Every week in the NFL, the unpredictable happens. Last week, it was Dalton Schultz going off for 12 receptions and 140 yards, and Kaleb Johnson taking over the lead for the Packers’ backfield. We called both of them right here! This week, I’ll give you five more bold predictions for the main slate that have less than a 10% chance of happening in simulations, but are within the realm of possibility. If one of these contrarian picks strikes gold, you could be sitting atop the leaderboard.
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#1 Emmett Johnson finishes as a top 15 fantasy RB
Whew, this is a spicy one to start with! Yes, I do realize the Chiefs’ newly acquired all-universe running back, Kenneth Walker. In fact, I’m saying he’s a top 5 RB this week too for FanDrill; that’s how bad this Miami Dolphins’ run defense is. When the game gets out of hand—and it will, with the Chiefs favored by 10.5—the Chiefs will turn to the run even more than usual. Why would they want to use Walker more than they have to when he already has 56 touches in two games? Enter Johnson, who excelled in the preseason and leads the NFL in broken tackle rate by a wide margin so far. 10 touches for 70-plus yards and a TD is within the realm of possibility for this undrafted asset in FanDrill this week.
#2 You can grab a top-6 TE this week in the 10th round
Let’s run it back on cheap tight end values this week after smashing with Dalton Schultz in Week 2. This time, it’s Pat Freiermuth of the Steelers, who, surprise surprise, is going up against the Bengals. The average tight end against Cincy has scored more fantasy points than Trey McBride over the last 20 weeks. He’s no slouch either, with 10 touches through the first two weeks and a snap count above 70%. With Aaron Rodgers running for his life, the check-down option should continue to see production, especially in this matchup.
#3 K.C. Conception is about to go hog-wild
It’s not popular to point this out, but Deshaun Watson has 200+ yards in each game this season and played efficient football last week against a solid Bucs’ defense. It has been Denzel Boston who snuck into the end zone both weeks, but in terms of underlying metrics, it’s Conception who looks like a budding stud in the Browns’ lousy wide receiver room. Not only does he have a tremendous matchup in the slot against Carolina, but the Browns have also fed him four carries already.
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#4 Drake Maye might be this week’s QB1
It’s been gross so far, no doubt, but isn’t that what’s expected when you start your season against Seattle and Pittsburgh? We’re talking about an MVP runner-up here; he could go QB1 any week. Add in a perfect game script in Jacksonville, with the Jaguars likely playing catch-up against Liam Coen’s offense, and Maye will have to throw 30-plus passes. Don’t forget that this is a guy who can put up 50 yards and a TD on the ground too. He’s going as the QB13 this week on FanDrill but has more upside than almost everyone drafted ahead of him.
#5 Malik Nabers may flirt with 30 fantasy points
Being able to say that about anyone going in the fifth round of FanDrill drafts is a dream, but that’s just what we have here thanks to one Jameis Winston. The ultimate gunslinger will be under center for New York again, this time with a week of practice with the starters, and this time against the putrid Titans’ secondary instead of the Rams. Don’t forget, Nabers is competing for targets with the Giants’ No. 2 wideout, Malachi Fields, who many of you didn’t know was a real player until now. 10-plus targets with wild aDOTs feel like a near-certainty.
Jett Morris is a Sr. Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Twitter @JettMorris for more fantasy sports content.
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