Last Updated on July 22, 2026 3:54 pm by Jon Mosales | Published: July 22, 2026

This is my third time writing this article and it’s one of my favorites every season because I get to make a bet and there’s evidence for when it hits or misses.  Too many times in the fantasy community, people make claims, but don’t back them up or put anything on the line.  While I’m not exactly going all-in here, it’s at least a record of what I believe, what I hope and what I think has a chance to happen.  Last season, I went 2-4, which isn’t bad considering the players I vouched for were well outside the top-10 in ADP.  I nailed Drake Maye and he actually finished as the QB2 and Rashee Rice who was WR5 in FPPG.  I missed on RJ Harvey as JK Dobbins stayed healthy longer than expected and Isaiah Likely who got hurt, missed the start of the season and never found his groove.  As Kanye West famously once said, sometimes I’m just not right, right now and that’s how I feel about Harvey and Likely.  Either way, new season means new predictions.

QB1 in 2025 – Josh Allen 22.0 FPPG

Josh Allen is more of a sure thing than taxes at this point, but death is still undefeated.  He’s been the QB1/2 in seven straight seasons which I’m pretty sure is unprecedented. At this point the recipe is clear.  Lack of expectations, plus mobile QB = fantasy super nova.  You can be a dark horse QB in 2026, but if you don’t run, the odds are stacked against you.

Darkhorse prediction for 2026

Malik Willis

The difference between Willis this season and Maye is really only in draft pedigree.  They each had a small sample of NFL track record to base on as well being on a team that wasn’t really respected in fantasy circles.  What comes around goes around and after Maye led his team to the Super Bowl, Willis is next.  No, the Dolphins won’t go to the Super Bowl, they probably won’t even make the playoffs, but make no mistake, Willis is going destroy narratives.  It’s always tough when you have so little to go on.  In Week 17 of last year, he put together an absolute gem with 288 passing yards, two rushing scores, 60 rushing yards, and 33.5 fantasy points.  We’ve seen players do that late and then fizzle out, check Matt Flynn.  If we simply use his production in Green Bay, he averaged 22.7 fantasy points across the four games where he played more than 60% of the snaps.  The issues are clear, lack of experience and a terrible receiving core, but that just means the ball will stay in the hands of Willis.  I see this offense resembling the Ravens with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.  Cleary, they won’t be as dominant, but at what percentage does it become a massive win.  I think they can be 70% as effective and close to 90% in terms of just running.  The “only” problem with the Henry/Jackson combo is they don’t overlap.  If Willis uses De’Von Achane as his best receiver similar to CMC last season, the two will overlap nicely.  Achane had four receiving TDs last season and CMC had seven, if Achane can be closer to CMC, that only helps Willis for fantasy.  Last season, I love Maye and thought he was easily a top-10 QB, but I still got blinded by his ADP and thought I could wait on him or got spooked by spending $20+ in SF auctions.  This time, I know to trust my own system and will take him at least a round early in snake drafts.  He’s going inside the top-130, I will take him 110 without blinking an eye and will spend $25 in SF auction.

RB1 In 2024 – Christian McCaffrey at 24.5 FPPG

CMC was insane last season, but he succeeded on quantity, not quality.  He played a league-leading 83% of the snaps, in RB targets with 129 and receiving TDs with seven.  He was only at 3.9 in YPC, which compared to the RB 2/3 was dramatically low (5.1 for Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson).  You can still be an old-school bell cow RB and dominant the position, but six of the top seven RB had at least 350 receiving yards.

Darkhorse Prediction for 2026

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• About the Author
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Jon Mosales

I have been crazy about fantasy sports even before I knew what it was.  Some people use stats as a tool and some use the eye test.  I like to believe I have the perfect blend of both and that extra special spider sense that separates me from the herd.  I have been nominated for one FSWA Football Article of the Year award and am just getting started.  My only fear is that I will become too good at fantasy football and have to retire early like Michael Jordan. You won’t see me leave my house without at least one of my (four) dogs and if you are lucky enough, you will catch me cruising top-down with all four in tow.

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