6 BOLD Calls for the 2026 Fantasy Football Season

Aaron Jones is expected to handle the majority of pass-down work in the Vikings backfield, which limits Jordan Mason's ceiling in PPR formats.

Ian Hartitz is overweight on Brock Bowers in fantasy drafts, specifically targeting him at the end of round two. Hartitz identifies Bowers as this year's Jaxon Smith-Njigba, projecting him to be the primary pass-game option for the Raiders despite quarterback concerns. Hartitz expects him to command a high target share, noting that even in a run-first offense, the tight end should see significant volume, similar to JSN's role under Clint Kubiak last year.

Ian Hartitz ranks Chase Brown as his eighth overall player and strongly recommends drafting him at the round 1-2 turn.

Ian Hartitz mentions Emmett Johnson as a depth chart threat to Kenneth Walker, though he does not view him as a major concern.

Ian Hartitz expresses confidence in the Raiders' future with Fernando Mendoza, noting that once he takes over as the starter, the team will prioritize development and momentum rather than benching players late in the season, similar to the 2025 Saints' approach.

Ian Hartitz predicts Jared Goff will finish as a top-five overall fantasy quarterback, comparing his potential role to Matthew Stafford. Goff has consistently beaten his ADP for four years, leads the NFL in passing touchdowns since 2022, and has three consecutive seasons with over 4,500 passing yards. Hartitz recommends Goff as a primary target for late-round quarterback draft strategies, suggesting he could reach a career-peak performance in 2026.

Ian Hartitz projects Javonte Williams to lead the NFL in total touchdowns, potentially pushing for 20 scores. Hartitz argues the market is unfairly nitpicking Williams, noting his strong 2025 efficiency metrics (4th in success rate, 10th in YPC, 7th in tackles avoided) and the expectation that the Cowboys will field a top-10 or top-5 offense with a healthier offensive line. Hartitz also highlights that Williams recorded a longer rush attempt last season than Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Najee Harris, Kenneth Walker, and Devon Achane, countering narratives that he lacks explosiveness. Additionally, Jaden Blue is no longer on the roster, simplifying the depth chart, and Malik Davis is not viewed as a significant threat to his workload.

Ian Hartitz compares Brock Bowers' potential usage to Jaxon Smith-Njigba's role under Clint Kubiak last year, noting that even in a run-first offense, the tight end should see significant target volume.

Ian Hartitz predicts Jaylen Waddle will finish as the overall WR5 in PPR scoring and ranks him as a top draft target. Hartitz is comfortable taking him as high as round three, though he often falls to rounds four or five. He believes Waddle will be force-fed the ball in a pass-happy offense, dismissing injury concerns by noting he has only played less than 50% of snaps in a game four times in his career, despite his tendency to hobble off the field like Julio Jones.

Ian Hartitz projects Justin Herbert to win MVP and lead the league's top-scoring offense. Hartitz argues Herbert is a top-five real-life quarterback who is currently undervalued by the market, noting his history of 5,000-yard passing seasons and his status as one of only 10 quarterbacks to have multiple seasons averaging over 22 fantasy points per game.

Ian Hartitz mentions Mike Washington as a depth chart threat to Javonte Williams, though he implies it is not a significant concern.

Ian Hartitz uses Tank Bigsby as a comparison point for depth chart threats, suggesting he is not a major threat to Saquon Barkley's role.