We’re in July, now mere weeks away from Training Camp and less than a month away from the first pre-season action of the 2026 NFL Season. That feels like an ideal time to talk about some bold predictions for the season. Below are ten things I think we’ll see from the NFL and NFL Fantasy in 2026.
#1 Tua Tagovailoa will start all season in Atlanta and finish Top 20
About: Michael Penix, Jr., is returning from a third major knee injury. He’s not cleared for contact, and it’s not clear when that will happen. Tua, meanwhile, is on a one-year prove-it deal. He’s looked good, by all accounts, this off-season, and is working with a new coach in Kevin Stefanski. He is also surrounded by a decent line and great weapons in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
It’s an ideal situation—all the things people have said about Kyler Murray in Minnesota. The last time we saw Tua start all season with an arsenal of top-tier weapons was 2023, when he finished as QB9. I’m not saying he’s a QB1, but I think he’ll be a solid QB2.
#2 Kirk Cousins will start fewer than five games this season
About: Cousins was an interesting name heading into the off-season. He looked better down the stretch in 2025 for the Falcons and looked to have potential as a veteran starter or bridge option. He was finally signed by the Raiders, who then drafted Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall.
I suspect Cousins will, indeed, start Week 1. But this Raiders team isn’t a contender and isn’t likely to keep Mendoza off the field long. I see a Russell Wilson with the Giants type situation, where we see Mendoza starting by October.
# 3 Kyle Monangai will finish with more fantasy points than D’Andre Swift
About: In 2025, Monangai was a Seventh-Round draft pick that entered the season an unknown. By the end, he appeared to be a great fit for the Chicago Bears’ offense. He finished as RB30 and had a stronger second half of the season. But Swift remained RB1, finishing as RB15 for the season.
So, what’s changed? Swift is in a contract year, which means the Bears have more reason to push Monangai’s continued growth going into his second season. And while they were far apart in fantasy finishes, they were close in yardage. Swift finished with 1,087 yards and Monangai finished with 783 yards. Swift had more touchdowns and more receptions, owing to his higher finish. But Monangai started slow and closed strong. I think it’s more of an even split that tilts Monangai’s way in 2026.
#4 Omarion Hampton falls short of 1,000 yards
About: Call it a gut thing. I wasn’t as high on Hampton last year as others, and while he looked good at times when in the lineup, he struggled to stay on the field. He appeared in nine games, starting just six, and finished with 545 yards. He has upside, which is why he routinely is ranked Top 12 in Dynasty for many, but I’m not as bullish. I think he’ll be fine but will fall short of that elusive 1,000-yard mark.
#5 Justin Jefferson misses Top 12 again
About: Jefferson is an incredible talent. He has the skill to be the WR1 overall and has done just that. But last season, with competition for targets and middling quarterback play, he was just WR21. I don’t see what’s changed. J.J. McCarthy and Murray will vie for the starting spot. Murray is a quarterback, who despite being a No. 1 overall pick, has yet to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.
I don’t see that changing in 2026. And Jefferson faces competition for targets from Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, and T.J. Hockenson, among others. He’s talented, but I don’t see a big leap for this offense in 2026.
#6 Parker Washington finishes Top 25 at WR
About: This isn’t a huge leap. Despite rostering Brian Thomas, Jr., Jakobi Myers, and Travis Hunter, it was Parker that led the Jaguars’ receivers in 2025. He finished as WR27. While all three of those guys are back in 2026, and Brenton Strange is coming on at tight end, I still like Washington and his fit. Hunter moving to cornerback full-time feels like an acknowledgement that the Jaguars are great starting Myers, Thomas, and Washington at receiver. And Washington had a good connection with Trevor Lawrence in the Liam Coen offense in 2025. I think that connection remains, and he’s again a reliable weekly play.
#7 The Broncos will have two 1,000-yard receivers
About: Call it a homer pick if you want (and I know some will), but I like Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle together in 2026. The Broncos have tried to draft receivers the past couple of seasons, and even added Evan Engram last off-season to give Bo Nix a second strong receiving weapon. It didn’t work.
So, this off-season they acquired Waddle from Miami. I think Waddle and Sutton will make for a great pair of targets. Sutton finished as WR13 last season, while Waddle managed a Top 24 finish despite the dumpster fire that was the 2025 Miami Dolphins. Additionally, despite inconsistency, Troy Franklin was WR31 for the Broncos in 2025. While I think Sutton’s targets come down some, I believe Waddle will take the targets from other receivers and from Engram and both will have enough volume to cross the 1,000-yard threshold.
#8 Dallas Goedert will finish Top 12 at TE again
About: It seems every off-season of late the Eagles look to move on from Goedert. And yet, every season he’s in the lineup producing. He finished as TE7 in 2025, and now he’s going as TE15. Why? Because the Eagles added Eli Stowers and Makai Lemon, and he’s again. But the team also moved on from A.J. Brown, who finished as WR11 while Goedert was still a Top 10 tight end. I suspect Goedert and DeVonta Smith will be the focus of the passing game early, and Goedert will finish as a TE1 again, at least for 2026.
#9 The New Orleans Saints will make the playoffs
About: The Saints started poorly, finishing 1-8 the first nine games with Spencer Rattler as the starter. Then the team moved to Tyler Shough and started to show signs of life. The Saints closed strong, finishing 6-11 overall after going 5-3 down the stretch. The team invested in weapons, adding Jordan Tyson and Oscar Delp in the draft, and Travis Etienne, Jr., and Noah Fant in free agency. All the while Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara remain, and Kellen Moore is still calling plays. In a winnable NFC South, I think the Saints are a good bet to go from worst to first in their division and make the playoffs.
#10 The Green Bay Packers will miss the playoffs
About: The Packers started last season as a Super Bowl favorite in the NFC. It didn’t last. The team was up-and-down, doing well enough to make the playoffs but that was it. This off-season has been unkind to the Packers. The team saw Romeo Doubs leave via free agency and Dontayvion Wicks leave via trade. That hurts the wide receiver depth. Tucker Kraft is recovering from a knee injury, and Josh Jacobs is still dealing with legal issues, all while the team lost its most reliable No. 2 running back in Emanuel Wilson.
It’s not just offense, either. Micah Parsons, for whom the team spent a tidy sum last off-season, is still recovering from an ACL injury. He’s unlikely to be cleared before mid-October, which could lead to this team getting off to a slow start in a division where every team finished with nine or more wins in 2025. I think they fall just short.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
