Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers - July 2025 Market Report and Rankings

Matt's dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers for July 2025. Fantasy football trade advice with buy and sell recommendations. Read the expert analysis for dynasty leagues.

Please take a deep breath, now exhale, as we are only a few weeks from the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions kicking off the preseason in Canton on July 31st.

With the new season on the horizon, it is time to check back in on the dynasty landscape. As the season continues to close in, new hope stretches across the land. Each team starts with a clean slate, and optimism is at a seasonal high. That sentiment is echoed in this month's Market Report, as several fantasy assets received an uptick in value.

For a deeper dive into dynasty strategy, rankings, and trade tactics, check out our complete Dynasty Fantasy Football Guide.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Fantasy Football Dynasty Rankings (June 2025)

Trending Upward 

Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans (+17)

Previous rank: 141

Current rank: 124

Being selected at the top of the NFL Draft comes with lofty expectations, and early indications suggest Ward is meeting said expectations as the rookie continues to navigate towards the start of the 2025 campaign. Ward's progression through the early part of the offseason shouldn't be a complete shock as the former Miami and Washington State standout enters the NFL with 57 collegiate starts. That's more college starts than Joe Burrow (28), C.J. Stroud (25), Justin Herbert (43), and Jayden Daniels (47) had before taking their first professional snaps.

Ward not only joins the Titans with plenty of experience, but he is also one of the most decorated passers in NCAA history throwing for 158 career touchdowns including a 39 touchdown, 4,313 yard season in Miami that earned him several accolades including the 2024 ACC Player of the Year and the Davey O'Brien and Manning Awards. The driving force behind his personal and team success can be attributed to his leadership and work ethic, which have both been on display already. The other noticeable trait is that big arm, especially on throws greater than 15 yards. Last season, Ward threw 16 touchdowns, an EPA of 0.73 per dropback, and a 128.4 passer rating.

Cam Ward:

🔹 NCAA career TD leader with 158
🔹 Miami single szn record: 4,313 YDs & 39 TDs
🔹2024 ACC Player of the Year
🔹Davey O’Brien & Manning Award winner
🔹0 Star Recruit to No. 1 overall pick

QB1. pic.twitter.com/2HTMaVp4TS

— SleeperTitans (@SleeperTitanUp) July 9, 2025

Last season, Will Levis relied on Ridley as his primary target in the passing game. After Ridley, the drop-off in talent and production was evident. Ridley led the way for the Titans with 1,017 receiving yards, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (497), Chig Okonkwo (479), Tyler Boyd (390), and Josh Whyle (248), reluctantly adding to the team's receiving total. Tennessee knew they needed to surround their franchise quarterback better than they had done in the past. The Titans added Tyler Lockett, Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Xavier Restrepo between free agency and the draft to give Ward a pleasant blend of talent this season and for future seasons.

Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys (+28)

Previous rank: 175

Current rank: 147

Blue is currently seeing his value rise simply because there lies a path to opportunity in Dallas, as veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders provide the only obstacle to Blue becoming a household name. Ordinarily, being a rookie and third on the depth chart wouldn't excite fantasy managers; however, the duo of Williams and Sanders produced a combined 718 rushing yards on 194 carries over 28 games last season while playing in Denver and Carolina, respectively. Meanwhile, Blue has churned out 1,128 yards during his tenure at Texas over his previous 199 rushing attempts.

Should Williams and Sanders continue to underwhelm as they have in the last couple of seasons, the fifth-round selection would undoubtedly be in a prime position to cut into the more than 235 carries that Rico Dowdle left behind, which led to the former Cowboy posting his first career 1,000-yard rushing season in 2024.

Blue is easily the most explosive playmaker in the Cowboys' backfield, running a 4.30 40-yard time at the combine with a 1.52-second 10-yard split. He was also a noted contributor in the Longhorns' passing attack, converting 42 receptions into 368 receiving yards and six touchdowns, demonstrating that he cannot only be a threat on the ground but also a trusted weapon for Dak Prescott moving forward.

Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens (+17)

Previous rank: 176

Current rank: 159

Last season, Bateman flashed some of that talent that earned him the 27th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft as the Ravens' wideout produced six double-digit fantasy weeks between Week 5 and Week 15. In that 10-game stretch, Bateman produced 510 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 29 receptions, averaging 11.6 fantasy points.

This offseason, the Ravens added DeAndre Hopkins, who should pencil in opposite Zay Flowers in three receiver sets, allowing for Bateman to move into the slot, where he posted a 0.324 separation score, second to Kalif Raymond, and significantly higher than he managed when lined up out wide (0.183). Against man coverage, only Flowers and Ladd McConkey created more separation than Bateman's 0.282 mark.

Now, continuing with the slot production, Bateman averaged a remarkable 4.00 yards per route run, 0.23 targets per route run, and a win rate of 23.5% per Fantasy Points Data. The addition of Hopkins to this receiver's room is a positive for Bateman, who is coming off a career-best season that saw Bateman accumulate 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season.

Working on a slot receiver article. Just for fun, let’s look at the slot separators with a minimum of 100 routes run overall per @FantasyPtsData.

Kalif Raymond and Rashod Bateman at the top. Any filter should have a good mix of high-end names and noisy ones. pic.twitter.com/86rGHNjgcf

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) July 10, 2025

According to The 33rd Team, in 2024, 77.8% of Bateman's receptions (35 of 45) yielded either a first down or a touchdown, the most among any pass catcher with more than 40 catches. Bateman, A.J. Brown, and Darnell Mooney were the only players to top 75%.

In the playoffs, fantasy managers caught another glimpse of what could be catching six of seven targets for 90 yards and finishing both playoff contests with a touchdown grab. In those contests, Bateman's average depth of target was 15.1 yards, he earned a 20% first-read target share, and he accounted for 106 air yards, the 14th-most.

Other Notable Risers: Will Howard (+32), Jalin Hyatt (+26), J.J. McCarthy (+17), Caleb Williams (+10), Mason Taylor (+17), Justin Fields (+14), Kyle Williams (+13), D'Andre Swift (+9), Jauan Jennings (+8), Jakobi Meyers (+7), George Pickens (+6)

Trending Downward 

Jonnu Smith, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (-21)

Previous rank: 130

Current rank: 151

For fantasy managers, the fear of the unknown and Arthur Smith always looms. Jonnu posted career highs in receptions (88), targets (111), yards (884), and tied his career high in touchdown receptions (8) in his lone season down on South Beach. Smith and the Dolphins' relationship was strained due to money, and Smith found himself shipped off to Pittsburgh, where Pat Freiermuth is an already established commodity. Last season, Smith benefited from Mike McDonald's play calling. Smith received 22 designed targets in 2024, the fourth-most. Don't expect the same type of commitment to Smith in Pittsburgh's play calling.

Most Designed Targets in 2024

1. D.J. Moore (41)
—----------------------
2. Khalil Shakir (26)
3. Jayden Reed (25)
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (22)
4. Jonnu Smith (22)
4. CeeDee Lamb (22)
7. Ja’Marr Chase (21)
7. Zay Flowers (21)

Moore averaged 5.1 FPG on designed targets alone 🤯 pic.twitter.com/h0EgVbApvM

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) June 26, 2025

For dynasty, I can see managers looking to get out of their Smith shares as the Pro Bowl tight end will be 30 once the season starts, but redraft is another story. Yes, Freiermuth poses a problem; however, it may be a mistake to look past Smith's career 6.8 yards after the catch career average, which includes 5.9 yards after the catch in 2024, which was statistically speaking his best season to date. Pittsburgh's newest acquisition is also familiar with the new offensive coordinator, having played together in Atlanta and Tennessee. That 2023 Falcons tight end room earned a 33% target share.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins (-12)

Previous rank: 151

Current rank: 163

Tagovailoa is coming off his worst season since that 2021 season that saw him throw for just 2,653 yards and 16 touchdowns. Due to another serious head injury, Tagovailoa was limited to 11 contests, 20 touchdowns, and 2,867 yards. While any hit could be your last, Tagovailoa has fans and fantasy managers looking away whenever he scrambles or takes a shot in the backfield. The higher risk of injury surrounding Tagovailoa forces fantasy managers to second-guess adding Tagovailoa to their rosters, as the Dolphins quarterback has played in more than 13 games just once in his five-year professional career.

When Tagovailoa is healthy, he is as productive as any quarterback in the NFL. Since 2022, only Tagovailoa, Burrow, Herbert, and Purdy have averaged more than 235 passing yards per game and tossed more than 60 touchdown passes while throwing fewer than 30 interceptions. Tagovailoa's 67.6% deep pass completion rate also ranks first, while his 56.7% throwing rate in the Red Zone trails only Sam Darnold over that period.

For the most part, Tagovailoa will have all his weapons back in 2025, with Waddle, Achane, and a healthy Hill looking to run it back. The biggest question is whether the recently unretired Darren Waller can help offset a portion of the 111 vacated targets by Jonnu Smith.

Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders (-12)

Previous rank: 85

Current rank: 97

We see Robinson take a hit value-wise as we close in on the start of the 2025 season. First, Robinson is basic. He's boring. He's anything but sexy when it comes to fantasy sports. In 2022, Robinson finished with 797 rushing yards. In 2023, that total dipped to 733 yards. Then in 2024, Robinson peaked with 799 rushing yards in 14 contests. In those 14 contests, Robinson would go on to produce 10 or more fantasy points in nine of those games and a top 12 fantasy finish in just two of those contests.

Second, Robinson competed for touches out of the backfield with Daniels and Austin Ekeler last season. Robinson will also see Deebo Samuel cut into his opportunities, as Kliff Kingsbury will have some designed plays set aside for Samuel. The former 49er has carried the ball on more than 200 occasions over his 81-game career, resulting in 1,143 rushing yards and a career 5.7 yards per rushing attempt.

Other Notable Fallers: Amari Cooper (-31), Hunter Henry (-22), Blake Corum (-18), Jayden Reed (-15), Xavier Legette (-15), Christian Watson (-16), Tyjae Spears (-14), Kenan Allen (-12), Russell Wilson (-12), Mark Andrews (-9), Tyreek Hill (-7), Kyle Pitts (-7)

Fantasy Football Dynasty Trade Value Chart

Name to Know

Dont'e Thornton Jr., WR, Las Vegas Raiders (+68)

Previous rank: 232

Current rank: 169

If there was ever an Al Davis-approved pick, it was the Raiders' selection of the 6-foot-5-inch Thornton, who not only has size but also, clocking in with a 4.30 40-time, has the kind of speed that is Davis-approved.

Last season, Thornton led the FBS, averaging 25.4 yards per reception, and with the likes of Bowers, Meyers, and Jeanty occupying much of the short and intermediate passing game, look for Geno Smith to target Thornton when defenses begin to creep up. 

In 2024, Smith had the sixth-most passing yards on passes thrown more than 20 yards in the air, with 827 such yards, trailing only Darnold, Love, Herbert, Nix, and Jackson. Meanwhile, since 2022, no quarterback has been more accurate on such throws than Smith, making Thornton a Best Ball specialist in 2025.

Thornton is a rare breed with a unique skill set that Chip Kelly has to be excited about deploying in his offense. Back in May, Kelly was quoted as saying, "He's unique in the terms that he's 6'5 "and runs a 4.3. There's not a lot of humans on this planet that can do that." 

Dont'e Thornton Jr. Generational pic.twitter.com/h6T4Qd5xIv

— Ray G (@RayGQue) May 5, 2025

Kelly may also be referring to Thornton being one of 12 FBS receivers since 2019 to produce a season with a yards per route run over 3.50 and a greater than 20% contested target rate versus man coverage. Some of the "other" names on that list include Puka Nacua, CeeDee Lamb, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marquise Brown, and Jaylen Waddle.

Maximize Return

Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings (+17)

Previous rank: 145

Current rank: 128

Mason has been a productive fantasy asset when he has had an opportunity. Last season, Mason ran for 789 yards in 12 games, earning 153 carries. Much of that production came early in the season when Mason posted three games with more than 100 rushing yards within the first four weeks. Mason was the RB5 in fantasy in those four weeks, averaging 18.6 fantasy points per game in PPR formats. 

While that production is undoubtedly impressive, over that same sample size, the RB7 in fantasy, averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game, was none other than the Vikings' incumbent back, Aaron Jones. Jones would go on to produce five top-12 fantasy scoring weeks at the running back position last season, which Minnesota isn't going to ignore. This puts a bit of a cap on Mason's fantasy forecast for 2025, which in turn will drive his trade value down, opening another buy window in the distant future.

Sell high and buy low. Currently, savvy managers are getting a second-round rookie pick in return for Mason. When he is getting less than a 50% snap share mid-season, you will be able to add the 26-year-old back at a fraction of that price.

The “Jordan Mason goal line vulture” narrative is funny when you realize Aaron Jones played with 6-foot/247 pound AJ Dillon & still outscored him in TD’s 31-18.

or that Jordan Mason had 7 attempts for negative 1 yards & just 1 TD inside the 5 last year.

— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) July 11, 2025

Buy the Dip

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins (-8)

Previous rank: 45

Current rank: 53

Waddle's perceived value may never be lower than it is right now. Last season, Waddle's 744 receiving yards were the third-most on the Dolphins and were 152 more than De'Von Achane's. Waddle's receiving yards, receptions (58), targets (83), and touchdowns (2) in 2024 were all his lowest totals since entering the league in 2021. After all, Waddle was on that Mike Evans-esque trajectory as he had posted three consecutive 1000-yard seasons to begin his career before last season's disappointing conclusion.

Entering 2025, Waddle finds himself with fewer competition for targets as Jonnu Smith is no longer in the clubhouse, vacating those 111 targets. Despite a down 2024, Waddle's 4,129 receiving yards are the 14th-most since entering the league in 2021, and the 13.4 yards per reception is the 12th-highest.

Jaylen Waddle
(per @FantasyPtsData)

In games in which he played at least 70% of the snaps & Tua Tagovailoa played...

Waddle posted:

2.14 YPRR
64.6 rec yds/game
0.114 FD/RR

Among all WRs with at least 200 routes run last year those numbers would have ranked

27th
23rd
13th… pic.twitter.com/gh2xgsCTgj

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) June 17, 2025

Looking closer at the target share in Miami last season, when Smith was not on the field, we see that Tyreek Hill earned a 30% share and Achane a 22% share, while Waddle commanded a 25% target share. If that trend were to continue, a 25% target share would be equal to that of DeVonta Smith, whose 25% target share in 2024 was the 12th-best target share among pass catchers.

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