DLF’s 2016 Predictions: Fantasy MVP

Ryan Finley Posted On September 1, 2016

Most rookie drafts are in the rearview mirror, and the NFL preseason is winding down. We’re all busy combing the news sites trying to keep abreast of all the important developments as we prepare for the best time of the year, the NFL season. That can only mean one thing – it’s time for us to put a bow on those reams of off-season content with DLF’s 2016 Fantasy Predictions. As we did last year, we have eight different prediction articles for you in the following categories:

Fantasy MVP
Fantasy Rookie of the Year
Most Overvalued Dynasty Player
Most Undervalued Dynasty Player
Fantasy Sleeper
Best Dynasty Buy
Best Dynasty Sell
Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year

We’ll kick it off today with our staff picks for this year’s Fantasy MVP, and drop a new article each day leading up to the first day of the season. Let’s get to it.

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Antonio Brown, WR PIT

I can’t remember a receiver having such a safe weekly floor. In PPR leagues, Brown’s lowest single-game total in a contest in which Ben Roethlisberger played was 11.1 points (at Seattle). He scored at least 15 points in nine of the other 11 such games, including seven games of at least 20 points. The dude is nuts. – Austan Kas

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

Bell is suspended and apparently fragile. Bryant is out. It looks like a raw second year tight end might start. Ben trusts Brown and he projects to be a target vacuum this year – and we know what Brown can do for you with those targets. – Trevor Bucher

Jordan Reed, TE WAS

Sometimes the actual MVP of fantasy leagues is a player who gets picked up late in the season (Tim Hightower) and helps give a team an added boost at the end. We’ll certainly be there to help unearth who those gems could be later in the year. However, if I was to choose a mainstream MVP right now, I’d go out on a serious limb and choose Jordan Reed. If (and that’s a BIG if) he stays healthy, he could give you Gronk-like numbers and a huge competitive advantage simply because you’d get that value in the fourth round instead of in the first with Rob Gronkowski. – Ken Kelly

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

I’m not really sure how it can be anyone else. After setting a career high with 193 targets (good for 2nd in the league behind Julio Jones,) Brown now finds himself surrounded by an underwhelming cast of fellow pass-catchers in a high-volume passing offense. A jump past 200 targets is not inconceivable for this year as Brown looks to a third-straight WR1 finish. – Jarrett Behar

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

Missing Martavis Bryant and possibly Le’Veon Bell and Ladarius Green, Brown will continue his dominance – especially in PPR leagues. This one is almost a no-brainer – no upstart kid from the New York Giants is going to overcome the best of the best. – Adam Tzikas

David Johnson, RB ARI

If it wasn’t for the suspension I would have taken Le’Veon Bell for the same reasons. Due to passing game skills, Johnson is matchup proof. 16 games of Johnson is better than 12 of Bell. Honorable mention: Antonio Brown. – Eric Olinger

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

Julio Jones or Odell Beckham would’ve been fine choices as well, but in my opinion Antonio Brown is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and one could even argue the best player in the NFL. With Martavis Bryant gone, Ladarius Green’s future in question, and a Le’Veon Bell suspension, Antonio Brown is going to put up a boatload of points. – Andrew Lightner

Todd Gurley, RB LAR

He’s another year removed from his ACL injury which should allow him to be more explosive. Gurley only caught 21 passes last season, and I expect that to increase as head coach Jeff Fisher will take the reins off and allow him to contribute more in the passing game. Gurley will be the top back in fantasy this year. – Bruce Matson

Dwayne Allen, TE IND

With Coby Fleener now in New Orleans, Allen has the tight end role in Indianapolis all to himself. Over the last three seasons, Colts tight ends have received 21% of the passing targets. If Allen can approach that 21% market share and stay healthy, Allen could approach elite TE1 numbers for a bargain basement price in the late 10th / early 11th round. – Matt Price

Jamaal Charles, RB KCC

In weighing this choice, I wanted to take into account current ADP and determine who could post an elite season without costing top dollar. While Charles is not cheap, he is routinely going in the second round and there are few backs I trust more than him. Even coming back from a second knee injury, I see little reason to doubt one of the most efficient and dominant running backs we have ever seen. – Rob Leath

AJ Green, WR CIN

With the potential to be the most targeted WR in the league, and a quarterback in Andy Dalton who may have finally put it all together, AJ Green is due for a monster year. I view him as the 2016 WR1 overall in PPR scoring, and most likely the highest scoring non-QB. – Dan Sanio

Julio Jones, WR ATL

Not only is he perhaps the most talented receiver in the NFL, he is the only real receiving threat on his team. Defenses know this, and he was still able to get 136 receptions for 1871 yards last year. Expect more of the same this year. – Jacob Feldman

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

It’s extremely difficult for me to pinpoint who I feel will be the top fantasy scorer. This year is different. Bell is suspended, Gurley has a rough situation, Peterson looked worn down at the end of 2015 and Beckham has better company for targets. Julio is the only other player that should see similar targets in 2016 as he did in 2015, but Brown could actually see more than his 195 from last year. Bryant suspended, Heath Miller gone, and Green injured will open up roughly 170 targets. That legitimately gives Brown potential to see north of 200 targets. If that happens, I’ll boldly claim we see our first ever 2,000 yard receiver. – Izzy Elkaffas

Julio Jones, WR ATL

This is the year he outscores Antonio Brown if healthy. He means so much to his team and Matt Ryan really zeros in on him. Mohamed Sanu should help create more noise as a WR2 than the Falcons have had in the past and this could create fewer double teams on Julio. – Carla Gruse

Antonio Brown, WR PIT

He is two yards shy of having three straight seasons of 1500 receiving yards or more. In 2015, he produced a career best of 1834 yards on 136 receptions. The Martavis Bryant suspension, Le’Veon Bell suspension, and Ladarius Green lingering injuries only give Brown a bigger slice of the target pie in Pittsburgh. Heck, they might as well give Brown 250 targets in 2016. Consistent = check. Improving = check. Opportunity = check. MVP = sign me up. – Nick Whalen

Jamaal Charles, RB KCC

I thought about making Charles my comeback player of the year, but ACL comebacks are passé. So I’m going all in and naming him my fantasy MVP. Over the last three seasons, Charles has averaged 21.3 points per game in PPR. For context, Adrian Peterson has topped that number just once, in 2012, when he rushed for more than 2000 yards and scored … 21.8 points per game. Charles doesn’t need to gain 2000 yards on the ground — or even from scrimmage — to be the fantasy RB1. He just needs to keep catching passes and scoring touchdowns, and there’s no sign of those slowing down anytime soon. – Brian Malone

Lamar Miller, RB HOU

To find a fantasy MVP, first you need someone with a solid chance to be healthy all season. Miller has three straight seasons of 16 games played. Second, you need someone who is a big part of an explosive offense. Houston should have no problem lifting off. Third, you need someone who will get some help during the season to take the load off his shoulders. Miller has DeAndre Hopkins. Fourth, you need someone that is valued as a player, but is lower on the ADP list than their counterparts. Miller is ranked 21st overall and fifth at running back for DLF. These four traits fit Lamar Miller like a glove – in the words of Ace Ventura. – Mike Valverde

Julio Jones, WR ATL

I really thought about going with Todd Gurley here, but Julio has just been so consistently elite that I couldn’t ignore him. It seems crazy, but I think he could actually exceed his fantasy point total from last season. Matt Ryan threw for his lowest touchdown total since his rookie season, and that number is bound to increase. I think Julio will be the main beneficiary. – Adam Bendzick

Allen Robinson, WR JAX

Robinson is the classic example of a third year receiver realizing his full potential. He can win with speed and he can win with size. He’s Blake Bortles’ best option, and Blake knows it, which means ARob will be fed. In game one of the preseason vs the Jets, he posted three catches for 80 yards on a mere two drives. He finished 2015 as the WR6, with an 80/1400/14 stat line, and the league lead in receiving touchdowns. If a consensus first rounder can be slept on, it is him. He will be a top five selection going forward. Get your shares now. – Mo Brewington

Here’s how the predictions broke down – with an awful lot of AB love, for good reason.