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Matt's dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers for August 2025. Fantasy football trade advice with buy and sell recommendations. Read the expert analysis for dynasty leagues.
Building a championship dynasty roster isn't for the faint of heart. It requires patience and the ability to establish a timeline while prioritizing young talent.
Adding young talent to your roster is easier said than done. You need to draft well and get some luck along the way. If drafting hasn't worked in your favour in recent years, you have to be able to identify young talent before they break out and capitalize on the age-old saying, "buy low and sell high," balancing upside and the floor for your fantasy assets.
For a deeper dive into dynasty strategy, rankings, and trade tactics, check out our complete Dynasty Fantasy Football Guide.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 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
Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets (+12)
Previous rank: 174
Current rank: 162
Braelon Allen resembles a Madden "Build a Player" character. At six feet, one inch, and 235 pounds, Allen is an imposing specimen who can handle a significant workload. While Allen produced 334 yards on the ground on 92 carries a season ago, the former Wisconsin Badger averaged 199 carries and 1,165 rushing yards over three seasons in Madison.
We've already heard rumblings from Jets' camp that Allen is poised for a much larger role in 2025. We can also examine the current roster construction and appreciate the value of having two strong backs to carry the load, as the passing game primarily consists of Garrett Wilson, with Wilson alone. It wouldn't be unheard of to see the Jets' backfield function similarly to how the Lions used David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs two seasons ago, after all, Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand saw this dynamic succeed firsthand.
Uncertainty of Hall’s future, makes Braelon Allen a Priority RB Add
In the 3 games w 35%+ Snaps finished as an RB2
Including a monster Week 2
👀56 yards
👀2 TouchdownsIn his rookie year, he flashed
💥482 Total Yards
💥19 Rec
💥5.5 Yds/touchpic.twitter.com/2HF5eIGEXK https://t.co/nbpSGY4o6y— Dynasty Dad (@DynastyDadFF) July 29, 2025
If Hall were to miss time this season, Allen's stock soars into that "league winner" tier thanks to the expected volume. We can also follow the money, and Hall is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Once Glen sees Allen and Fields on the read-options, Hall may become yesterday's news.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (+11)
Previous rank: 58
Current rank: 47
Each week, the drum beat for Xavier Worthy continues to get louder and louder, and in the most recent ADP, we see Worthy is on the brink of sneaking into the fifth round of dynasty startups as the WR21.
While Worthy had moments throughout the 2024 season, it was late in the season and throughout the Chiefs' playoff run when the former Longhorn experienced his rookie breakout. Excluding Week 18, Worthy hauled 45 of the 57 balls thrown in his direction over the final seven contests, resulting in 372 receiving yards and a 22.2% air yard share. With a team that has always leaned on Travis Kelce, Worthy led the team when it mattered the most. Worthy out-targeted Kelce 57 to 48 in the seven-game sample, leading to an edge in target share (23.3% to 20.1%) along the way. Worthy was responsible for 31.3$ of the team's receiving market share, averaging 2.23 yards per route run.
Xavier Worthy in Weeks 1-10:
🏈 0.98 YPRR
🏈 12.1 aDOT
🏈 4.7 targets per game (13.5% market share)Weeks 11 through the Super Bowl:
🏈 1.63 YPRR
🏈 7.7 aDOT
🏈 7.5 targets per game (21.1% market share)— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) June 24, 2025
We know "All Too Well" that Kelce is down to his last season or two. We also know that Rashee Rice will likely face discipline for an incident before the start of the 2024 season. With each game Rice misses, Patrick Mahomes will continue to build a rapport with Worthy.
Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings (+18)
Previous rank: 128
Current rank: 110
Another player fantasy managers should actively seek to acquire is the Minnesota Vikings' back, Jordan Mason.
Last season, Mason churned out 667 yards on the ground in the first eight weeks, the second-most up to that point. A significant reason for that success on the ground was the 3.06 yards after contact per carry that Mason averaged, with 59.3% of his yards coming after contact; only Tank Bigsby was more impressive among backs with at least 150 attempts.
Dynasty is all about identifying young talent that has flashed and has a path to future opportunities. In Minnesota, the 26-year-old back has plenty of tread on the tires, having touched the ball on 250 occasions since entering the league in 2022. In contrast, the now 30-year-old Aaron Jones Sr. had 244 carries alone in 2024, registering more than 1,750 touches on his eight-year resume.
Minnesota knew what they were doing when they signed Mason. In 2024, Mason averaged 5.86 yards per carry on outside runs; he also averaged 5.2 yards per carry when facing eight or more men in the box, showing that, whatever the situation, Mason can break a long one on any given snap, something Jones is no longer capable of doing.
Other Notable Risers: Keaton Mitchell (+34), Hunter Renfrow (+26), Dynami Brown (+19), Brashard Smith (+18), Dylan Sampson (+16), Marvin Mims Jr. (+14), Josh Downs (+11), Justin Fields (+11), Diontae Johnson (+11), Calvin Ridley (+9), Alvin Kamara (+5), Courtland Sutton (+6)
Trending Downward
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns (-34)
Previous rank: 34
Current rank: 68
At some point, Quinshon Judkins could be one of the best values in fantasy football; however, Judkins's legal situation is forcing fantasy managers to fade the former Buckeye star.
At one point in the NFL Draft process, many NFL player personnel decision makers pegged Judkins as a better running back prospect than his former Ohio State teammate, TreVeyon Henderson, as Judkins' 0.40 missed tackles forced per attempt was the fifth-best from the 2025 rookie class and was a similar elusive metric as Christian McCaffrey in college. Looking back, that seems so long ago.
Not much has been made public about Judkins' legal situation, and fantasy managers fear the unknown. What we do know is that Judkins' case is unpredictable, and we are privy to any critical information. In cases like his, we've seen convictions and dismissals. We also know the NFL historically has allowed the legal system to run its course, which places Judkins in a state of purgatory.
In recent years, the NFL has become much stricter, especially regarding domestic concerns. The more time Judkins misses, the more reps Dylan Sampson will get in the Browns' backfield. Sampson is very capable of making people forget about Judkins, having led the SEC in rushing yards in 2024 and touchdowns (22), averaging 123.8 yards per game.
Another RB who does this exceptionally is Dylan Sampson
He's a full 3.5 years younger than RJ Harvey and displaying the subtlety to manipulate SEC defenses. Sky is the limit! https://t.co/Bu8Hofmprw pic.twitter.com/VFwfcC0FRT
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) April 14, 2025
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans (-12)
Previous rank: 86
Current rank: 98
Joe Mixon is coming off his third consecutive 1000-yard rushing season; however, entering his ninth NFL season, Mixon's body is starting to show signs of the grind. Over his career, Mixon has averaged 19.2 touches per game, which explains why he's been sidelined throughout much of training camp with a foot injury. One that could linger in the regular season.
It's unclear at this time what the severity of the foot injury is; he could be back in Week 1 and be effective, or the Texans could choose to hold him out and let Nick Chubb carry the load early on. The addition of Chubb heading into the offseason was seen as a move to help ease the load off Mixon's shoulders and keep him fresh as the season progresses.
Mixon has been in a boot since May, and something about this whole situation seems a little off. Reading the tea leaves on how the Texans have handled this situation, there is a high risk of reoccurrence, if not 100%, when Mixon returns to the field.
Before the news of Joe Mixon missing serious time, he was a fade as a dead zone running back. Mixon was dealing with the ankle/foot issue late in 2024, likely aligning with the decline in volume in Weeks 14-18.
In Weeks 14-18, Mixon averaged 7.1 PPR/G and 10.9 EP/G. pic.twitter.com/vkk4HpiLS7
— Corbin (@corbin_young21) July 29, 2025
Savvy fantasy managers should wait for the "sell window" to open when Mixon returns and identify teams looking to make a championship push. Mixon will be 30 next season, and that running back age cliff is ever present. Right now, sell your league mates on the 19.0 fantasy points per game in the 14 games he played, which worked out as the RB5 on a per-game basis.
Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks (-6)
Previous rank: 167
Current rank: 173
Sam Darnold goes from one of the best offensive lines a season ago to one projected to be one of the worst in 2025. In Minnesota, the Vikings will get Christian Darrisaw back, who missed much of last season due to injury. They also added Ryan Kelly and Will Fries via free agency and drafted Donovan Jackson. Meanwhile, the Seahawks allowed 54 sacks, a sack rate of 8.3%, and a pressure rate of 39.4%.
Wise fantasy managers never forget the past. Before breaking out in Minnesota, Darnold struggled mightily in New York and Carolina. Between 2019 and 2023, Darnold produced a top 10 fantasy performance just 20% of the time through 56 starts, as the Fantasy Footballers pointed out. Those Jets' days were also the "seeing ghosts" junction of his career.
Sam Darnold was a different fantasy QB in 2024
-2019-2023: 11 total top-10 games in his previous 56 starts (20%)
-2024: NINE top-10 games in 17 starts (53%) pic.twitter.com/FCsiiJFfCb— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) August 6, 2025
Was Darnold's 2025 season an outlier? If something is too good to be true, it usually is. Darnold was third in the NFL with 19 touchdowns on passes greater than 10 yards. Darnold's 57.1% throw rate in the Red Zone was the highest mark in the league, and the +6.4 fantasy points per game over ADP-based expectation was the second-highest among quarterbacks picked after the 100th selection of fantasy drafts.
Darnold has weapons in Seattle in the form of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and Kenneth Walker III, but will he have the time needed to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers? That has yet to be seen.
Other Notable Fallers: Pat Freiermuth (-17), Blake Corum (-23), Rachaad White (-12), Mike Gesicki (-11), Will Levis (-12), Marquise Brown (-11), Dillon Gabriel (-11), Jonathon Brooks (-10), Brock Purdy (-7), Aaron Jones (-7), Ricky Pearsall (-6), Jared Goff (-6), Michael Pittman Jr. (-3)
Fantasy Football Dynasty Trade Value Chart
Name to Know
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders (+109)
Previous rank: 315
Current rank: 206
In 2024, Jacory Croskey-Merritt was ruled ineligible, yet the Commanders' back remained at Arizona and played a role on the scout team. This, after producing 17 touchdowns and 1,190 yards in 2023, a season in which Croskey-Merritt had a top-15 elusive rating and was 19th in yards after contact.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Highly sought after transfer portal first committing to Ole Miss then Arizona.
He had a breakout 2023 season with New Mexico, but had to sit due to eligibility in 2024.
— Elite Drafters (@Elite_Drafters) July 30, 2025
What's important to note is that Croskey-Merritt's running style fits what Kliff Kingsbury likes to do on offense. Last season, Kingbury and the Commanders had a league-high 35% inside zone run rate, with 88% of the rushing attempts coming out of shotgun. During Croskey-Merritt's tenure at Arizona and New Mexico, he averaged 7.2 yards per carry while seeing 51% of his rushing attempts come on inside zone runs.
The one knock on the rookie is his age, as he is 24 years old, making his NFL debut. Outside of that, he is a more explosive version of Brian Robinson Jr., finishing above the 95th percentile in yards after contact, breakaway run rate, and missed tackles.
Maximize Return
Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots (+11)
Previous rank: 131
Current rank: 120
It's better to get out a year early than a year too late. Diggs not only legitimizes the Patriots' offense, but he's bringing a whole new swagger when he's out there. Diggs is poised to lead New England in targets and regain that Pro Bowl form that has led to five seasons of more than 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards over the last six seasons, if you remove last year's eight-game season from the equation.
Stefon Diggs is being massively underrated
WR43 - UD
WR44 - FP ECRlast year Weeks 1-8: WR15 in fppg
Among 112 qual WRs:
(per @FantasyPtsData)20th in separation
28th in route win ratethe unquestioned WR1 for NE & it's like no one cares
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) May 23, 2025
Before suffering a knee injury, Diggs averaged 15.6 fantasy points per game through the first seven weeks of the 2024 season, the 13th-most among wide receivers. Over that seven-game stretch, Diggs was 14th in receiving yards (382), 10th in targets (48), and sixth in receptions (36). Even while playing opposite of Nico Collins in five of those seven contests, Diggs earned an air tards share of 30.6%, a targets share of 22.7%, accounted for 25.1% of the Texans' team market share, and a first-read target share of 29.3%. Bottom line, Diggs can still play.
All accounts are that Diggs has been looking good and will be ready by Week 1. With the hype surrounding him, competent managers should take advantage to inject some youth into their rosters. Some players to target include veterans Cedric Tillman and Ricky Pearsall, or a pair of rookies in Jayden Higgins and Tre Harris. Not all trades are about winning right now; sometimes you need to play the long game.
Buy the Dip
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (-14)
Previous rank: 127
Current rank: 141
James Conner is coming off four consecutive seasons with over 1,000 scrimmage yards and eight-plus touchdowns. It's hard to see Benson playing a significant role in 2025, barring a Conner injury, as the bruising back has been averaging 207.3 carries and 4.42 yards per carry since arriving in the desert. Conner is coming off a season where he averaged 15.4 fantasy points per game and 47 receptions, the second-most of his career. It's easy to see why Trey Benson has been devalued as a fantasy asset since entering the league last season.
Conner turned 30 in May, meaning that unless Conner hits that Frank Gore fountain of youth, that age cliff will come sooner rather than later. When that time comes, and always does, Benson will be ready. At Florida State, Benson was a home-run threat whenever he touched the ball. With 4.39 40-speed, he was among the nation's leaders on explosive runs. That talent hasn't gone anywhere; we haven't seen it in a while.
With an ADP of 126, you get Benson in the 11th round of dynasty startups as RB34. In limited touches last season, Benson rushed for 291 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry, with 47.4% of his yards coming after contact.
RB1 x 2 Update Desk at #CardsCamp:
-#AZCardinals RB Trey Benson (6-0, 225) pic.twitter.com/sm4NDXFIAE
— Paul Calvisi (@PaulCalvisi) August 6, 2025
I don't believe Conner when he says that he and Benson are a 1A/1B backfield or that they are "co-RB1's", but on the minuscule chance that he isn't lying, the cost to acquire Benson has never been lower than it is today. You can acquire Benson for a Deebo Samuel Sr., Christian Kirk, or even a mid-second-round rookie pick in 2026. A mid-second is a low cost to bet on Benson's high upside.
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