Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers - Winners and Losers From the 2025 NFL Draft

May 10, 2025

Dave Ventresca's dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers following the 2025 NFL Draft. His top winners and losers from the 2025 NFL Draft for fantasy football.

When it comes to dynasty fantasy football leagues, one of the most intriguing aspects is the fluctuations in player value in the aftermath of the NFL Draft. Players once thought of as placeholders quickly rise on draft boards, while others become losers in an instant.

Dynasty rankings were turned upside down following the draft. Which players saw a boost in value, and which ones should you now consider selling? Let’s take a few minutes and discuss several players whose dynasty value was impacted by the results of the NFL Draft.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your dynasty fantasy football needs. Here are several dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers following the 2025 NFL Draft.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers

Jerry Jeudy - WR, Cleveland Browns

Jeudy was one of the more surprising winners after the NFL Draft. For weeks, it seemed like Cleveland was a lock to draft Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. Looks can be deceiving, though, and it soon became clear that the Browns were very much open to dealing their first-round pick. That came to fruition when the Jacksonville Jaguars swooped in and made a trade with the Browns to select Hunter.

We have drafted WR/DB Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick!@FieldsCadillac | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/dGIowuIuST

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) April 25, 2025

After this turn of events, it sure looks like Jeudy is poised to return as the Browns WR1 following a career year in 2024. Jeudy posted a 90-1,229-4 line on 145 targets last year. He set career highs in receptions and receiving yards and finished as the PPR WR12.

JERRY JEUDY 15.9 FANTASY POINT TOUCHDOWN 🤯 pic.twitter.com/F0CBYcjPm7

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) November 17, 2024

While Jeudy survived the NFL Draft, Cleveland did sign free-agent receiver Diontae Johnson to a one-year contract shortly after the NFL Draft concluded. Johnson is a very talented player, but he bounced around multiple teams last year, mostly due to a poor attitude. When he was given playing time, he was still able to produce and looked just as good as he always has.

Jeudy dodged a major bullet in the form of Travis Hunter, but he could still lose targets to Johnson. He’s always drawn targets at a high clip when on the field and is a very real threat to Jeudy. Given his rather poor 2024 season, many gamers might be overlooking Johnson’s addition. This could mean the sell-high window on Jeudy has been extended for at least a bit longer.

He’s not as bad a player as we saw in Denver, but there’s a real possibility that his dynasty value has maxed out following a career year in 2024.

Javonte Williams - RB, Dallas Cowboys

The first of several veteran running backs makes our list. Williams signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys after the Denver Broncos opted not to re-sign him. It looked like he would merely be a placeholder and that Dallas would find a new lead back in the NFL Draft.

However, that was not the case as Dallas did not draft a running back until Round 7 when it selected former Texas running back Jaydon Blue. Given that the team did not spend a premium pick on a rookie rusher, it looks like Williams will enter the 2025 season as the team’s RB1.

While that might sound great, we should take a moment and remember just how bad Williams played last year. Among 46 backs with 100+ carries, Williams finished 44th in Next Gen Stats' rush yards over expected, 46th in PFF rushing grade, and 42nd in PFF elusive rating. He also only averaged a paltry 3.69 yards per carry despite playing behind one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league.

Williams just doesn’t seem like the same player since suffering a devastating knee injury a few years ago. Take this opportunity to try and sell him at an even better price than a few weeks ago. He’ll likely struggle again and will probably be replaced midseason as the team's starting back.

D'Andre Swift - RB, Chicago Bears

Swift is seemingly in a much better place now than he was a few weeks ago. Chicago was reportedly very high on Ashton Jeanty during the predraft process and wanted to add a back in this year’s draft class. That ultimately didn’t pan out, and Swift has survived the offseason to remain the team’s lead back.

He has previous experience playing in Ben Johnson’s system from his days with the Detroit Lions. Johnson did, however, utilize multiple backs during his time as Detroit’s offensive coordinator. Odds are good we will see someone else toting the rock in addition to Swift.

We don’t currently know exactly how touches will be distributed among running backs in this offense. For now, though, dynasty gamers who held Swift throughout the offseason can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy what’s to come in the 2025 season.

Isiah Pacheco - RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Pacheco rounds out our trio of veteran backs who are big winners this offseason. Many thought that the team would be in the market for a running back following its loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Like Dallas, though, the team didn't address the position until the final round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That means this could be Pacheco's backfield once again in 2025.

It’s important to note that even after Pacheco returned from injury last year, the team still opted to use veteran Kareem Hunt over him down the stretch run. Kansas City decided to re-sign Hunt this offseason and acquired former San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell in free agency. The team also drafted running back Brashard Smith (whom the team is rumored to be very fond of) in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.

All of this would suggest that Kansas City may not be comfortable with Pacheco as its lead back and might have lingering concerns about his health. He is a tricky one to evaluate because, on the surface, he is a massive winner. However, when you read the tea leaves, his status atop the depth chart might not be as secure as it seems.

Dynasty gamers will ultimately have to make a call on how to handle the fourth-year back, but it might be a wise move to sell Pacheco now before waiting to see what happens next.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers

Najee Harris - RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Harris signed a one-year deal with the Chargers earlier this offseason. At the time, it looked like a great move for Harris’ value as Los Angeles had released Gus Edwards and decided not to re-sign last year’s starter, J.K. Dobbins.

All of that changed when Los Angeles drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the 22nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Omarion Hampton is headed to LA ⚡️#NFLDraft @Chargers @OmarionHampton pic.twitter.com/xzXRtjDnVt

— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2025

Hampton is a highly talented back and was rumored to be the top running back on some teams’ draft boards. This is bad news for Harris’ dynasty value. He’s not as bad a player as some dynasty gamers want to admit, but the facts are the facts here.

Los Angeles only signed Harris to a one-year deal, then spent a first-round pick on a running back. He is not going to stand in the way of Hampton eventually taking over this backfield.

Jalen McMillan - WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This has not been the best offseason for McMillan. He closed the 2024 season on a high note and posted five straight top-19 finishes to close the year. With veteran Chris Godwin set to hit free agency, it looked like McMillan was a rising dynasty star.

Mayfield to McMillan for the 32-yard TD!

📺: #WASvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/d8ESrlMXNF

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

As things turned out, this may have been McMillan’s peak dynasty value. In an unexpected move, Godwin reportedly left $30 million on the table by turning down an offer from the New England Patriots and signing a team-friendly deal to return to Tampa Bay. If that wasn’t bad enough, the team then used its first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Another year, another first round WR picked from @OhioStateFB 😮‍💨

Best of luck in Tampa Bay, Emeka Egbuka 🔥#B1GFootball x @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/LL6jH885xq

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 25, 2025

Gross. This is a tough blow for McMillan’s backers. He went from being a potential breakout candidate to a WR3. Following the selection of Egbuka, it’s now unknown what kind of role he will have in Tampa Bay's offense.

Does the team still believe in him? Is he still in the long-term plans? It’s tough to look at the selection of Egbuka and the re-signing of Godwin and not question McMillan's standing with the team.

Jakobi Meyers - WR, Las Vegas Raiders

Meyers enjoyed a career year in 2024. He set career highs in receptions and receiving yards and also posted his first 1,000-yard season.

JAKOBI MEYERS DIVING TOUCHDOWN 🔥
pic.twitter.com/si7GsRC15X

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) December 15, 2023

He finished 2024 as the PPR WR19. Unfortunately for Meyers, the regime that signed him to a lucrative contract is gone, and there is a new head coach/general manager combo in place for 2025. Pete Carroll takes over as Raiders head coach while John Spytek is the new general manager.

After spending the sixth overall pick on running back Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas used its second-round pick to select wide receiver Jack Bech.

With the 58th pick in the 2025 @NFL Draft, the @Raiders select Jack Bech from @TCUFootball pic.twitter.com/Bxfi5EiVyk

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) April 26, 2025

Bech is a talented receiver and was a popular player among many NFL Draft and dynasty fantasy football pundits. The fact that the new Las Vegas regime used one of its first draft picks on Bech speaks to its confidence in him. It also means the new regime might not look as favorably upon Meyers as the previous one. Meyers is a free agent after the 2025 season, and the selection of Bech shows that Meyers is probably not in the team’s long-term plans.

Meyers should latch on somewhere else following the 2025 season. However, it’s clear Las Vegas is making plans to move on, and Meyers' dynasty value has taken a hit.

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