Heath Cummings' bold predictions for the 2021 Fantasy Football season feature Dak Prescott breaking records
Plus why D'Andre Swift will return top-end RB1 value

We're talking about bold predictions on our Fantasy Football Today podcast this week, and here are three that I'm excited about for this 2021 season. These are three players I plan to draft in a lot of leagues, especially since their early ADP does not appear to reflect their immense upside.
No. 1 Dak Prescott breaks Peyton Manning's record
Prescott will not only break Manning's passing yardage record but in the process he'll also win MVP! This sounds more ridiculous than it actually is. Prescott has played 20 complete games since Kellen Moore took over as offensive coordinator. He's thrown for 6,592 yards in those 20 games -- 329.6 yards per game. Over a 17-game season that's a record-breaking 5,603 passing yards. If Prescott stays healthy, he's going to challenge Manning's record, though the same is probably true for Patrick Mahomes.
Moore has been a godsend for Prescott's Fantasy production, but it's not all about him. With Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, the Cowboys also have one of the best wide receiver trios in the league. Ezekiel Elliott has been above average as a pass catcher for most of his career. The team has high hopes for Blake Jarwin's return. This offense is stacked and the defense is still mediocre at best.
If the record isn't bold enough, the MVP should be. Some might even say it's impossible because the Cowboys aren't likely to have the best record in the NFC. That may be true, but a division title and a record-breaking performance could absolutely get Prescott into the conversation.
No. 2 D'Andre Swift finishes as a top-five RB in PPR
Yes, I've read all the glowing reports about Jamaal Williams as an "A" back. If you're surprised that an Anthony Lynn team intends to chop up the touches at running back then you haven't been paying attention. A secondary back has averaged at least 10 touches per game each of the past three seasons for the Chargers. More importantly for Swift, the lead back has averaged at least 17 touches each of the past five years in Lynn's system.
In 2020 Swift had five games with at least 15 touches, he averaged 20.8 PPR Fantasy points per game, which would have tied him with Derrick Henry for RB4 last year. He was on pace for more than 1,700 total yards in those five games. Now five games isn't a very big sample size, but Swift wasn't an unknown entering last year. He was an elite running back prospect drafted 35th overall who averaged 6.6 yards per carry and 9.1 yards per reception on more than 500 touches in the SEC.
Swift's level of talent combined with Lynn's penchant for targeting his running backs (only two teams have allotted more touches to the position over the past two seasons) makes the second-year back a prime breakout candidate and a great value as the 15th running back off the board in early ADP.
No. 3 Mark Andrews finishes as the No. 1 TE
Okay, even I know I sound a little bit crazy with this one. But before we anoint Kyle Pitts the next Travis Kelce or celebrate T.J. Hockenson's imminent breakout, let us at least acknowledge that Andrews has already proven himself elite.
Andrews has been remarkably efficient, his 8.9 career yards per target fits in right between Kelce and Darren Waller. His 8.5% career touchdown rate is outlandish and also better than any of the other elite tight ends. But efficiency only matters to the extent that you demand targets. Here, Andrews has also proven elite, with a 24% target share over the past two seasons.
The only reason Mark Andrews hasn't been in the competition for TE1 the past two seasons is because he's played on the most run-heavy offense in football. While I don't expect the Ravens to turn into a pass-heavy team, they've been very open about their desire to throw the ball more often...and that can happen in a hurry. If Lamar Jackson gets to 500 attempts and Andrews maintains his career target share and efficiency, he's immediately in the Kittle-Kelce-Waller tier.
And remember, we're talking about a 25-year-old tight end. There's still a chance he gets better.
















