Five Win-Now Players To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

February 5, 2025

Which win-now players should managers buy in dynasty fantasy football leagues? Dave Ventresca looks at five win-now players who you should be buying in the 2025 offseason in dynasty.

When it comes to dynasty fantasy football, the ultimate goal is actually quite simple: winning your league. It seems like common sense, but sometimes managers get caught up in other things. Scouting rookies and looking for value plays is all well and good. But if you’re never in a position to win a title, what’s the point of it all?

There are several ways to go about competing for a title. One critical element is targeting and acquiring the correct veteran players. Scouring rebuilding manager’s rosters for the right veteran can give your team the boost it needs.

Make sure you follow RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are five win-now players to buy in your dynasty fantasy football league.

Davante Adams - WR, New York Jets

Adams split time between the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders this past season. He posted an 85-1063-8 line on 141 targets in 14 games. He finished as the PPR WR11.

DAVANTE ADAMS. 71-YARD TD. JETS LEAD.

📺: #NYJvsJAX on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/CwGfbTtbpF

— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024

There are some question marks surrounding his future. It’s unknown if he will return to the Jets in 2025. New York can move on from Adams and only incur roughly an $8 million dead cap hit. Adams has stated that his future with the team could depend on their decision regarding quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

If New York decides to keep Rodgers, Adams might remain with the team. If they move on from the veteran signal-caller, that would seemingly open the door for Adams’ departure.

He didn’t have his best statistical season last year, but his advanced metrics were still strong. Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, Adams posted a 27% Targets Per Route Run (TPRR) and a 2.19 Yards Per Route Run (YPRR). These scores indicate he is still playing at a high level.

Adams makes for a great win-now piece for a receiver-needy team. The incoming rookie receiver class is weaker compared to previous years, so buying Adams might be a contender’s best chance at finding a pass-catcher. At 32 years old, Adams is on the back nine of his career, but he’s still playing well enough to be an asset to a contending team.

D.K. Metcalf - WR, Seattle Seahawks

Metcalf failed to break the 1,000-yard mark for the first time since 2021, and he had his fewest targets in a season since his rookie year. He only had three WR1 finishes in 2024 and did not produce a top-24 finish in his final eight games. Part of that can be blamed on the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba as he appeared to take over as Seattle’s WR1.

Seattle recently moved on from offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after one season. Head coach Mike MacDonald hinted that D.K. Metcalf’s involvement (or lack thereof) in the offense was part of the reason for Grubb’s departure.

#Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald on DK Metcalf:

“He’s such a force out there. It’s not just good enough to get the coverage tilted to him. We gotta figure out more ways to get him the ball consistently and let him impact the game with the ball in his hands, rather than just moving… pic.twitter.com/C835gCIb8e

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) January 7, 2025

Metcalf remains one of the most physically gifted receivers in the game, but he has yet to put together a monster statistical season. We may have seen his ceiling as a player in 2020, but he’s still capable of popping for a week-winning performance.

GENO!! DK!! 71 YARDS!!

📺: #MIAvsSEA on CBS/Paramount
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/gFCnlPPkRc

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

His price is currently at a low point, and that’s an ideal time to buy. Recently, I acquired Metcalf in one of my superflex dynasty leagues. The trade was as follows:

Give - Ricky Pearsall, 2025 2.07

Get - D.K. Metcalf

I’m fine acquiring Metcalf at that price point. A mid-second-round pick and dart throw receiver feel like a good price for someone with Metcalf’s upside. Investing in him could be a wise move, as it seems pretty clear MacDonald wants him more involved in the offense. Metcalf is a great buy-low target this offseason.

Derrick Henry - RB, Baltimore Ravens

Henry is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2024. He ran for 1,922 yards and tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns.

DERRICK FREAKIN' HENRY!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xhYv0apEQu

— NFL (@NFL) September 30, 2024

Despite turning 30 years old, his advanced metrics were still very strong. Among 47 running backs with at least 100 carries, Henry finished:

First in Next-Gen Stats Rush Yards Over Expected (RYOE)
First in Next-Gen Stats Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt (RYOE/ATT)
First in PFF’s Rushing Grade
Ninth in PFF’s Elusive Rating
Ninth in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s Missed Tackles Forced Per Attempt (MTF/ATT)

Henry will be 31 years old for the 2025 season but continues to show no signs of slowing down. Playing alongside Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense, Henry remains in a great situation and should have another fine season. If the Henry manager in your league is looking to move him, you should be able to land him for a couple of second-round picks.

Don’t expect another near 2,000-yard effort, but Henry has enough gas left in the tank to help you win a dynasty championship.

George Kittle - TE, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco’s TE1 is coming off his fourth career 1,000-yard season in 2024. He caught 78 passes for 1,106 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

PURDY. KITTLE. SIX.

📺: #SFvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/vpTU6IinK1

— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024

Kittle turns 32 and enters the final year of his contract in 2025. It’s unknown what his future is following this season, but he continues to play at a high level.

If you’re a contender and need a tight end, Kittle might be your best bet. Just understand his future is murky and acquiring him is very much a win-now move for 2025. So, only trade for him if you truly believe your team is a tight end away from a title.

Aaron Jones - RB, Minnesota Vikings

Jones set a career-high in rushing yards and posted his fourth career 1,000-yard season in his first year with the Minnesota Vikings. He would catch an additional 51 passes for 408 yards and two receiving touchdowns. All told, Jones finished 2024 with 1,546 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns. That was good for a PPR RB15 finish.

AARON JONES LEAPT INTO THE STANDS AFTER HIS 50TH CAREER RUSH TD 💪 pic.twitter.com/CECRe0VRit

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 17, 2024

The eight-year veteran is set to hit free agency this offseason and enters his age 30 season. He is an older back but still posted some respectable advanced metrics. Among 47 backs with 100+ attempts, Jones finished 17th in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s Yards After Contact Per Attempt (YACO/ATT) and 23rd in Missed Tackles Forced (MTF).

If you want to acquire Jones, the good news is that he is fairly cheap. KeepTradeCut estimates his current trade value is a late second-round pick. That’s not too bad for a productive back. You might even be able to get him cheaper in a Superflex league or if the Jones’ manager in your league is desperate to move him.

There’s some risk trading for him now, as his future is very much up in the air. However, the odds are good someone will take a chance on Jones. There was a recent report that the Denver Broncos are one of the teams interested in Jones' services.

It remains to be seen if that comes to fruition, but it would be great for his fantasy prospects. Either way, it’s work kicking the tires on a Jones trade. He’s fairly cheap and can function as a backend RB2 or quality flex play in a deeper league.

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