be the best chance he has to show that he can produce on the outside as well.

The Indianapolis Colts traded away Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason, which opens an opportunity for Downs to step into a role as a full-time player next season. Downs was fourth on the Colts in route participation rate (63.7%) yet still finished third on the team in target share (15.3%).

Not only will Downs have an opportunity to eat into Pittman’s role (89.1% route participation), but fellow wide receiver Alec Pierce is still working back from an offseason ankle surgery.

Downs has talent, but 2026 will be the first opportunity he has to carve out a full-time role in Indianapolis. The result will be a top-24 finish in 2026.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville will not have a top-24 RB or WR in 2026

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense is being hyped heading into 2026, and getting those choices right feels like a potential fantasy skeleton key. But what if the answer to “Which Jaguars skill player should I draft?” is actually “None?”

To be clear, all Jaguars skill players are capable of having league-winning weeks next season, just like they did in 2025. But drafting the right one is far from simple.

The Jaguars traded for Jakobi Meyers after Week 9 last season. Over the final 10 weeks of the season (including the playoffs), three receivers (Meyers, Parker Washington, and Brian Thomas Jr.) averaged a 60%+ route participation rate and a 10%+ target share. That doesn’t include tight end Brenton Strange, who hit all the same marks in the time frame.

Jacksonville’s offense is capable of featuring any of those players in any given week, and the utilization could be inconsistent. Both Meyers and Washington are at their best in the slot but can play outside.

Thomas is at his best down the field, but those targets are more inconsistent and harder to complete. Add in the fact that we don’t know how much the team will use Travis Hunter on offense and the notion that it could run more 12 personnel after drafting Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher, and the passing attack becomes very unpredictable.

At running back, Bhayshul Tuten is expected to be the lead ball-carrier, but he was inconsistent as a rookie and was benched throughout the season for fumbling, an issue that dates back to his time at Virginia Tech.

The team also signed free agent Chris Rodriguez Jr. this offseason, a player who is familiar with head coach Liam Coen from his time at Kentucky. Add in the fact that LeQuint Allen Jr. is an excellent third-down back, and this backfield could be hard to project.

In best ball formats, it’s fine to take any combination of players on this team so you can enjoy the boom weeks. However, redraft players may be best served by drafting Trevor Lawrence and letting everyone else guess at the big weeks for the skill talent in 2026.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kenneth Walker III finishes as a top-5 running back in fantasy

I know, I know. Another year of wishing on the ceiling of Kenneth Walker III in fantasy. But what if his first year with the Kansas City Chiefs actually unlocks his fantasy ceiling (I can hear Tobias Funke saying “but it might work for us” now)?

To this point, Walker has struggled to have a consistent role as a pass-catching back due to his issues in pass protection. Walker is actually a better receiver than he’s given credit for, catching 82.6% of his career targets, including 46 receptions for 299 yards and a touchdown in 11 games in 2024.

The veteran running back now finds himself on a team that expects running backs to get onto routes, which minimizes his weakness as a pass protector. According to SumerSports, the Chiefs had the second-highest rate of five-man protection schemes in the NFL last season (79.87%).

Only one running back, Dameon Pierce, was in pass protection for more than 15% of passing plays for the team in 2025. He was on the field for just nine attempts.

Patrick Mahomes doesn’t historically throw to running backs, but the team may emphasize getting the ball out quickly as he recovers from his 2025 ACL tear. If that happens, Walker’s primary competition for touches is Emari Demercado, 2025 seventh-round pick Brashard Smith, and 2026 fifth-round pick Emmett Johnson.

We already know that Walker is going to lead this team in touches out of the backfield behind a solid offensive line. If the team also decides to use his explosiveness as a quick target out of the backfield and minimizes his weaknesses in pass protection, he could finally hit a top-5 fantasy outcome if he stays healthy.

Las Vegas Raiders

Ashton Jeanty finishes as a top-5 running back in fantasy

Ashton Jeanty’s 2025 season will be remembered as a fantasy failure relative to expectations, but for all intents and purposes, he was a strong asset in one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Among running backs with at least 10 games played, Jeanty finished as the RB14 in PPR points per game (14.4) with three 20+ point scoring weeks.

ASHTON JEANTY 64-YARD TD

CHIvsLV on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/J8oxtln7IA

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

That’s even more impressive considering his surroundings. Las Vegas was far and away the worst rushing offense in the NFL last season, finishing dead last in EPA (-93.57), rushing success rate (32.5%), and yards before contact (1.3). The difference between it and 31st place (New Orleans) in EPA was nearly the same as the difference between first place and fifth place (34.6).

Las Vegas worked hard to improve the offensive environment around Jeanty this offseason, drafting a new quarterback (first overall pick Fernando Mendoza), upgrading the offensive line in free agency (Tyler Linderbaum and Spencer Burford) and the NFL Draft (third-round pick Trey Zuhn III), and by getting one of the hottest offensive coordinators on the coaching market in Klint Kubiak as head coach.

A shift to a wide zone scheme should benefit Jeanty greatly. He averaged 4.2 yards per attempt on outside zone runs in 2025. That was his highest mark among any run type as a rookie. Jeanty should also continue to be a part of the receiving game after finishing seventh among all running backs in targets (73) and receptions (55).

Los Angeles Chargers

Ladd McConkey is a top-10 WR in PPR

Ladd McConkey was stellar as a rookie in 2024, catching 82 of 112 targets for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns while finishing as the WR16 in PPR points per game (15.1) among players with at least 10 games played. Fantasy managers expected even better production in his second season.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

McConkey took a step back in every receiving category in his second year, catching just 66 of 106 targets for 789 yards and six touchdowns. His yards per target dropped nearly three yards (7.4) thanks to offensive line injuries forcing Justin Herbert to get the ball out quickly.

There is reason for optimism again in 2026, not only due to offensive line upgrades, but because of the addition of OC Mike McDaniel.

In 2025, McConkey had an explosive play (20+ yard reception) on just 7.5% of his catches after posting a 13.4% rate as a rookie. By comparison, the Miami Dolphins had four players (Greg Dulcich, Darren Waller, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill) who generated an explosive play on more than 13% of their targets (minimum 25 targets) in 2025 with Tua Tagovailoa, Quinn Ewers, and Zach Wilson throwing passes.

McDaniel was able to generate explosives at will with the Dolphins with Tagovailoa. Matching him with Herbert’s arm talent and McConkey’s ability to separate will lead to a top-10 PPR finish for McConkey in 2026.

Miami Dolphins

Malik Willis finishes as a top-12 QB in fantasy in 2026

It’s hard to find many silver linings for the Miami Dolphins in 2026. But let’s swing for upside and predict that Malik Willis finishes as a top-12 quarterback in fantasy points per game.

First things first. It’s impossible to look at Willis’ production without noting a small sample size (54 pass attempts in 2025). But what he did on the field was impressive.

Among quarterbacks with at least 30 attempts, Willis finished first in yards per attempt (10.2), second in completion percentage (74.1%), and the QB7 in explosive play rate (16.7%) as a passer. In his two games with a 63% or higher snap share in 2025, he ranked as the QB1 in yards (104) with a 31.6% explosive run rate.

MALIK WILLIS KEEPS IT AND RUNS IN FOR THE SCORE

BALvsGB on @peacock
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GMIxx81Sm2

— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2025

Willis was the QB7 in points per game (22.4) in that two-game stretch, including a QB3 finish against the Baltimore Ravens (31.5 points) in the fantasy championship.

The key to this prediction is his rushing ability. Over the last 12 years, 34 quarterbacks have logged at least 100 rushing attempts. Only three have failed to record a top-12 finish.

Willis’ rushing upside makes up for the lack of weapons in the passing attack around him. That will give him plenty of opportunities to rack up fantasy points on the ground in 2026.

New England Patriots

A.J. Brown finishes as a top-3 wide receiver in 2026

A.J. Brown was a top-12 WR in 2025 despite obvious friction with his role and the inconsistencies in the Philadelphia Eagles' passing attack. Brown finished as the WR16 in yards per route run (2.3) and the WR38 in explosive play rate (11.6%). He was also the WR43 in catch rate on deep targets (36.4%).

Brown was traded to the New England Patriots in June, which could reignite his downfield playmaking ability with a quarterback fresh off an MVP-level campaign in Drake Maye. Maye had a similar deep passing rate (14.2%) as Jalen Hurts in 2025 (14.3%), but completed the fourth-highest rate of passes (50%) compared to Hurts’ 36.9%.

Maye was even more efficient in the red zone, finishing as the QB5 in red-zone completion rate (65.3%) and the QB2 on end-zone touchdowns (18) on 42 pass attempts.

Brown will be motivated to prove that he wasn’t the problem in Philadelphia and is paired with a quarterback who has shown a high-end ability to attack defenses deep and in the condensed part of the field. That combination will lead him to a top-3 finish in PPR scoring in 2026.

New York Jets

Breece Hall is a top-12 RB in 2026

2025 was an unremarkable fantasy season for Breece Hall. He finished tied as the RB18 in PPR points per game (13.0) with just three weekly RB1 finishes.

Hall set career-highs in rushing attempts (243) and rushing yards (1,043) while posting his fourth straight season with at least four rushing touchdowns. Unfortunately, he had his worst pass-catching season since his injury-shortened rookie season (48 targets, 36 receptions, 350 yards, and one touchdown).

The Jets have a strong offensive line and should hopefully have more stability at quarterback (Geno Smith) and on defense. New offensive coordinator Frank Reich has had his struggles in recent seasons, but had a top-12 rushing offense in three of his five seasons as head coach of the Colts. In his six seasons as a head coach, his running backs averaged a 21% target share.

Hall should have a more prominent pass-catching role in 2026. If his offensive line can continue to open rushing lanes, he will have a top-12 finish in 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Rico Dowdle finishes as a top-15 RB in PPR points per game

Few running backs have been as productive as Rico Dowdle in the past two seasons. In 2024 and 2025, just six running backs have had over 1,000 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards in each season: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, James Cook III, Tony Pollard, and Dowdle.

The veteran running back has averaged 235.5 rushing attempts and 4.6 yards per carry over his last two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. The Pittsburgh Steelers wasted no time signing him to a free-agent contract this offseason, a move that reunited him with Mike McCarthy, his head coach with the Cowboys.

Dowdle was the RB24 in PPR points per game in 2024 and the RB21 in 2025. He will certainly take on more of the rushing work vacated by veteran Kenneth Gainwell (114 carries), but if he can also absorb a majority of the receiving work (85 targets), a top-15 finish is in the range of outcomes in 2026.

Tennessee Titans

Gunnar Helm is a top-10 tight end in 2026

Gunnar Helm was far from reliable in fantasy as a rookie in 2025, but he did flash some pass-catching ability. Helm finished tied for first on the team in yards per route run (1.3) and third in EPA as a receiver (3.83). He had a 35.2% slot rate, showing the versatility to detach from the line of scrimmage.

Helm is set for a bigger role in 2026 after the team let veteran Chig Okonkwo leave in free agency. The Titans added major pieces to their wide receiver room this offseason (Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson), but that could lead to opportunities for Helm underneath. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s tight ends averaged a 15% target share over his last four seasons.

Tennessee will likely be bad once again in 2026 and should find itself in negative game scripts. If Helm can rack up volume underneath and emerge as a primary target in the red zone, he can post a top-10 finish in fantasy at the tight end position.

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