While our redraft brothers-in-arms have been enjoying their extended off-season vacation for weeks now, this thing of ours is just starting to heat up.
The Super Bowl is a holiday for many Americans and international football fans alike — a culmination of a long season that ends with the crowning of a champion. But for dynasty managers, when the final whistle blows, it marks the official start of the NFL offseason — better known to us as peak dynasty season.
Who am I even kidding? Peak dynasty season has already begun. Several players saw their values shift during the NFL playoffs. Is it sound process to amplify a one-game sample size, or should we put more weight on how players perform on the biggest stage? For better or worse, the NFL playoffs matter — a great deal — for dynasty fantasy football values. Just ask any Ladd McConkey manager how many trade offers they’ve received over the past few weeks since McConkey’s insane performance against Houston in the Wild Card round.
We also have clarity on coaching changes — both at the head coach level and among offensive coordinators. Some players will benefit from scheme adjustments, while others will gain from stability at the top.
Yes, peak dynasty season is here, and it will continue until Memorial Day when our casual redraft brethren emerge from hibernation and start discussing ADP values and must-draft players.
We are now past the Senior Bowl in our rookie evaluations. Even with the NFL Combine still a few weeks away, rookie values have already shifted—and will continue to do so. At Fantasy Points, we will be covering the 2025 rookie class extensively with articles like:
2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings: 1QB | Fantasy Points
2025 NFL Draft: Ideal Fantasy Landing Spots | Fantasy Points
There will be plenty of time for further rookie evaluations. But this article isn’t about rookies—it’s about veterans.
Since the last Market Report in late December, a lot has changed. In fantasy football terms, these past seven weeks feel like an eternity. Here are a few players who have gained or lost dynasty value during that time.
Stock Up
Ladd McConkey, WR, LA Chargers, 23 Years Old
So, about that playoff performance from McConkey. We should take a level-headed approach. It was only one game!
Eh, forget that.
McConkey’s NFL record-setting performance — 9 catches for 147 yards (the most by a rookie in NFL history) and a touchdown — in a standalone Wild Card game was music to his dynasty managers' ears. It showed what a peak performance from McConkey truly looks like.
And this was certainly not a one-off event.
It marked McConkey’s fourth consecutive game with at least 87 receiving yards.
Lost in the Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. rookie smash seasons was just how impactful and successful McConkey’s first year as a Charger was. He finished as the WR12 overall, averaging 15.1 PPG.
The early best ball ADP on Underdog reflects just how excited the market is about McConkey. He is currently being drafted as the WR11, and the 19th overall pick.
Dynasty-wise, his stock is en fuego.
Entering 2025, he will be the focal point of the LA passing attack. Even in a Greg Roman offense, it’s hard to envision the Chargers not significantly increasing McConkey’s target total (112).
McConkey will be selected as a WR1 in dynasty startups this offseason, and his trade price tag reflects that.
Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants, 25 Years Old
Brian Daboll is back as the Giants’ head coach despite a 3-14 record. While this will be met with mixed reactions from New York fans, Tyrone Tracy dynasty managers should collectively breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Tracy is an age outlier — he’ll turn 26 toward the end of next season — but he’s also new to the position. There’s some polarization in the dynasty community regarding his profile, but there shouldn’t be. A 2024 fifth-round pick, Tracy took over the running back job early in the season and had a strong first year as a pro.
Metrics-wise, there are key indicators of a potential Year 2 breakout. Since taking over as the Giants’ starting running back in Week 5, Tracy ranked fifth among all backs (with at least 100 carries) in explosive run rate (5.6%) and 13th in yards after contact per attempt (2.56).
The Giants’ offense should— and has to —improve. New York averaged just 16.1 points per game, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Tracy should be part of a youth movement, led by Malik Nabers, that could thrive with improved quarterback play. His chances of being usurped at the running back position have dropped significantly with Daboll returning.
Tracy is a dark horse candidate to produce RB1 numbers next season.
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills, 25 Years Old
James Cook is a head-scratcher for the analytics community. He played fewer than 50% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps (48%). In terms of carries, he was nothing special, logging 207 (20th among all running backs). He was slightly less productive as a pass catcher, finishing with 32 receptions on the season (21st among running backs).
But what Cook excelled at just happens to be the biggest driver of fantasy points: scoring touchdowns.
During the regular season, he finished tied for first among all players with 16 rushing touchdowns and added two more through the air. His 18 total touchdowns were the second most in a single season by a Buffalo Bill all-time, trailing only O.J. Simpson. In this case, being compared to Simpson is a very good thing.
This was Cook’s second straight season finishing as an RB1. He was even better in the NFL playoffs, racking up 272 rushing yards and three touchdowns, along with six catches for 61 yards and another score.
With all due respect to the dynasty community, Cook’s value has continued to rise. He has also earned himself a payday, with multiple reporters covering the Bills—both locally and nationally — mentioning him as a prime candidate for a contract extension.
JJ McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings, 22 Years Old
The Sam Darnold era in Minnesota likely ended with the Vikings’ disappointing 27-9 shellacking at the hands of the Rams in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. If that game wasn’t enough, it capped off a brutal two-week stretch in which Minnesota also lost an NFC North showdown to Detroit 31-9 in the final week of the regular season. The “Sam Darnold is our quarterback of the future” crowd suddenly went silent.
Enter J.J. McCarthy.
Nine months ago, McCarthy was drafted to be the Vikings' long-term answer at quarterback. That era will officially begin in September, following a rookie season lost to a knee injury.
Darnold was the latest in a long line of Vikings signal-callers to succeed under head coach Kevin O’Connell in the McShanahan offensive system (credit to Ryan Heath for the term). Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, and even Nick Mullens had fantasy success in this system in various stints under center.
McCarthy could be the best of them all.
He possesses elite athletic traits, a strong arm, accuracy, and—most importantly—a winning pedigree. As Michigan's starting quarterback, he compiled a 27-1 record, including a national title.
Dynasty managers who roster McCarthy have already gained value, and he hasn’t even played a single down as a pro.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens, 24 Years Old
Speaking of playoff performances, Mark Andrews’ game against Buffalo will live in infamy. Andrews dropped what would have been a game-tying, wide-open two-point conversion—on top of a costly fumble.
To his credit, Andrews turned around a horrific and slow start to 2024 with an impressive 11-touchdown season, the most of any tight end in football. But his failures when it mattered most have amplified an already growing drumbeat among Ravens fans and fantasy managers alike: When is Isaiah Likely going to take over as Baltimore’s primary tight end?
Likely led the Ravens with 73 receiving yards and caught a touchdown in the same game. Efficiency-wise, all he needs is a full-time role, and the fantasy points will follow. Among tight ends with at least 50 targets, Likely ranked:
8th in yards per route run (1.82)
Tied for 5th in yards after the catch per reception (6.17)
At one time, Andrews seemed like an impossible obstacle for Likely to overcome as the Ravens’ No. 1 tight end. Now, it feels like a matter of when, not if, Likely takes over at some point in the future.
Stock Down
DK Metcalf, WR, Green Bay Packers, 27 Years Old
DK Metcalf is at a crossroads. He is coming off his lowest PPG output since his rookie season and has now gone four straight years without finishing higher than WR20 in weekly scoring.
Metcalf was also overtaken in a major way by Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN finished the season with 100 catches and looks poised to build on that total in 2025. Not only is Metcalf now the second-most valuable Seahawks wide receiver in dynasty by a considerable margin, but his long-term stability with the franchise is also in question.
Metcalf has been a popular name among NFL analysts and Seattle beat reporters as a potential trade or even cut candidate. With so much uncertainty surrounding him, his KeepTradeCut ranking of WR27 seems generous.
If you can trade him at WR27 value, now may be a great opportunity to make that move.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City, 25 Years Old
Earlier this year, I discussed Isiah Pacheco’s declining dynasty value and how I traded him for Zach Charbonnet. I was criticized for this move and met with arguments about short-term thinking.
Well, life comes at you fast in fantasy football — and even faster in dynasty, especially at the running back position.
Pacheco had a breakout 2023 season, finishing as the RB14 overall with a 15.3 PPG average. In September, he posted back-to-back games of 15 or more points before suffering a fractured fibula.
Kareem Hunt took over the Chiefs' backfield and found a great deal of success. Dynasty and redraft managers alike anticipated Pacheco returning from injury and reclaiming his role as Kansas City’s lead back.
Pacheco did, in fact, return — but he provided little to no fantasy value. From Weeks 13-17, he failed to score more than 8.1 PPR points in any game. The NFL playoffs weren’t any better, as Pacheco played second fiddle to Hunt, including the Super Bowl. Pacheco’s 12 total yards were hardly the bounceback performance his dynasty managers were hoping for.
Now, heading into 2025, the Chiefs' running back situation remains uncertain—and so does Pacheco’s dynasty value.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers, 24 Years Old
We will always have São Paulo.
I was head over heels for Jayden Reed’s dynasty value after Green Bay’s season-opening loss to Philadelphia in Brazil. Reed was coming off an impressive rookie season, where he averaged 13.9 PPG. His incredible opening game performance — a 33.1-point, WR1 overall week—seemed like a breakthrough moment for the exciting second-year player and his takeover of the WR1 role in Green Bay’s offense.
It turned out to be a tease.
Reed failed to crack a 65% snap share for the second consecutive season. While he had his moments, he struggled to deliver consistent fantasy production. From Week 11 on, he topped 11.1 PPR points just once. He capped off the season in fitting fashion, recording only four catches for 46 yards in Green Bay’s Wild Card loss to Philadelphia.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur has made it clear he doesn’t care about having a true WR1. He told ESPN:
“I want to vomit every time I hear 'No. 1 receiver,' to be honest with you. It drives me crazy. That's something that you guys talk about. I feel like we've got a bunch of 'em.”
Yikes. Not exactly what Reed’s dynasty managers want to hear.
Reed is explosive and capable of putting up spike weeks, but expecting him to take a significant step forward seems like wishful thinking.
Trades I have made recently
This offseason, I will be transparent about the deals I make and share them here. Some of these deals will be target recommendations, while others will serve as roster-building strategy examples and thought processes.
Single QB FFPC, TE Premium PPR, Start 10, 20 Man Roster League
Sent: 2025 1.12, 2025 3.08, 2025 3.12
Received: RB Kenneth Walker & WR Courtland Sutton
I won this league and have a very strong, balanced roster. I have youth equity with 2024 rookie picks Brian Thomas Jr. and Brock Bowers, strength and depth at running back with a foundational RB1 in De’Von Achane, and a set-it-and-forget-it quarterback in Lamar Jackson.
I was able to move the 1.12—a strong pick but one with a shroud of mystery attached to it—along with two third-round picks (while still retaining the 3.06) to acquire two players who are currently underrated in dynasty.
Kenneth Walker is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.1 PPG. While there is some threat from Zach Charbonnet behind him, Walker should thrive under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. He has also played ahead of Charbonnet when healthy, despite multiple coaching changes. The 1.12 in single-QB formats is also a spot where my top five 2025 running backs — Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson, Quinshon Judkins, and TreVeyon Henderson — will already be off the board.
Courtland Sutton is incredibly underrated and should be a trade target for everyone early in the offseason. He finished the 2024 season as the WR15 overall and is the odds-on favorite to remain Denver’s top target in 2025.
With Sutton and Walker joining an already loaded roster, I will enter the season with one of the best teams in the league and have a strong chance at repeating as champion.
TriFlex FFPC (Superflex with 3 WRs and two additional Flexes, TE Premium PPR, Start 10 - no Kicker or Defense, 20 Man Roster League
Sent: 2025 1.12
Received: WR Jordan Addison
I purchased an orphan in this league that was loaded with picks. The triflex format is a challenging one, and my best rosters have all had strength and depth at the WR position. The roster I took over has depth at the quarterback position (Jordan Love, Dak Prescott, and JJ McCarthy) but has holes to fill elsewhere.
This trade is a close one—an eye-of-the-beholder type—that some of you will like and some of you won’t. Addison presents a proven commodity and will immediately become my WR2 on this roster alongside McConkey. With the triflex format, I can start up to five WRs—and have done so in the past with other teams.
The 1.12 could have turned into a wide receiver ranked in the same range as Addison. There is a chance that players like Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden will land in ideal situations in this draft, and I may have some regrets about moving the pick—but I doubt it. Addison is only 23 years old and has scored 19 touchdowns in 32 regular-season games.
Trade Takeaways
Not all leagues are the same, but there is a chance that late first-round picks are being overvalued this offseason. Last year, fantasy managers were able to hit on players like Bo Nix, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey in this range in Superflex leagues, and that optimism is carrying over into this offseason.
The old adage that rookie picks are worth the most when you are on the clock is usually a good rule of thumb to follow, but it is not an absolute truth. You can move picks for players whenever the situation presents itself — whether that’s in February or during your rookie draft in May.
