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Fantasy football wide receivers and running backs to trade for in dynasty leagues - buy these WRs and RBs ahead of 2025 fantasy football dynasty league drafts.
No one can win all the time. That applies to life and fantasy football. Sometimes, you have to be on the losing end of a competition.
Some dynasty fantasy football players love to rebuild their rosters. While acquiring draft picks is the key to rebuilding a dynasty roster, trading for players after a disappointing rookie season is an underrated move.
Therefore, here are four rookies rebuilding dynasty fantasy football teams that should explore trading for this offseason.
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Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Fantasy players all but declared Benson the No. 2 running back in last year’s rookie draft class after he got drafted by the Cardinals. The former Florida State star was a popular RB2 in pre-draft rankings. However, he became a near consensus No. 2 running back selection following the NFL Draft because of his landing spot. The Cardinals backfield looked like an excellent long-term fit for Benson.
Unfortunately, things can change quickly in the NFL and fantasy football. James Conner was heading into the final year of his contract in 2024, meaning Benson would only have to wait one season before taking over as the starting running back in Arizona. However, that changed when the Cardinals signed the veteran running back to a two-year extension in November.
Conner’s contract runs through the 2026 season. Yet, he will likely get cut after next year when the team can save $8 million in salary cap space. Unfortunately, that means Benson will need an injury to the veteran running back to have meaningful fantasy value in 2025. While Conner has struggled with injuries in his career, he only missed one game last year.
By comparison, Benson was the one who struggled with injuries, missing four games as a rookie, including the final three of the season. Furthermore, he had limited impact, ending the year as the RB69, averaging 3.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Benson finished with 63 rushing attempts for 291 yards and one touchdown last season.
.@AZCardinals rookie RB Trey Benson takes the carry in for his first career NFL TD!
📺: #CHIvsAZ on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/W9HRN9YnfN— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Furthermore, he had almost no impact in the passing game, totaling six receptions for 59 receiving yards. While his rookie season was a fantasy bust, Benson was a talented prospect coming out of Florida State. Arizona will likely not spend any significant resources in the backfield this offseason, giving Benson a chance to be a starting running back in 2026. He is a solid buy-low option.
Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Many had high hopes for Corum before the NFL Draft after his outstanding college career. He was arguably the top running back in college football during his time at Michigan, totaling 674 rushing attempts for 3,737 yards and 58 touchdowns in four years. Furthermore, Corum was unbelievable his senior season, leading the country in rushing attempts (258) and touchdowns (27).
However, his fantasy outlook took a hit once picked by the Rams. Kyren Williams has been one of the NFL’s top running backs since taking over as the starter in 2023. He ended last year as the RB7, averaging 15.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, his second consecutive season as a top-seven running back.
Fantasy players were reminded throughout the year that the backfield belongs to Williams, with Corum being there to keep him fresh. Head coach Sean McVay loves Williams, with good reason. The star running back has had at least 15 offensive touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Unfortunately, that meant Corum struggled to produce as a rookie.
Your 506th reminder that this is Kyren Williams’ backfield and Blake Corum was drafted to keep Kyren fresh
(🎥: The Coach McVay Show) pic.twitter.com/7N4med2drH
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) December 3, 2024
The former Michigan star had no fantasy value outside of being Williams’ handcuff. Corum was the RB81 as a rookie, averaging 1.8 fantasy points per game, totaling 4.2 or fewer in every contest. He ended the year with 58 rushing attempts for 207 yards and seven receptions on eight targets for 58 receiving yards, failing to find the end zone.
While fantasy players are disappointing in Corum’s rookie season, he is a solid trade target this offseason. Williams is heading into the final year of his rookie contract in 2025. The Rams could sign him to an extension. However, he has 610 touches over the past two seasons while dealing with multiple injuries. I would trade a late-round rookie pick for the former Michigan star.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Harrison had the highest expectations of any rookie wide receiver last year. Many drafted him as a top-10 wide receiver, using an early to mid-second-round draft pick on the former Ohio State star in redraft leagues. Meanwhile, he was the clear-cut first pick in non-superflex dynasty rookie drafts. Furthermore, Harrison was the top non-quarterback pick in superflex dynasty rookie drafts last year.
Unfortunately, he was a massive bust as a rookie. Harrison ended his rookie season as the WR29, averaging 9.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, a lower average than Jerry Jeudy (11.5), Josh Downs (10.5), and Darnell Mooney (10.1) despite having a far superior quarterback. The rookie had an awful NFL debut, totaling one reception on three targets for four receiving yards and 0.9 fantasy points in Week 1.
The former Ohio State star bounced back after the awful start. Harrison averaged 4.7 receptions on 8.3 targets for 79.7 receiving yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 18.3 fantasy points per game over the next three weeks. Unfortunately, he ended the year with disappointing numbers, totaling 62 receptions on 116 targets for 885 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games.
MARVIN HARRISON JR. HAS ARRIVED!
📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ZTAbE4kapU— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
Yet, fantasy players should feel confident in Harrison having a bounce-back season in 2025. The star wide receiver ended his rookie year with back-to-back solid performances, totaling 11 receptions on 16 targets for 159 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 27.4 fantasy points over the final two weeks, scoring at least 12.6 fantasy points in both contests.
More importantly, Harrison was an elite player coming out of Ohio State, with many scouts calling him the best wide receiver prospect in recent memory. Fantasy players should bet on the Cardinals and Kyler Murray turning Harrison into a superstar despite his rookie season being a fantasy bust. He is one of my favorite dynasty trade targets this offseason, regardless of whether your team is rebuilding or contending.
Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Hopefully, fantasy players didn’t draft Odunze expecting him to have a massive fantasy impact as a rookie. The former Washington star was a popular mid-first-round pick in dynasty superflex rookie drafts last year, often getting picked ahead of Brock Bowers. While that was a mistake in hindsight, Odunze was worthy of being the third wide receiver picked and a mid-first-round selection.
The former Washington star has significant long-term fantasy value. He is paired with Caleb Williams for at least the next four years. However, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen limited Odunze’s redraft fantasy value. While Moore signed an extension with the Bears during training camp, Allen is an upcoming free agent and unlikely to return next season.
More importantly, Chicago’s offense was a nightmare. The team had three different offensive coordinators during the season. They fired Shane Waldron, hoping the offense would improve under a new play-caller. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the offense was wildly inconsistent all year. Thankfully, that shouldn’t be the case starting in 2025 after the Bears hired Ben Johnson as their new head coach.
Odunze had a solid rookie season, especially given the team’s dysfunctional offense. He ended the year as the WR49, averaging 6.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The former Washington star had some positive moments. Odunze finished his rookie season with 54 receptions on 101 targets for 734 receiving yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, he averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game in three contests with double-digit targets.
Caleb Williams' AND Rome Odunze's first career TD!
📺: #CHIvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/u0ICGLXCz7— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
Fantasy players should explore buying Odunze this offseason. He wouldn’t have had a massive rookie year, even if the team’s offense wasn’t a dysfunctional nightmare. Anyone who drafted the former Washington star in their dynasty rookie drafts in 2024 should have had little expectations last season. Yet, I would rather have Odunze over any wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
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