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Joey Pollizze's boldest predictions for fantasy football ahead of the 2026 NFL season. His early calls for the 2026 NFL and fantasy football season.
The NFL season is slowly approaching. Training camp begins in less than two months, and the regular season will be here before we know it. While most fantasy leagues won't be drafting until late August/early September, it's never too early to start researching for your fantasy football leagues. Gaining some fantasy insight now could help in your real drafts this summer.
In this article, we will dive into my five bold predictions for the 2026 season. Some of these predictions are bolder than others, but there is valid reasoning on why these five things could happen this year.
So, let's dive into my five bold predictions for the 2026 fantasy season.
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Christian McCaffrey Fails To Finish As A Top-20 Running Back
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the best fantasy player last season. He scored the most fantasy points in PPR formats and was the only player to cross the 400-point PPR threshold. His 24.5 PPR fantasy points per game also led all players. There's simply no denying just how impressive McCaffrey was in 2025.
However, history suggests that he is a regression candidate for the 2026 campaign. Any time a running back comes off a heavier-than-usual workload, injuries/regression tend to take center stage the next year. Just look at the last two times McCaffrey has seen more than 330 touches in a season.
In 2019, McCaffrey totaled 403 touches with the Carolina Panthers. He then managed to play in just three games the following year. In 2023, he totaled 339 touches in his first full season with the 49ers and went on to miss 13 games during the 2024 campaign. After a 450-touch season (including playoffs) last year, there are massive concerns about the veteran's ability to bounce back from a heavy workload in 2026.
Fantasy Football 1st round
🟢: Target
🟡: Neutral
🔴: FadeBijan Robinson 🟢
Jahmyr Gibbs 🟢
Ja'Marr Chase 🟡
Puka Nacua 🟡
Jaxon Smith-Njigba 🟡
Christian McCaffrey 🔴
Jonathan Taylor 🟡
Amon-Ra St. Brown 🟡
CeeDee Lamb 🟡
James Cook 🟡
Ashton Jeanty 🟢
Justin Jefferson 🟡— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) May 24, 2026
McCaffrey isn't the only player affected by these crazy workloads in recent years, either. Saquon Barkley was inefficient on the ground in 2025 following a 482-touch campaign the prior season. These types of workloads take tolls on these running backs, and they pay for it the next season. With McCaffrey also turning 30 years old in June, a disastrous fantasy campaign could be in store.
Tyler Shough Finishes As A Top-10 Quarterback
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough showed some encouraging things in his first professional season in 2025. He threw for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions across 11 games and emerged as a reliable fantasy quarterback down the stretch. Shough averaged 20.1 fantasy points over the final six weeks of the regular season.
With the former Louisville star now heading into his second NFL season, the potential is there for him to finish as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2026. Shough was a really good fantasy option in those final six weeks. He provided a safe fantasy floor and displayed some surprising rushing upside. The 26-year-old rushed for over 30 yards in three of his final five games last season.
Tyler Shough called his own number for the game-winning TD 🙌 @visa pic.twitter.com/3a749oxzLU
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2025
The expectation in Year 2 is that Shough will be even better than he was as a rookie. He will continue to work with one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the game, Kellen Moore, and the Saints selected Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving the young quarterback two elite weapons in the passing game.
That should all help Shough blossom into a top fantasy quarterback this season. He already ranked top-12 in completion percentage versus zone (71%), 11th in designed runs per game (1.55), 10th in red zone carries per game (1.18), eighth in blitz completion percentage (67.1%), and 11th in completion percentage (0.7%) among all quarterbacks as a rookie in 2025.
Kyler Murray Averages 22+ Fantasy Points Per Game
There are a lot of fantasy managers who might be out on Kyler Murray this season. He has finished outside the top 18 at the quarterback position in three of the last four years and is coming off a season in which he played in just five games due to a lingering foot issue. But it wouldn't be surprising one bit to see Murray return to fantasy superstar status in 2026.
The former Cardinals quarterback landed in an ideal situation this offseason by signing a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Murray will now get to work exclusively with Kevin O'Connell, who has made quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold emerge as strong fantasy options in the past. Cousins finished as the QB6 in 2022, while Darnold had a QB9 fantasy finish in 2024.
Murray has more upside than both of those quarterbacks in this quarterback-friendly offense. He has the potential to rush for over 500 yards with the Vikings this year and has two elite pass catchers in the passing game in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The last time that Murray had a wide receiver of Jefferson's caliber, he finished as the overall QB3 in fantasy (DeAndre Hopkins in 2020).
First things first, Murray has to beat out J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job out of training camp. Once he does, he could be well on his way to a top fantasy quarterback finish. His rushing upside, combined with top-notch playmakers on the outside, gives him such a high fantasy ceiling. Therefore, the former Pro Bowler will average 22+ fantasy points this season on the best offense he's ever been a part of.
Colston Loveland Finishes As The Overall TE1
This one is definitely one of the spicier predictions on this list, considering both Brock Bowers and Trey McBride still exist. Bowers finished as the overall TE1 just two years ago, and McBride is coming off his best all-around season with an overall TE1 fantasy finish in 2025. But give me the TE on the better offense with a better quarterback.
Bowers will likely be catching passes from a rookie quarterback in Fernando Mendoza. Rookies always go through ups and downs, which could affect the tight end's production in 2026. McBride could also be catching passes from a rookie this year. While Jacoby Brissett is predicted to be the Cardinals' starter to begin the season, Carson Beck could get his shot at some point with Arizona not expected to be competitive in 2026.
As for Loveland, he could really take off in his second season. The former Michigan star really established himself as Caleb Williams' go-to target down the stretch last year. He saw double-digit targets in each of the Bears' final four games (including playoffs) and exploded for an eight-catch, 137-yard performance against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Those types of big games could become the norm for Loveland in 2026. He ranked seventh in fantasy points per route run among all tight ends last year, had a 9.1 aDOT (average target distance), and had a 20.1% first read target share as a rookie. The Bears should also be an even better offense than a season ago, with Williams and head coach Ben Johnson entering their second year together.
You Love to see it 🫶 pic.twitter.com/2NMnYAjaAb
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 27, 2026
The sky is really the limit for Loveland this year. An overall TE1 finish on an evolving Chicago offense isn't out of the question for 2026.
Omarion Hampton Finishes As A Top-3 Running Back
It was clear after the first few games of the 2025 season that Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton is a special talent. He totaled 129 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown in a Week 3 game against the Broncos and turned around to rush for 128 yards and one touchdown against the Giants one game later in Week 4.
Unfortunately, Hampton's rookie season was defined by a fractured ankle that he suffered in a Week 5 contest against the Commanders. The North Carolina product would then go on to miss seven games from Week 6 to Week 13. He eventually returned in Week 14, but another ankle injury sidelined him for the final regular-season game and limited him in the Chargers' playoff game against the Patriots.
Although it was a disappointing rookie campaign for Hampton, a top-3 running back fantasy finish is certainly attainable in 2026. His injuries are in the past, and he showed his fantasy upside in his limited game action last season. The Chargers running back averaged 15.1 PPR fantasy points across nine games, which included three different 20-plus PPR fantasy point days.
Hampton will have a big role in this Los Angeles offense this year. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has always been a big believer in running the football, and the 23-year-old will be the primary running back in this backfield throughout the season. His biggest competition for touches is Keaton Mitchell, Kimani Vidal, and Jaret Patterson.
While both Vidal and Mitchell could spill into his workload a little bit, this is Hampton's backfield. Running behind an elite offensive line for a coach who loves to prioritize the run will help him become a fantasy superstar. When Hampton played last year, he had an impressive 69.7% opporunity share, 11th-best among all running backs.
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