Fantasy Football Bold Predictions - Scott Engel's 2026 Picks for Every NFL team

September 6, 2026

Scott Engel's fantasy football bold predictions for the 2026 fantasy football season. see his picks and predictions for every NFL team including Justin Herbert, Bijan Robinson, Jayden Waddle and many more.

As Fantasy football analysts, we realize there will be many times when admitting that we were wrong is the only thing to do. Yes, we want to let people know when we are often right. That’s because our role is to help you win your own leagues. Being transparent is essential and a basic requirement.

Early in 2027, I will review this article again and feel an annual mixture of some proud results and face-palm moments. But that is the lay of the land as a fantasy analyst.  The players and predictions that I get right can help readers win their league championships. With that goal in mind, all of my fantasy player forecasts here are submitted with the utmost confidence and intent to help RotoBaller readers win.

I will surely recommend several players for well-researched reasons. Your fantasy team’s destiny can be tied to players who meet high expectations or perform better than projected. These are some of my boldest, and in the case of others, simply confident fantasy football predictions for the 2026 season. If you have drafted already, many of these items will make you feel better about who was picked, and this rundown can also help pinpoint players to trade for.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: AFC East

Buffalo: DJ Moore will catch 95 passes for 1,175 yards, but his five TD receptions will be disappointing. James Cook, Josh Allen, Dalton Kincaid, and even Keon Coleman will score the majority of the offensive touchdowns for Buffalo.

Miami: Caleb Douglas will average 14.5 yards per reception and catch seven TD passes. The rookie will emerge as a true downfield playmaker.

New England: Rhamondre Stevenson will rush for double-digit TDs as the consistent goal-line finisher for an ascending Patriots offense.

There's a talented RB who hasn't gotten a lot of buzz, but he has the pieces in place to smash.

It's Breece Hall.

Here's why:

1. First and foremost, he's going to be the absolute bellcow for the Jets offense. Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis aren't much competition.

2. The Jets… pic.twitter.com/dlm8kKJRbh

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) August 26, 2026

New York Jets: Breece Hall will rush for a career-high 1,100-plus yards and eight TDs. The Jets’ offense will start to show some life with respectable balance, opening up more running room for Hall.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: AFC North

Cincinnati: Erick All Jr. will stay healthy for most of the season while he becomes the third-best fantasy pass-catcher on the team. A deep sleeper, he will be a sought-after waiver wire add no later than Week 3.

Cleveland: Quinshon Judkins will rush for 11 TDs, with some big games in that TD department. Without a true preseason last year, the Cleveland RB rushed for seven TDs,

Baltimore: Zay Flowers will finally become more of a TD threat, catching eight TD passes. Mark Andrews will bounce back to finish as a top-7 fantasy tight end.

Pittsburgh: DK Metcalf will put a forgettable 2025 season behind him, finishing with 1,150-plus receiving yards and nine TD receptions.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: AFC South

Indianapolis: Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren will tie for the team lead with nine TD receptions each. Warren will finish as a top 2-3 fantasy TE.

Jacksonville: Trevor Lawrence will deliver a career season as Liam Coen continues to guide his way to greater heights. Lawrence will finish as a top-2 fantasy QB and boost many fantasy teams to championships in 2026.

Houston: David Montgomery will finally be the one to stabilize the Houston running game. He will rush for 1,050-plus yards and 10-plus TDs. Montgomery can battle hard for every yard when given the opportunities.

Tennessee: The Titans will field a top-5 fantasy defense. The combination of Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will get quality results out of a strong defensive line and an infusion of promising youth.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: AFC West

Kansas City: Emmett Johnson will function as one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football, as Kenneth Walker III misses five to six games. Walker gets banged up often, and he has never been a true feature back over a full season yet.

Rookie Emmett Johnson has shown glimpses of another RB Andy Reid used to coach.@Huskerfootball x @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/xtgPtx37xO

— NFL (@NFL) May 4, 2026

Las Vegas: Jalen Nailor will be the second-leading pass-catcher for the Raiders, and he will not catch fewer than eight TD passes.

Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert will vie to finish as the fantasy QB1 in 2026, battling with Trevor Lawrence. The Chargers’ new-look offense under Mike McDaniel will be exciting and productive for fantasy purposes. Herbert will also win a playoff game this season.

Denver: Jaylen Waddle will deliver a top-4 fantasy WR season as he enjoys the best season of his pro career so far. Expect a return to his 2022 form, with more receptions than the 75 he finished with that year.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: NFC East

Dallas: Not a fantasy prediction, but the Cowboys defense will be improved, and finally, Dallas will return to the NFC Championship Game. Fantasy-wise, Malik Davis may start a few games and will operate as a fantasy starter when he does.

New York Giants: Malachi Fields will emerge as a streamable fantasy starter as a rookie. Cam Skattebo’s style of play will cause him to miss at least four games, and Najee Harris will fill in with decent fantasy production.

Philadelphia: DeVonta Smith will come through with a career year, taking on the No. 1 WR role successfully. He will catch 90-plus passes and finish with over 1,100 receiving yards while catching at least seven TD passes.

Washington: Kaytron Allen will surface as the lead ball carrier by Week 6 and will be a hot fantasy pickup. Allen will function as a consistent TD threat and will be worthy of regular fantasy starting consideration later in the year.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: NFC North

Green Bay: Matthew Golden, who was a first-round pick for the Packers in 2025, will break out in his second pro season. Expect some notable spike statistical weeks as he leads Green Bay in receiving yards.

Minnesota: Kyler Murray will be a disappointment as a starter for Minnesota, and he will either miss time because of an injury or get benched. I am still wary of the Justin Jefferson outlook.

Detroit: Jameson Williams will become a more reliable fantasy target and will solidify his status as a regular fantasy starter in 2026. He will also come through with at least two games of two-plus TD receptions.

Chicago: Caleb Williams will not bust, and he should challenge to be a top-4 fantasy QB. When Williams is on his game, he conjures up memories of a mobile playmaking creator such as prime Russell Wilson.

Russell Wilson's Top 5 GAME-CHANGING QBs 👀

Josh Allen
Caleb Williams
Lamar Jackson
Patrick Mahomes
Joe Burrow

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/aSkBavuusC

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 27, 2026

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: NFC South

Tampa Bay: A healthy Baker Mayfield, playing in a contract year, will recapture his better form and lead some fantasy teams to deep playoff runs and championships.

Carolina: Darren Waller will fail in his latest attempt to still be a relevant fantasy option. Ja’Tavion Sanders will actually start to pop up on the fantasy radar in 2026.

New Orleans: Juwan Johnson will perform well enough to be a dependable fantasy TE1. He will be a clear preferred target for Tyler Shough on key passing downs and near the goal line.

Atlanta: QB issues will lead to a disappointing year from Bijan Robinson, and he will not finish as a top-5 fantasy RB. Brian Robinson Jr. will also steal some goal-line TDs.

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions: NFC West

Seattle: Rashid Shaheed will become worthy of regular fantasy starting consideration with some explosive weeks. Jadarian Price will perform well enough early on to erase any significant concerns about George Holani cutting into his workload. When Zach Charbonett returns, the Seahawks will employ a fine one-two punch at RB.

"I think he's gonna have a MONSTER year as a rookie"@PriscoCBS has high expectations for Seahawks' RB Jadarian Price 👀 pic.twitter.com/woinNSKKjz

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 1, 2026

San Francisco: Kaelon Black will start at least six games, and he will be a must-start fantasy RB2 when he takes on a feature back workload.

Los Angeles Rams: Terrance Ferguson will bust out as a fantasy TE, catching seven TD passes and working as a consistent target for Matthew Stafford in all types of passing situations.

Arizona: Jacoby Brissett will flame out before midseason, and Gardner Minshew will only be good enough to lose with. Carson Beck will start late in the season and show enough promise to encourage those who roster him in dynasty leagues.

More Fantasy Football Analysis