Fantasy Football: 5 bold predictions for Week 1

2. A trio of rookie WRs will be top-15 talents

There are some great rookie wide receivers out there, but the opportunities that they have are inconsistent. The top receiver taken in the NFL Draft was Ja’Marr Chase to the Cincinnati Bengals. He has to overcome Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd to really make a splash. However, he’s hardly the most notable rookie wide receiver to go in Week 1.

DeVonte Smith was getting rave reviews after he returned from an MCL sprain earlier in the offseason. His elusiveness is evident, and he will get open for Jalen Hurts. He should be someone to watch all season, but Week 1 against a usually below-average Falcons defense should be a really good introduction to the league.

Jalen Waddle is facing a New England Patriots defense that is missing Stephon Gilmore. They are still a very good secondary, but it is interesting to see how they attack Waddle and Fuller together. Marshall, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Elijah Moore, and Rondale Moore all have a really good shot of having a big Week 1 as well.

There are a lot of routes (pun intended) for the wide receivers to gain ground in Week 1. As many teams are working with new quarterbacks, many of the rookie wide receivers are coming into established offenses. That will give them a leg up, and some of them will have a chance to jump into that coveted top 15 in fantasy in Week 1.