He also knew that Tony Stark would be key to the future, which is why Fury has been so invested in Iron Man in the past.
When Tony Stark gets a little self-destructive in Iron Man 2, Fury is there to help him.
Once Iron Man makes himself known, Nick Fury appears.
The theory surmises that somehow, via his association with Captain Marvel, Nick Fury has perhaps seen the future before and was expecting this event to take place.