The 2025 fantasy football dynasty risers and fallers landscape isn’t just shifting: it’s having a full-blown identity crisis that’s making grown adults question every life choice they’ve ever made. I’ve been around this fantasy football circus long enough to know when we’re witnessing something special. And by special, I mean spectacularly catastrophic.
We’re five weeks deep into what can only be described as the most unpredictable season in recent memory, and if you’re still clinging to your preseason rankings like they’re gospel, well, bless your heart. The football gods have officially declared war on conventional wisdom, and they’re winning.
Dynasty Darlings: The Unexpected Heroes Rising from the Ashes
Let’s start with the good news, because frankly, we need some after the injury apocalypse we’ve all endured. These 2025 fantasy football dynasty risers aren’t just having good weeks: they’re rewriting the narrative entirely.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt: The Commander Who Actually Commands
Remember when everyone was obsessing over Chris Rodriguez Jr.? Yeah, that aged about as well as a gas station sushi roll. Croskey-Merritt just steamrolled the Chargers for 150 total yards and two touchdowns on merely 16 touches. The kid is leading the entire NFL in rushing yards over expected per attempt (2.17), yards per carry (6.58), and has a PFF grade that would make Derrick Henry weep with envy (90.1).
But here’s the kicker: his next two games are against the Bears and Cowboys, two defenses that have been about as effective against running backs as a screen door on a submarine. Both teams rank in the bottom six for fantasy points allowed to the position. Dynasty managers who scooped up this undrafted gem are looking like geniuses right about now.
Javonte Williams: The Cowboy Resurrection Story
Remember when everyone wrote off Javonte Williams? Well, surprise! He’s currently the RB10 in Expected Fantasy Points (14.4) and the RB3 in Fantasy Points Over Expected (4.6). Through five games, Williams has secured a 63.2% rushing share and is averaging 19.0 half-PPR points per game. The Cowboys finally have their lead back, and Williams is making everyone who doubted his post-injury recovery eat their words with a side of humble pie.
Drake Maye: The Rookie Revolution
The Patriots finally have their quarterback of the future, and his dynamic performance against the Bills should have every dynasty manager scrambling to acquire him. Maye isn’t just managing games: he’s making plays that suggest he could develop into a top-tier Superflex asset. In a quarterback class that was supposed to be loaded, Maye is separating himself from the pack faster than anyone anticipated.
The Dynasty Disasters: When Stars Become Black Holes
Now for the brutal reality check. These 2025 fantasy football dynasty fallers aren’t just having rough patches—they’re experiencing full-scale catastrophes that should have dynasty managers questioning everything they thought they knew.
Chase Brown: The Efficiency Nightmare
Here’s a reality that’s going to sting: Chase Brown has been one of the most inefficient running backs in the league. With a Run Blocking Rating of -9.5 through five weeks, he’s currently sitting at RB57 in that category. He hasn’t finished in the top 20 in a single matchup and is averaging 4.4 fantasy points BELOW expected. For a player many considered a dynasty-building block, this is nothing short of devastating.
Derrick Henry: Father Time Remains Undefeated
The King is looking mortal, and it’s not pretty. Henry has managed 50 or fewer rushing yards in four of five games this season. His 0.06 missed tackles forced per attempt ranks 27th out of 29 qualifying running backs. When the Ravens fall behind, which has been happening frequently, Justice Hill gets the work. At 30 years old, the decline might be steeper than anyone wanted to admit.
Kenneth Walker III: The Seattle Situation
Walker’s snap share tells the entire story: he’s played more than 50% of snaps in just one of five games, and that’s by design. Zach Charbonnet isn’t just spelling him; he’s straight-up stealing his thunder. Goal-line work, third downs, and passing situations are all going to Charbonnet. For dynasty managers who invested heavily in Walker, this timeshare is becoming a nightmare scenario.
The Injury Wildcard: How Catastrophe Creates Opportunity
Here’s where things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean absolutely chaotic. The injury bug hasn’t just bitten: it’s taken entire chunks out of rosters. But with every Tyreek Hill season-ending knee injury, a Jaylen Waddle gets his shot at WR1 glory again.
Waddle’s Week 5 numbers should have every dynasty manager paying attention: 34.6% first-read target share (ninth among wideouts), 0.194 first downs per route run (sixth), and 46% air yards share (eighth). With Hill done for the year, Waddle isn’t just the Dolphins’ WR1: he’s the entire receiving corps.
Reading the Tea Leaves: What This All Means
The harsh truth about 2025 fantasy football dynasty risers and fallers is that we’re witnessing a complete market correction. Players who were supposed to be sure things are crashing harder than my confidence in preseason expert rankings. Meanwhile, guys who were afterthoughts in drafts are putting up numbers that would make first-round picks jealous.
Quinshon Judkins has emerged as Cleveland’s RB1 despite missing the entire preseason. Since Week 4, he’s been the RB9 in Expected Fantasy Points and holds a ridiculous 74.5% rushing share. Dynasty managers who stashed him are now looking like they have crystal balls.
The Bottom Line: Adapt or Die
This season has taught us one undeniable truth: flexibility trumps stubbornness every single time. The teams that win dynasty leagues aren’t the ones that drafted the best in 2024: they’re the ones adapting the fastest in 2025.
Your first-round pick might be on IR, your second-rounder might be in a committee, and that sleeper you were so proud of might be riding the bench. But somewhere on waivers or in a trade negotiation is the next Jacory Croskey-Merritt or Drake Maye waiting to save your season.
The 2025 fantasy football dynasty risers and fallers landscape is brutal, unforgiving, and absolutely beautiful in its chaos. Welcome to the new reality, where your waiver wire moves matter more than your draft position, and where being wrong about your studs matters less than being right about everyone else’s scrubs.
