Welcome to Week 1 of the 2026 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Bold Fantasy Predictions
- The Players They Wish They Drafted Less
- The Players They Wish They Drafted More
- Listening to the Little Voice
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: Pick a player or an offense as the subject of your bold prediction for the 2026 season, and explain what bold call you're making. It should be something within the scope of possibility, but just outside the scope of probability.
Corey Spala: Chris Godwin Jr. will finish the season as a WR1. I understand your injury concerns, but I am okay with gambling on Godwin being a consistent, weekly top scorer. New Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree with the understanding of utilizing the power slot role.
Waldman: You just strummed my pain with your fingers...
Spala: I'm too young to know that reference...
Waldman: Robert Flack -- or for people of my generation who didn't know better, Lauryn Hill.
Spala: McVay found the formula working with Cooper Kupp, and recently, as Atlanta's offensive coordinator, Robinson utilized Drake London in this role and deployed Kyle Pitts Sr. vertically. Robinson noted that he has huge expectations for Godwin in the slot this year.
Godwin has dominated in the slot; since 2024, he has 2.10 yards per route run (YPPR) with a 33 percent target share. In 2024, he averaged 19.6 points per game before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Robinson has a fundamental understanding of how to call plays and create route concepts that complement his receivers’ skills.
Godwin is being drafted as the WR35 and is in a system that is primed to exploit his skill set as a slot receiver. His production history warrants this as a possibility, but injury concerns and Emeka Egbuka's development question the probability.
Jeff Haseley: Rookie KC Concepcion finishes as a Top-18 Fantasy Wide Receiver (WR15–WR18).
Before the Browns drafted him, Concepcion authored a deeply personal pre-draft letter on The Players' Tribune. He opened up about his upbringing, taking on adult responsibilities as a kid, and facing relentless bullying over a severe speech impediment. But he made it crystal clear that his stutter doesn't define him. He closed the letter with a fearless mic-drop statement to NFL executives that set the tone for his entire football identity:
"I'm the best receiver in this draft. Period. I run crisp routes. I catch everything thrown anywhere near me. I work my tail off every practice, every drill. I get in and out of my breaks fast. And I will outwork ANYBODY you put in front of me."
That unshakeable confidence translates directly to the field, and it’s why he won the Maurice Bassett Award as Cleveland’s top training camp rookie.
New Browns head coach Todd Monken specializes in manufacturing instant fantasy production for explosive, versatile receivers, much like he did with Zay Flowers in Baltimore. In camp and preseason, Monken deployed Concepcion as his personal chess piece, lining him up in the slot, in the backfield, and sending him in motion to get him the ball fast on jet sweeps and screen passes.
When an offensive coordinator schemes up 3 to 5 touches per week specifically for a playmaker, their weekly PPR floor is ridiculously safe. Combine those hand-picked touches with his ability to win on specific routes, and Concepcion has a clear path to lead Cleveland’s receivers in targets right out of the gate. Another feather in his cap is the minimal competition. He has the potential to be the Browns' go-to receiver in Week 1 and not look back.
Rookie receivers drafted outside the top 10 picks rarely cross the top-20 fantasy threshold right out of the gate. For Concepcion to finish as a mid-tier WR2, he will need to command an aggressive 22 percent - plus target share in a brand-new offensive system and completely outpace veteran target competition.
It’s a bold call, but with Monken’s scheme and Concepcion’s determined work ethic, he has the exact recipe to become the ultimate draft steal of the 2026 season. His mindset, relentless effort, and cerebral approach to the game remind me of a cross between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Terry McLaurin.
Take that for what it's worth.
Concepcion is still on the Cleveland Browns, who have been the league's punching bag, especially since the Deshaun Watson arrival, and a lot would have to go right, including Watson and/or Shedeur Sanders making a sizable impact, but things change fast in the NFL; perhaps Concepcion is the catalyst the Browns need to get them over the hump.