10 bold predictions for the 2018 fantasy football season

The Fantasy Football season is set to kickoff in just over a week which means it’s the last chance to get your draft completed.

Building a consistent roster base is the most important thing in fantasy football. However, the difference between winning or losing a championship could come down to taking a risk or identifying a pitfall.

Last year was a great example of how taking a risk could pay off. Kareem Hunt quickly emerged as fantasy star and absolutely helped more than a few owners win their league.

They key was that most owners were able to land Hunt in the middle rounds. This means they could’ve paired him with another star like Le’Veon Bell or Todd Gurley. Having two dominant players like that is a recipe for success.

Going in the other direction, Odell Beckham Jr. entered last year in the middle of a heated contract negotiation. Those type of situations tend to end badly for the player and fantasy owners got burned with Beckham Jr. suffering a major injury.

This year there are plenty situations that warrant some attention. A deeper dive into these situations have helped me develop some bold predictions. This article features a collection of players ready to breakout and others due for a slump.

You won’t find any easy predictions as I really went out on a limb here. They are things I considered when I drafted my fantasy team. I’ll continue to monitor these scenarios throughout the season as I watch the wavier wire.

10. Jerick McKinnon will finish outside the top 20 RBs in all formats

There is a ton of hype surrounding McKinnon and his role in the San Francisco 49ers offense. His ability to both contribute as a runner and work out of the backfield as a receiver also plays a role in the hype.

Last year was McKinnon’s most productive and had a lot to do with Dalvin Cook suffering a season ending injury. McKinnon took advantage of this opportunity and turned it into a big-money deal with the 49ers.

He now heads to an offense that is on the rise, but is still a bit of an unknown. We only have a small sample size of Jimmy Garoppolo leading the offense. Any struggles by Garoppolo will negatively impact the running game.

McKinnon seen the most touches of his career last year with 251. Much of the hype surrounding his fantasy value has to do with the hope he matches or surpasses that number.

The 49ers have a number of weapons that will challenge McKinnon for touches. Matt Breida showed promise as a rookie and veteran Alfred Morris has looked strong in preseason. Kyle Juszczyk had 33 receptions last year and became more involved once Garoppolo took over.

McKinnon will have a big role with the 49ers, but his fantasypros ADP of No. 27 overall is very high.