In less than a week, we'll have NFL games that count and, therefore, fantasy football results to follow. Hope springs eternal and everyone has an opinion on which players will do this and which teams will do that. That's the fun of being a fan, isn't it?
With that in mind, we asked our ESPN fantasy football analysts to put those ideas out there for the world to see. If any of them come to fruition, don't be surprised.
Don't be surprised if…
Adonai Mitchell finishes among the top 35 fantasy WRs
Currently selected as the WR61, the Indianapolis Colts rookie has the size and speed (his 4.34-second 40-yard dash time was third-fastest among wide receivers at this year’s combine) to make him a deep threat in this offense. And with Josh Downs currently sidelined due to a sprained ankle, Mitchell has had a chance to build a rapport with quarterback Anthony Richardson in training camp. Mitchell flew under the radar at Georgia but emerged at Texas to offer a glimpse of what he could become, and the Colts liked what they saw, selecting him 52nd overall. If Downs has an extended absence and/or Mitchell puts up a solid claim for playing time, it could provide a big return on investment for fantasy managers. Stephanie Bell
Travis Etienne Jr. finishes among top five fantasy running backs
Etienne averaged 16.6 points per game last season and scored 12 touchdowns. He’s a high-volume runner (267 carries) with the dual-threat skills to produce in the passing game, as Etienne caught 58 of 73 passes in 2023. Even if he has a slight decline in total touches this season, his deployment leads to consistent weekly volume as both a runner and receiver while also creating scoring opportunities in the low red zone. There’s real potential here for Etienne in a Jacksonville Jaguars offense that has the pieces — and the scheme under head coach Doug Pederson — to produce explosive numbers in 2024. Matt Bowen
Kyren Williams finishes among top five fantasy RBs
1:21
Will Kyren Williams' punt returns hurt his fantasy potential?
Mike Clay's fantasy confidence in Kyren Williams isn't shaken by reports he'll return punts for the Rams.
Williams’ stock is falling following the recent “news” that he’ll be the Los Angeles Rams’ primary punt returner. It should be noted that Williams handled that role for Weeks 1-3 of last season (he was responsible for all three of the Rams’ punt returns) while also playing 86% of the team’s offensive snaps during the span. Williams actually opened the 2023 season in a timeshare with Cam Akers, but he proceeded to handle 14 of the team’s first 24 RB carries while playing 67% of the snaps in a comfortable Week 1 win over Seattle. He found the end zone twice in that game and, before Austin Trammell took over punt return duties in Week 4, he was fifth among running backs in fantasy points. We've already factored in a drop in Williams' usage with rookie Blake Corum in the mix, so counting twice for that now that he'll be returning one or two punts per game seems like a mistake. A year after joining Christian McCaffrey as the only backs to average more than 18.0 fantasy points per game, the 24-year-old Williams is well-positioned for another solid campaign as the RB1. Mike Clay
Denver Broncos' passing game puts up outstanding fantasy numbers
In particular, Marvin Mims Jr. becomes the breakout star of our game that many expected him to be in 2023. Bo Nix’s coronation as the starting quarterback is a huge plus, considering he looked quite comfortable in the pocket and made no mistakes during his two preseason games. Tim Patrick’s release simplifies the receiving pecking order such that targets for Courtland Sutton and Mims are safer than they were even a few weeks ago. Sutton, who goes as the No. 42 wide receiver on average, and Mims, who goes outside the positional top-75, both have ceilings that reach into the top-20 of the position. Meanwhile, Nix should have attractive matchups with a chance to be the unexpected surprise of his position — a top-12 quarterback. Tristan H. Cockcroft
Kyle Pitts is TE1 this season
The first three seasons of Pitts' career have been frustrating for his fantasy managers. Even Pitts' rookie season, in which he became just the second tight end in league history to debut with 1,000 receiving yards, was a bit disappointing because he scored just one touchdown. Injuries, quarterback play and scheme design were the co-conspirators the past two years. This is the season where it all finally comes together. Pitts will play in an Atlanta Falcons offense that features his extraordinary talents and is led by a competent QB in Kirk Cousins. This time next year, we'll be looking at Pitts as a Round 2 or 3 fantasy pick. — Tyler Fulghum
Derrick Henry runs for 20 touchdowns
Maybe that's not bold enough. Twenty-five touchdowns? Henry has reached double figures in rushing touchdowns in six straight seasons, but even in his 2,000-yard season, he had “just” 17. That was in a 16-game season. He's now 17 games in, and the Baltimore Ravens' offense offers a perfect setup, with a stronger offensive line, an elusive quarterback with elite skills, and creative playmaking. After all, if Gus Edwards can score 13 touchdowns, what can Henry do? Yes, he's 30, but he's still destroying defenders and racking up yards after contact. There are also more touchdowns at stake than receptions. Eric Karabell
Rome Odunze surpasses Keenan Allen as Caleb Williams' No. 2 target
It’s a matter of when, not if. Odunze will be Williams’ second-favorite target behind DJ Moore before the end of the season. Odunze has exuded Alpha energy throughout his college career (10 games of at least 100 receiving yards in 2023 and a Biletnikoff Award finalist) and from the jump since being selected ninth overall by the Chicago Bears. He and Williams have shown instant chemistry. The two notably connected on an out-of-frame play that resulted in a beautiful 45-yard connection during the team’s third preseason outing against Cincinnati. A player with Odunze’s frame, route awareness and receiving radius can’t be relegated to No. 3 WR duties for long. His stat lines may be a bit boom-or-bust to begin with, but he’s an excellent pick with 10th-round potential (an astonishing three rounds after Allen is selected). Liz Loza
Travis Kelce finishes outside the top five TEs
Kelce remains one of the best (if not the best) tight ends in the game, but the gap between him and the rest of the field has narrowed considerably. Since 2016, Kelce has finished as the top tight end six times and never ranked lower than the TE3 in that span. His dominant run has been impressive, but now Kelce has competition, not just in his own offense but from a ton of other fantasy-relevant tight ends. Consider Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride, Mark Andrews, Dalton Kincaid, Evan Engram, David Njoku, and (now that he has an actual QB) Kyle Pitts, just to name a few. Kelce turns 35 this year and also has to deal with Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Marquise Brown stealing targets in the Kansas City Chiefs' offense. Kelce had the second-lowest target ratio of his career last season, and that was before the Chiefs added more weapons to the offense. Nothing that is golden can last, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see a changing of the guard at the top of the tight end position this season. Daniel Dopp
Caleb Williams throws for over 4,000 yards and is a top 10 fantasy QB
1:20
Why Field Yates is betting everything on Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams in fantasy
Field Yates explains why he's excited for the rookie QB class to shine in fantasy football.
The Bears are the only team that has never had a quarterback top 4,000 yards in a season. Surrounded by an impressive supporting cast, Williams is well-positioned to end that drought. The No. 1 pick will be the first rookie quarterback selected in the top five to throw passes to multiple players who had at least 1,200 receiving yards the previous season (Moore, Allen). He'll also have an additional target in fellow first-round rookie Odunze, who led the FBS with 1,640 receiving yards in his final college season at Washington. Williams' potential as a running back gives him a high fantasy ceiling. Eric Moody
Jayden Daniels finishes among top seven fantasy QBs as a rookie
Daniels sits at No. 12 in my preseason rankings, one spot ahead of Caleb Williams among all rookie quarterbacks. Daniels has a lot of ingredients in his favor to have a breakout season right out of the gate, as he has elite mobility for the position (he led all FBS players in yards per rush attempt last season, minimum 100 carries), is a talented thrower, and will be powering an up-tempo offense that will frequently play from behind this season. While we often harp on the importance of running for quarterbacks when it comes to creating a high field, Daniels also possesses plenty of potential. Country Yachts
