Every week after I wrap up the gauntlet of in-season duties, I’ll be settling in this year to write this fun piece on 10 bold predictions I could see playing out this week. These are not shots in the dark, nor are they exactly how I have set my rankings. Rather, think of it this way: A bold prediction is something the general public would give less than a 10% shot of happening, but I put it at 25% or higher. My goal this season is to nail 30% of these calls and I’ll be keeping track in order to hold myself accountable for you all. Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoy! Shoot me your bold predictions on twitter and I’ll let you know what I think!

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#10 Jordan Wilkins will be a top 20 RB vs CIN

At first, I didn’t think this was bold at all, but then I saw the expert consensus has Wilkins down as their RB36 for the week! Perhaps it is because of the chance Marlon Mack still plays, although that would likely just be a minimal role. This is with the expectation that they sit him and neither the disappointing Nyheim Hines or has-been, Christine Michael gets in the way of Wilkins getting a full crack at the starting job. It is worth noting that the Bengals gave up 23 fantasy points per game to running backs last year, which was the second most in football. Plus, Vontaze Burfict is suspended for this game so Indy could run all over them.

Final Prediction: 16 carries for 91 yards with 3 receptions for 16 yards

#9 Joe Mixon will finish as a top 5 RB @ IND

Yes, I know Mixon killed you last season. He killed me too, but there is nothing more lethal to your chances in fantasy football than saying never again about a young player as talented as Mixon. He cut 15 pounds in the off-season and is expected to be used like Le’Veon Bell lite in Cincinnati, which is interesting because he is an oddly similar talent to Bell and I do not say that for hyperbole. He is going to explode this year and it starts in Week 1 versus a shoddy Colts defense.

Final Prediction: 16 carries for 77 yards with 6 receptions for 101 yards and a TD



#8 James Conner will be a top 12 RB @ CLE

After I publish this, we may find out that Le’Veon Bell is showing up after all. Even if that is the case, this prediction stands. The Steelers aren’t going to risk his health in a tropical depression after not having practiced with the team all preseason. This is Conner’s game and they are going to run him to death rather than pass it in 30 MPH winds in the pouring down rain. Conner has the upside to be a beast in the NFL and even against the tough Browns’ run defense (I said that right), he should begin to showcase that.

Final Prediction: 24 carries for 85 yards and 1 TD with 4 receptions for 17 yards

#7 Corey Davis will end up as a top 12 WR @ MIA

I can’t figure out for the life of me why everyone is so high on a top-five pick from last year’s draft made in the mold of Brandon Marshall. Sure, he struggled last year, but after missing tons of time due to injury during the key months of his rookie acclimation to the offense. He was a monster in the playoffs and that is who we’ve got for the next handful of years. Don’t be surprised when Marcus Mariota targets him like the true number one receiver he is. When it happens versus the Dolphins in Week 1, Davis is going to eat.

Final Prediction: 12 targets with 8 receptions, 91 yards and a TD

#6 Dak Prescott will be a top 10 QB @ CAR

Much like the Wilkins prediction, it surprised me that the expert consensus has Dak as the QB19 this week. Did they watch the Panthers’ appalling secondary in the preseason? Do they remember that before Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension last year, Dak was the #3 fantasy QB after finishing as the QB6 his rookie season? Dak is good. The opponent is bad. It is really that simple. Even an offensive line devoid of Travis Frederick and a minor downgrade in the receiver core can’t change that equation.

Final Prediction: 294 yards, 2 pass TDs, 0 INT, 16 rush yards

#5 The Giants will finish as a top 10 DST vs JAC

Oh man were the Giants horrendous last year. That was last year, though when they were riddled with injuries and disinterested because of a lost season. This defense is loaded with talent from Damon Harrison and Vernon Oliver to Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins. By the way, did you happen to notice that Blake Bortles looked worse than ever in the preseason? I don’t just have the Giants covering the spread at home, I’ll take them winning outright against last year’s AFC runner-ups.

Final Prediction: 13 points allowed, 1 sack, 2 INT, 1 FR

#4 Jack Doyle will be a top 3 TE vs CIN

There is no need to worry about Eric Ebron, seeing that the Colts put Doyle on the field for 80% of Andrew Luck‘s snaps the preseason. Doyle is clearly their guy, which is especially promising because Luck loves to target tight ends. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that Cincinnati struggles versus the position and it should come as no surprise that Doyle lit them up for 12 receptions, 121 yards and a score last year. While that type of explosion may not happen in Week 1, a lesser version of the same thing could be in store.

Final Prediction:8 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD

#3 Jamaal Williams will end up as a top 12 RB vs CHI

Last year Aaron Rodgers was injured, the backup offensive linemen were hurt behind the starting offensive linemen who were hurt, yet somehow, when Aaron Jones was injured, Jamaal still managed to be a top 6 fantasy running back over the final nine games of the season. With Rodgers back in the fold and a healthy offensive line, Williams should retain that kind of production and then some with the workhorse role at least until Jones comes back.

Final Prediction: 15 carries for 88 yards and a TD with 2 receptions for 17 yards

#2 Antonio Brown will finish outside the top 15 WR @ CLE

I already alluded to the nasty weather conditions in Cleveland this weekend. It will likely end up as the worst weather in any NFL game this season with sustained winds of 25-30 MPH and gusts over 40 MPH. Meanwhile, there will be a torrential downpour for the majority of the game. If you think Brown is going to feast this weekend, you’ve got another thing coming. That isn’t to say you need to go out and bench him in your redraft league, but it is certainly a bad idea to use him in DFS cash games.

Final Prediction: 7 targets with 6 receptions, 62 yards

#1 Josh Doctson will be a top 30 WR @ ARI

This is the streamer of the week if you need a one-time flex play. Doctson won’t always be reliable since most teams shadow him with top-tier cover corners, but this week he may have the easiest matchup in the NFL with Patrick Peterson sticking to the opposite side of the field this season, leaving Jamar Taylor for Doctson. Alex Smith will be licking his chops when he sees the 5’11” bullseye next to Doctson, the 6’3″ super-athlete. Fantasy owners should be too.

Final Prediction: 6 targets with 5 receptions, 67 yards and a TD



**Bonus Super Duper Bold Prediction**

Nick Vannett will finish as a top 10 TE vs DEN

Wait, who? This is the guy who is the clear-cut starter for the Seattle Seahawks team that tossed 14 touchdowns to tight ends last year. Not only that, but Doug Baldwin is playing banged up, Rashaad Penny is recovering from a hand surgery and Russell Wilson is likely to be under pressure all day, leaving Vannett as a check down option. Denver was abysmal versus tight ends last year so don’t be surprised if Vannett eats them alive on his way to becoming one of the hottest waiver wire adds of the week.

Final Prediction: 6 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TD

Thanks for reading and happy football season!



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