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Sometimes taking a risk can save your fantasy season.
The NFC South isn’t known for its polarizing player pool, which makes assessing it all the more important. One wrong pick in the division could break your playoff chances, but a correct one could walk you towards the one seed. Decisions are tough in the deep south, but they might help you win a title.
Here are three bold fantasy predictions for the NFC South in 2026.
Tyler Shough Finishes as a Top-10 QB
It’s no secret that the fantasy football world is high on Tyler Shough (#165 ADP, #20 among QBs). And truthfully, that still may be underselling him.
The Saints’ new franchise quarterback had a fantastic finish to his rookie campaign, averaging 20.1 fantasy points per game across his last 6 matchups. And now in 2026, the weapons at his disposal are even more vast.
New Orleans selected Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, providing an unbelievably stable receiving core between him and Chris Olave. Furthermore, he’ll now have a pass-friendly back tandem in Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara. Thus, it’s safe to say he won’t need to worry about who he’s throwing to.
Shough also flashed an impressive rushing ability during his rookie season. His best performance came in Week 14, when he totaled a startling 55 yards and two touchdowns on just seven attempts. So if the passing game is somehow shut down, he can still be effective on the ground.
If Shough ends up falling in your draft, he could end up being one of the best quarterback steals in 2026.
Emeka Egbuka Finishes as a Top-10 WR
Emeka Egbuka (#57 ADP, #24 among WRs) started on a tear to begin his rookie season. Now, the spotlight is all his.
Egbuka averaged 15.48 fantasy points per game through Week 5 last season, despite being the third wideout on the depth chart. Unfortunately, from then on, the Buccaneers were decimated by injuries, which ultimately showed in his fantasy production. He would finish the year as PPR’s WR23.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the damage Egbuka did when he was a focal point of Tampa Bay’s offense. The majority of his targets came in the first half of the season, where he did the bulk of his fantasy work. And now that Mike Evans resides in San Francisco, there are 62 targets to be distributed elsewhere (and arguably more considering he only played in 8 games). Egbuka should be one of, if not the, primary receiver for the Buccaneers in 2026, and it should show in his fantasy production.
Pick him up while his stock is so low.
Drake London Doesn’t Finish in Top-20 WRs
It’s really hard to endorse any Falcons player that isn’t named Bijan Robinson at the moment. Drake London (#19 ADP, #7 among WRs) is no exception to that fact.
London had a relatively quiet 2025 by his standards, totaling 68 catches for 919 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He would ultimately finish the season as PPR’s WR19. Granted, however, he only appeared in 12 games.
Regardless, it’s tough to endorse a player who still doesn’t know who his quarterback will be. Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are still at odds for the starting spot, and neither is an exciting option for London’s fantasy stock. And considering he’s only finished in the top-15 PPR wideouts once across his four-year career, the odds aren’t exactly in his favor.
Expect a regression from London in 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Emeka Egbuka's Rise Headlines 3 Bold NFC South Fantasy Football Predictions for 2026.
