DK Metcalf - 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Sleepers and Trade Targets

DK Metcalf is a dynasty fantasy football sleeper and trade target for 2025. Read the fantasy football outlook for the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver.

RotoBaller Dynasty Ranking: WR21

Dynasty Analysis: There was a time in the offseason when everyone and their cousin would tell you that Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf was an obvious sell candidate. Coming off the worst fantasy season of his career, Metcalf was traded from Seattle to Pittsburgh, where his role looked mighty redundant to that of the incumbent George Pickens. And though it was no secret who would eventually be throwing him the ball, the top quarterback on the depth chart at the time was Mason Rudolph.

My, how things have changed. Pickens has since been traded to Dallas, while quarterback Aaron Rodgers has officially signed a one-year deal. Now, cousins, second cousins, and even third cousins twice removed will all tell you what a screaming buy Metcalf has become.

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At WR21 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, he is the type of high-ceiling WR2 that every contender should be looking to acquire, but given his recent spike in cost, he could prove to be a considerable risk beyond 2025. After trading away a second-round pick to acquire him, the Steelers extended Metcalf for four years, tying him to Pittsburgh through his age-33 season.

People forget that DK Metcalf was the WR16 in PPG (15.1 PPG) through WK7 before getting injured last year – on a team with JSN.

WR25 ADP this year – on a team where he’s the clear #1 target.

EASY CLICK. pic.twitter.com/ah1OZIYWv5

— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) June 15, 2025

While the runway is clear for Metcalf to take off this season, the warning lights could flip on as early as 2026. Rodgers has suggested recently that this will be his final season, and he should have enough left in the tank to lead this team to another nine or ten wins.

Unfortunately, that means the Steelers could once again find themselves outside of the range where they can look for quarterback help in the draft. And with a team that can't seem to get out of its way at the position, would anyone be all that surprised to see Metcalf play out the rest of his career with a revolving cast of signal-callers like Marcus Mariota, Jacoby Brissett, or Jimmy Garoppolo on one-year deals.

While Metcalf stands starkly alone at the front of the line for targets in 2025, if there's one position the Steelers have repeatedly proven an aptitude to draft and develop, it is wide receiver.

The good news regarding Metcalf is that the risk swirling around him is based almost solely on hypotheticals and what-ifs. In the here and now, he appears locked in for an alpha role with a quarterback who has never hesitated to hyper-target his number one. Even with the recent acquisition of tight end Jonnu Smith, the Steelers don't have another pass-catcher on the roster who has earned greater than a 20% target share in any of the past four seasons.

Say what you will about Metcalf ceding looks to Jaxon Smith-Njigba last season in Seattle, but there's probably a good reason that the Seahawks parted ways with first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb following Metcalf's lowest target numbers of his career.

While the shelf life may not be long, Metcalf should be targeted by all contenders with the understanding that you may end up holding a depreciating asset if you're unable to flip him after your inevitable title win. Who knows? Maybe someone's cousin will take him off your hands.

- Patrick McGrath

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