When it comes to fantasy football, the conservative approach tends to result in a middle-of-the-pack finish. If you stick purely to ADP, you’ll just be drafting the players that the rest of the people in your league think are good, too. And that’s a great way to finish in fifth place. If you want to win your league, you have to be bold and take some chances. Sure, some of them won’t work out. But the right mix of solid picks and high-upside swings could result in a championship roster come January. That’s where our featured experts come in. We cast a wide net and came up with nearly two dozen fantasy football bold predictions for the 2023 season.

The primary objective of bold predictions isn’t to get them exactly right; it’s to highlight the players with a strong chance to produce an outlier season and paint a picture of what that ceiling or floor looks like and why it could happen. Read on for our featured analysts’ bold predictions.

• Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
• Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
• Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
• Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

What is one bold fantasy prediction (player related) for the upcoming season and why could it happen?

“Tony Pollard finishes as a Top 3 RB. Plain and simple: I love Tony Pollard. Now that we know for a concrete fact Ezekiel Elliott won’t be back in Dallas next year after signing with the Patriots, what are the obstacles for Pollard to not be a superstar fantasy asset? In all honesty, probably health. The departure of Elliott sees 248 touches now available in the Cowboys backfield, and this is not me saying ALL of Zeke’s work will go to Pollard but most will. Take into account that Pollard is also playing for his cash after signing the franchise tag, and in return gives Dallas full license to run Pollard wild on essentially a one-year prove-it deal akin to DeMarco Murray. I would take Pollard over the likes of Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson, two guys I also love, but this is the kind of love we are talking. If you are able to secure Pollard in round 2 of your fantasy drafts throw a parade for yourself, because you deserve it.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

“Zay Flowers is a Top 24 WR this year. Zay Flowers is not only the top Wide Receiver on the Ravens. He is also the top Rookie Wide Receiver in 2023. Flowers will finish as a top-24 fantasy football wide receiver. Zay has the most straightforward path to being the wide receiver 1 on his team. He is a dynamic player and a polished route-runner, and it will result in fantasy production early.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)

“Calvin Ridley will finish 2023 as one of the Top 5 WR. At first glance, to those with hype-train tickets, it might not sound “bold enough” to expect this. The fantasy reset button on Ridley flashed “risk/reward” early in the offseason, but we’re now getting some very positive signs from camp and preseason. The problem for the more skeptical fantasy pundits remains – no recent stats. So we are essentially left to consider the upside on pure face value. Trevor Lawrence‘s growth as a quarterback and Ridley’s hibernated talent on an improving offense add up to big potential.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)

“Jeff Wilson finishes as a Top 15 RB. Wilson immediately supplanted Raheem Mostert as the team’s lead rusher after a mid season trade as he averaged 16.9 ppg in his first three games with the Dolphins. Before the trade to the Dolphins, he was the primary ball carrier for the 49ers until San Fran made the trade for Christian McCaffery. Wilson is a steal at his current ADP and I cannot wait to scoop him up in as many leagues as possible. ”
– Joe Serpico (Pressbox)

“For the first time, at least one WR will eclipse the 2,000 receiving yard barrier. The most likely candidate is Justin Jefferson. Last year, Jefferson snagged 128 catches on 184 targets for 1,809 yards and eight scores. So he wasn’t far off from the 2,000-yard mark. Jefferson needs to earn about 15% more targets, which would take him from 184 in 2022 to 212. That would be an NFL record (Marvin Harrison saw 205 targets in 2002). Assuming Jefferson can maintain his career 68.1% catch rate and 14.9 yards per reception, that takes us to an astonishing 2,147 yards. Maybe this prediction isn’t so bold!”
– Matt De Lima (The Game Day)

“My bold fantasy prediction for this season is that all three of the Seahawks WR in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba go for 1,000+ yards and are top-30 WRs at worst, while Geno Smith passes for 4,500+ yards and is a QB1. Seattle’s passing attack is helmed by Shane Waldron, who comes over from the Rams and has wanted to run 3 WR sets and now the Seahawks can, which should allow Geno to cook even more this season. The Seahawks are one of my favorite darkhorse teams and can unseat the 49ers in the NFC West.”
– Sam Wagman (The Game Day)

“Zay Flowers finishes as a Top 10 WR in fantasy football this season. Baltimore’s offensive pace under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken will result in more target opportunities for Flowers. Look for Flowers to surpass both Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman as the top target for QB Lamar Jackson. Covering Flowers is going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses. He can beat you deep, or he can play out of the slot and catch short passes. Don’t be surprised if Flowers leads the league in YAC (Yards After Contact). Offensive coordinator Todd Monken will find creative ways to get Flowers the ball this season. Flowers is currently ranked as a WR44 and is being drafted 102nd overall. ”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

“Cam Akers ends the year as a Top 10 RB. The veteran has had a rocky first three years in the NFL. However, he is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will have a breakout season. Last year, Akers ended the season on fire. He was the RB2 over the final four weeks, averaging 18.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The Rams didn’t add any meaningful competition to the backfield. Furthermore, their receiving core lacks upside outside of Cooper Kupp. Sean McVay has high expectations for Akers this season, as should fantasy players.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“Keenan Allen leads the NFL in receptions. Over the last seven games of 2022, once Allen got healthy, he recorded 52 receptions, only four fewer than league leader Justin Jefferson. This year, the Chargers hired Kellen Moore, and that should mean more passing volume. With Allen playing the lead role, a la CeeDee Lamb in Dallas, 160-plus targets are within reach, and with Allen’s hands, that could mean 120 receptions or more.”
– Ryan Weisse (Club Fantasy FFL)

“Derek Carr will be a Top 10 QB in 2023. The New Orleans Saints did not pay Derek Carr to commit to the run. They will open up the playbook. With the Saints facing one of the easiest strengths of schedules (SOS) plus the second-year breakout of Chris Olave, Derek Carr should outperform his ADP. Don’t forget he gets the return of Michael Thomas, the emergence of Juwan Johnson and a weaker running back core to start the season (leading to a pass-heavy offense).”
– Joe Pepe (Beyond The Gridiron)

“Jahmyr Gibbs finishes with more fantasy points this season than Bijan Robinson. Gibbs is poised to have a monster season, both as a receiver and a rusher. Given the way I expect Gibbs to be used as a playmaker, his target volume could be in the top tier of running backs, alongside Christian McCaffrey and Austin Ekeler. Gibbs is the Lions’ second-best playmaker and I predict he’ll flirt with 280-290 total touches this season. Robinson should be very good too, but I expect him to cede some rushing work to Tyler Allgeier and he won’t get nearly the volume in the receiving game compared to Gibbs.”
– Jaime Eisner (The Draft Network)

“Bijan Robinson will not finish as a Top 10 RB. Bijan is currently ranked as the #3 RB in half-ppr, which means a lot of teams are going to lose their league in the 1st round of the draft. This is a combination of the hype going too far and people assuming the Falcons will have a competent offense.”
– Matt Gaines (League Tycoon)

“Javonte Williams returns in 2023 and delivers the best post-ACL tear season in recent history. He is already miles ahead of where he should be in his recovery and has shown that he can cut and operate in his return to the field. Williams has the opportunity to be the RB1 that everyone hoped for last year and can help Russell Wilson in the air and on the ground. With his pass-catching ability and shiftiness out of the backfield, Javonte will end the season with more than 1,500 and 10 TDs.”
– Josh Hall (IDP Army)

“Christian Watson is a Top 10 WR. As a rookie, he didn’t end up becoming a full-time player until Week 10. From that point on, he was the WR8 in fantasy PPG and his underlying metrics were great as well. Watson had a very nice 23% target share and an insane 41% air yards share. That air yards share would have been top 3 in the NFL over a full season span. He should only continue to grow and progress as a player entering his Sophomore season.”
– Robert Norton (Last Word On Sports)

“Tua Tagovailoa is going to be a Top 5 QB this year. He has arguably two top-tier Wide Receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle who can catch anything thrown in their direction and are faster than any duo in recent history! Tagovailoa had a 64.8% accuracy on passes over 40 yards this year and that should continue and lead to an excellent year for the Miami Dolphins signal caller! With the speed he has at all the skill positions and the work he has put in during the off-season, he could top 4,500 yards and throw 35+ touchdowns this year!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

“Brock Purdy will finish as a Top 10 QB. Purdy averaged 18.1 fantasy points in his six full games last season- good for QB9 Weeks 13 through 18. During that stretch, Purdy ranked 7th in completion percentage, 2nd in catchable throw percentage, and had the lowest pass attempts per touchdown amongst all QBs. Second-year QBs with elite offensive weapons are notorious for their breakout campaigns. Purdy might have the best supporting cast in the entire NFL, with the likes of Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle at his disposal. ”
– Joe Orrico (No Expert Fantasy Football)

“Jake Ferguson will finish as a Top 10 TE this season. For me, this is not a bold prediction; it is already a fact. He has the ability. He proved it in his chances in 2022. 86% receptions per target last year. 89 vacated targets from Dalton Schultz. It’s Fergie Time!”
– Guilherme Gianni (Fantasy Futebolista)

“Marquise Brown will finish as a Top 15 WR in fantasy points per game by the end of the season. Last year, DeAndre Hopkins was his main competitor for targets in this offense. This year, Hopkins is in Tennessee, and that means that Hollywood will only have to compete with rookie Michael Wilson and slot receiver Rondale Moore for targets. When he was the top target for Arizona for the first six weeks of the 2022 season, thanks to Hopkins’ suspension, he was the overall WR5 in PPR formats in that timeframe. If QB Kyler Murray is able to return to the field sooner than people think, Brown will be one of the best values in all of fantasy football.”
– Leo Sells (Couch Report Sports)

“James Cook finishes as a Top 12 RB in fantasy points per game. A second-round pick just over a year ago out of Georgia, Cook profiles as an elusive and dynamic runner with pass-catching prowess on one of the best offenses in the NFL. Cook’s league-leading 12.1% breakaway run rate showcased his game-breaking potential, while his impressive true yards per carry and yards per touch firmly ranked him within the Top-5. With Devin Singletary‘s departure leaving a 10% target share up for grabs, Cook is primed to absorb the lion’s share, building on his already significant 6% share from last year. With a preseason 70% route participation indicating the potential for elite opportunity, James Cook wouldn’t need 200 carries to get into the Top 12; remember, Alvin Kamara finished with only 120 rush attempts as the RB4 overall in 2017. ”
– Bradley Stalder (Player Profiler)

“Breece Hall finishes as a Top 5 RB. Why? Targets. We know how valuable they can be. We know how good Breece can be when healthy. His Y/RR was more than double that of his new backfield mate last year. Besides Garrett, there is no strong target competition. Breece is young, and off the PUP, I trust that the young talent wins out over the season.”
– Seth Miller (Crossroads Fantasy Football)

“Odell Beckham is a Top 40 WR with a strong probability of finishing inside the Top 30. A current ADP of 49 and ECR of 53 indicate neither the fantasy community nor expert rankers have much faith in OBJ. However, it is laughable to think there is debate about the talent today of Beckham versus his running mates on the Ravens – rookie Zay Flowers (ECR 43) and unproven Rashad Bateman (48). Beckham was a generational talent before the term lost its significance from overuse. Beckham showed us after getting out of Cleveland purgatory, and prior to injury in Super Bowl LVI, that he’s still got it. A year removed from that, we have a player with something to prove. He will be Lamar Jackson’s most reliable wideout.”
– Mike MacGregor (Draft Buddy)

“Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will finish as a Top 20 scoring LB in IDP formats. Al-Shaair was a force these past few seasons when he filled in for injured linebackers in San Francisco. He has the green dot of the Titan’s defense this year, so he will have plenty of time in the field to assert his dominance upon opposing offenses. When you start Al-Shaair in fantasy, you can expect consistent tackles from week to week with a few random sacks peppered in. If you wait past the first few rounds in fantasy drafts to take a linebacker, Azeez Al-Shaair is a name you should be watching.”
– Mason “Mase” Riney (Fantasy Six Pack)

Get the FantasyPros News App for iOS and Android now

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.