Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Fantasy football season -- and the NFL regular season -- is here this week, and now it's time to be bold.

Sure, you see the cheat sheet and try to follow it as best as possible to win at your draft with the sleepers who are undervalued and the busts who are overvalued, but sometimes, you need to swing for the fences and either hit a dinger or strike out.

That could mean zigging where others zag with a pick that surprises your fellow managers, or skipping a top name left on the board.

So here are a bunch of what I think are bold predictions this year. If not? Well, then they're just predictions. But here are a handful of takes I have ahead of the 2025 season:

Drake Maye will be a top-8 fantasy QB

He's got a better offensive line. He's got more receiving weapons. He's in Year 2. He had 421 rushing yards last year and might be poised for more. I'm all in.

Bryce Young will be a top-15 fantasy QB

I love the way the Panthers have supported the former first overall pick. Between his legs and having a No. 1 wideout in Tetairoa McMillan, he'll break out.

Saquon Barkley finishes outside the top 5 fantasy RBs

I think last year's workload -- including the playoffs -- is too much for Barkley. He might still be an RB1 in the 10 to 12 range, but I worry about health.

Chase Brown finishes in the top 5 fantasy RBs

He was an RB1 last year when the Bengals gave him the full starting job. He's going to explode this year.

Isiah Pacheco is a top-10 RB

He wasn't healthy last year. When he was? He was pretty darn good. I don't foresee Kareem Hunt being a 1B to Pacheco's 1A status.

Zach Charbonnet outscores Kenneth Walker III

Given the way the Seahawks run the ball and Walker's injury history, I think Charbonnet is the back to roster.

This is the year Father Time catches up with Derrick Henry

I've been trying to get this one right for years. But the legendary RB is 31 years old and he amassed 343 touches last year. It HAS to happen... right?

Amon-Ra St. Brown ends up outside the top-10 WRs

There's a lot of chatter about this in the fantasy football community. Between Jameson Williams taking another step forward and the Lions living in a post-Ben Johnson world, I think Brown is solid, but doesn't live up to where he's being drafted.

Courtland Sutton is a top-12 WR

I LOVE the Broncos' offense this year. Despite the balance Sean Payton will have with running and throwing this year, I think Sutton continues what he started last year and becomes a star.

Ricky Pearsall leads the 49ers in catches

George Kittle will continue to be great, but I can see Pearsall becoming a PPR stud this year with worries about Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk.

Keon Coleman is WR1 in Buffalo

I do think Josh Palmer is intriguing and Khalil Shakir will get his work in. But it's the 2024 second-round pick who will break out as the top pass-catcher for Josh Allen.

Tyler Warren will be Brock Bowers 2.0

Warren is a first-round pick in a bad offense with question marks about the QB in Indy. Sound familiar? It should. Warren will quickly become a focal point for whoever the Colts put under center.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 12 bold 2025 fantasy football predictions, including a Drake Maye take

Reporting by Charles Curtis, For The Win / For The Win

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