The fantasy season is technically “over” for most of you, but not for dynasty. You either hoisted a plastic trophy and annoyed your spouse with your victory lap, or you’re currently pretending you didn’t care anyway while silently plotting revenge for 2026. But for the dynasty sickos, there is no offseason.
The transition from the fantasy playoffs into the cold, dark offseason is where championships are actually won. It’s about identifying who actually popped and who just got lucky, and figuring out which “studs” are about to fall off a cliff faster than a tech stock in a recession.
We saw some wild things down the stretch in Week 18 and the playoffs. We saw legends look old, and we saw random guys off the practice squad look like Barry Sanders. So, let’s cut through the noise. Here is my unfiltered look at the 2025 dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers heading into the offseason.
Dynasty Risers: The New Order
Trevor Lawrence Finally Woke Up
I’ve been hard on Trevor Lawrence. We all have. For a “generational talent,” he spent a lot of time looking incredibly pedestrian. But something clicked late in the year. Maybe it was Liam Coen’s offense finally sinking in, or maybe Lawrence just got tired of the slander. Whatever it was, he quietly put together a career year.
Since Week 10, he’s been a top-2 quarterback in fantasy points per game. He’s pushing the ball downfield (top 5 in air yards per attempt) and actually looking like the guy we were promised at Clemson. If you bought low on him six months ago, congratulations. If you sold him for a conditional third-round pick, my condolences.
Malik Willis and the “Change of Scenery” Narrative
Okay, I didn’t see this coming either. Malik Willis dropped a 288-yard passing, 60-yard rushing, multi-touchdown hammer on everyone. Is he a long-term starter? Who knows. But in Superflex leagues, any QB with rushing upside who shows a pulse is gold. He’s definitely played his way onto rosters, and maybe even into a bridge starter role somewhere. That’s free money if you stashed him.
Chris Olave Reminded Us Who He Is
There was a moment there where the Saints looked like a fantasy wasteland. But Olave decided to go nuclear in the fantasy playoffs. We are talking nearly nine catches and 130 yards a game down the stretch. He is quarterback-proof, scheme-proof, and apparently bad-vibes-proof. He’s an elite asset, and the window to buy him “low” is officially slammed shut.
The Late-Season RBs: Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Zach Charbonnet
Let’s talk about the guys who win you titles. Jacory Croskey-Merritt came out of nowhere to drop 105 yards and two scores. These are the late-season flashes that make dynasty owners overthink everything in March. Is he the future? Maybe not. Is he a hold? Absolutely.
Then there’s Zach Charbonnet. Finally. In Week 17, he out-carried Kenneth Walker inside the 10-yard line by a massive margin (28-10). That is a usage shift, folks. If the Seahawks are finally trusting him as the goal-line hammer, his value skyrockets. Walker owners, you should be sweating a little bit.
Dynasty Fallers: The Panic Button
Jared Goff Turned into a Pumpkin
I like Jared Goff. He’s a good story. But that performance? 197 yards, three fumbles, and two picks? That is nightmare fuel. In dynasty, we want stability. Goff looked shaken, and with Ben Johnson potentially getting a head coaching gig elsewhere, you have to wonder if we’ve seen the ceiling. He’s a sell for me if anyone still believes in the “safe floor” narrative.
The Travis Kelce Era is Over
I’m not being mean; I’m being realistic. Kelce looked slow. He had a near-zero outing in Week 16 that probably cost thousands of people a championship berth. He’s hinting at retirement, he’s outside the top 30 in dynasty TE rankings, and he’s frankly got better things to do than get hit by linebackers. Thank him for the memories, but get out now. If you can get anything of value for him, take it.
Tua Tagovailoa: The Benchwarmer
Getting benched is bad. Getting benched because you can’t stop throwing the ball to the other team is worse. Tua has struggled mightily with turnovers in 2025, racking up 16 of them. He finished as a QB1 only twice all year. The Dolphins’ offense is fast, but their quarterback looks frozen. His dynasty stock is in freefall, and frankly, I’m not sure I want to catch the falling knife.
CeeDee Lamb’s Disappearing Act
This one hurts to write. Lamb posted his two worst games of the season right when it mattered most—in the final two rounds of the playoffs. A single-digit outing on 10 targets in Week 17? That is efficiency paralysis. He’s still an elite talent, obviously, but this leaves a sour taste. If someone in your league is panicking and thinks Lamb is “broken,” go buy him. But as a contender, that collapse was brutal.
Jahmyr Gibbs’ Playoff Ghosting
We love Gibbs for the explosive plays, but when the chips were down in the fantasy championship, he vanished. It was his worst outing of the playoffs. This is the danger of the “lightning” back in a committee. Sometimes, you just get a little static electricity. He’s still a top-tier asset, but this was a harsh reminder that his floor can be terrifyingly low.
The Bottom Line
Dynasty is a game of reaction speed. The 2025 dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers list changes weekly, but these trends—Lawrence’s ascent, Kelce’s decline, the RB shifts—feel real. Don’t get sentimental about players who used to be good. Be ruthless. Go make some trades.
