The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone. While our redraft brothers in arms have all the time in the world to reflect on every team grade and fantasy landing spot, dynasty managers are forced to unpack a massive data dump before diving into rookie drafts.
While the focus of the dynasty calendar this time of year is on the newcomers, it’s just as essential to evaluate the winners and losers from the fallout — namely, the veterans.
Like every draft, some veterans gained significant value from the picks their teams made — or didn’t make. On the flip side, some veterans lost dynasty value and were entirely nuked in a few cases. Hopefully, your dynasty rosters are full of players who were winners and devoid of too many players on the losing end.
Stock Up
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears, 23 Years Old
The Bears selected Colston Loveland in the first round and added another dynamic weapon in Luther Burden in Round 2. The Ben Johnson offense is going full-on pedal to the metal, and the biggest winner will be Caleb Williams. Last year was a disappointment, but this year, Williams is surrounded by an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position and an offensive scheme that resuscitated the career of Jared Goff when he arrived in Detroit. When you add Williams’ upside as a runner, he is a dark-horse candidate to be a top-five scorer at the position and should enjoy a massive Year 2 breakout.
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots, 22 Years Old
Williams was not the only Year 2 starter whose offensive ecosystem rapidly improved. Drake Maye suffered from poor offensive line play and a lack of talent at the skill positions last season. The Patriots remedied both problems during the NFL Draft.
They selected the first offensive lineman off the board in tackle Will Campbell, and added one of the draft’s top centers in Jared Wilson in Round 3. TreVeyon Henderson was an unexpected bonus in the second round, and his dynamic skills should shine next to the mobile Maye. In Round 3, the Patriots added Kyle Williams, a wide receiver with 14 touchdown catches last season at Washington State.
Maye could also benefit from new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, depending on your view of McDaniels.
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals, 25 Years Old
There was no bigger winner at the running back position during the NFL Draft than Chase Brown. Brown managers were living on the edge heading into Days 1 and 2, with Cincinnati meeting with seemingly every appealing non-Ashton Jeanty prospect at the position in the pre-draft buildup. The Bengals selected a back, Tahj Brooks, in Round 6. Brooks is a fine player, but this is hardly a soul-crushing outcome — more of a “he could win the backup job” type of narrative.
The Bengals' offense will look very much the same as last season, and that’s a good thing for Brown managers who are now set to enjoy another year of high-end running back production.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 25 Years Old
Trevor Lawrence is entering his fifth year as a pro. For much of his time in the NFL, he’s failed to deliver on his immense promise after being selected first overall in 2021. There was already some cautious optimism surrounding Lawrence after the hire of Liam Coen and the Year Two maturation of budding superstar wideout Brian Thomas Jr. Jacksonville’s aggressive move to trade up and select the electric Travis Hunter with the second overall pick has put Lawrence in a situation where he could finally have a massive fantasy scoring season.
BTJ and Hunter will combine to become one of the league’s best and most explosive wide receiver duos, despite both being under 22. Both the long-term and short-term look promising for Lawrence, who has quickly seen his dynasty stock rise over the past week.
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints, 24 Years Old
Saints head coach Kellen Moore described Chris Olave as a phenomenal player and said he will make a huge impact this season. Sometimes coach speak doesn’t translate to much of anything, but it did in this case. New Orleans activated Olave’s fifth-year option for 2026, putting to rest any notion that he could be a surprise trade candidate as the Saints head into what should be a rebuilding season. If that weren’t enough, the NFL Draft was another big win for Olave dynasty managers.
The selection of Tyler Shough likely didn’t alleviate any of the Saints’ long-term quarterback concerns, but the non-moves they made during the draft should leave Olave managers confident about his 2025 role. After being connected to players like Tetairoa McMillan and Tyler Warren in many mock drafts, the Saints completely ignored the wide receiver position throughout the NFL Draft. Olave will get as much as he can handle this year, usage-wise.
Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30 Years Old
There seems to be a self-actualization in Tampa Bay’s front office. They want to surround Baker Mayfield with as much skill-position talent as possible. The career arc points upward, as Mayfield has enjoyed a tremendous renaissance. In his two seasons as a Buccaneer, he’s had far more fantasy and NFL success than expected, with more upside in 2026 and beyond.
Last year, Tampa Bay added Bucky Irving and Jalen McMillan to Mayfield’s quiver, and selected OL Graham Barton in the first round. This offseason, Tampa Bay re-signed Chris Godwin. If that weren’t enough, the Buccaneers drafted Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick — a somewhat surprising selection, but one that should put a smile on Mayfield dynasty managers' faces.
Last season, Mayfield finished as the QB4 — his second consecutive QB1 finish. It would be a big surprise if he did not make it a third in 2025.
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers, 23 Years Old
Bryce Young had a roller-coaster ride of a season last year, but the end result was sweet, as he played some of the best fantasy football of his career down the stretch. Carolina passed on multiple promising defenders in the first round and instead selected Tetairoa McMillan with the 8th overall pick — the highest-drafted wide receiver in franchise history.
Young now has a young (no pun intended) alpha WR1 for the first time in his career. Carolina’s offense could take a significant step forward, and Young could have his first QB1 fantasy finish. The narratives surrounding Young have done a complete 180 over the past 12 months. Once again, Dave Canales is the ultimate quarterback whisperer.
Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys, 26 Years Old
I had major concerns about Jake Ferguson heading into the NFL Draft, but he came out of it completely unscathed. Dak Prescott has a tendency to target his tight ends, especially inside the red zone. Jake Ferguson is by no means an immense talent, but situationally, he can be a TE1 and put up numbers similar to his 2023 season. Essentially, it was a classic "he can’t keep getting away with this" moment for dynasty managers everywhere.
And by the way, what is Dallas doing at the WR2 spot? It's more likely that a cut candidate may fill that role late this summer. Ferguson should maintain a prominent role in the Dallas passing game, and a 100-target “hey, we need to target someone not named CeeDee” season could be in play.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears, 26 Years Old
Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears, 24 Years Old
Chicago was a free-square landing spot for a running back heading into the NFL Draft. Multiple reports suggested that they tried to maneuver to get players like TreVeyon Henderson and Cam Skattebo at various points throughout the draft, but the cost to move up was prohibitive. Instead, they stood pat and addressed other needs. This has left Swift and Johnson in a spot where they could benefit significantly from a much-improved offensive environment and a lack of competition for touches.
Seventh-round draft pick Kyle Monangai has some appealing traits, but seems like a long shot to take away significant work. Could we see Swift in the Jahmyr Gibbs role and Johnson in a David Montgomery role as Ben Johnson attempts to emulate what he did in Detroit? I wouldn’t go trying to buy either player at their increased price tags, but there’s a chance both could provide dynasty managers with unexpected starting lineup utility this season.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns, 26 Years Old
Heading into the NFL Draft, it was widely assumed that Cleveland would stand pat and select Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. Instead, they traded down with Jacksonville and drafted Mason Graham, a defensive tackle from Michigan. They drafted five players on the offensive side of the ball over the course of the next six rounds. However, the only pass catcher they selected was tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Quarterback is still a significant issue and one of the team’s biggest question marks.
Still, one thing is sure when evaluating the Browns' offense heading into 2025: Jerry Jeudy is in store for another big season. Jeudy should maintain — and even exceed — his 21.5% target share, 32.5% air yard share, and 26.1% 1st-read rate usage numbers from 2025. The target share could exceed 25% or more. And quarterback-wise, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Cleveland will have two first-round picks to work with in 2026, when the quality and depth of the QB class is expected to increase significantly compared to 2025.
Stock Down
Najee Harris, RB, LA Chargers, 27 Years Old
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers, 23 Years Old
Dynasty managers who have been rostering Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren for multiple seasons had hoped they finally had the dynasty equivalent of a blackjack split. Harris signed a one-year deal with the Chargers, giving him a short-term outlook boost and potential mid-RB2 season. Warren avoided any notable free-agent competition in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers signing only Kenneth Gainwell.
But the dream quickly died during the NFL Draft. The Chargers selected Omarion Hampton in the first round, effectively nuking Harris’ 2025 outlook and turning him into more of a high-end handcuff than a locked-in starter. He may end up being a roster clogger. Warren is hanging on by a thread, and while the Steelers didn’t draft a running back until Round 3, Kaleb Johnson’s profile suggests he could become a high-volume back and threaten Warren’s overall touch ceiling.
Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears, 22 Years Old
DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears, 28 Years Old
There is a lot to unpack in Chicago, but one thing is sure: the competition for targets just became fiercer. Adding an elite tight end was always possible, but the Colston Loveland selection was still annoying for Moore and Odunze managers. His size/speed/athleticism/route-running combination creates a mystery box of usage possibilities — including some creative ones from a mad scientist offensive mind like Johnson. But the Burden selection was out of left field and a gut punch.
Quick mental exercise: which Bears wide receiver is potentially most like Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown? The answer may be Burden. Even if he settles in as a turbo-charged slot WR3, he still limits the ceiling of both Odunze and Moore. There are simply too many mouths to feed for any of these players to deliver a league-winning type performance in 2025 — and the rookies could take on even more prominent roles in 2026 and beyond.
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 23 Years Old
Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 26 Years Old
Etienne and Bigsby survived Day 1 and Day 2, but the addition of Bhayshul Tuten turns this backfield into even more of a committee at best — and a potential “Bucky Irving Part Two” (everyone else gets nuked) scenario at worst. Neither Etienne nor Bigsby can be trusted as anything more than depth pieces on your roster now. Tuten’s elite athletic ability and home-run-hitting potential will be hard to keep on the bench. This is a full-on competition, and my bet would be on the newcomer.
Liam Coen: Day 3 running back whisperer? Expect to hear that narrative all offseason long.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens, 23 Years Old
The Mark Andrews trade dream died for Isaiah Likely dynasty managers. Baltimore did not move Andrews and did not select any pass catchers throughout the draft, making it more likely that the tight end position will look exactly the same in 2025. Likely’s usage will be largely tied to Andrews’ health.
There is still an out here: if Andrews regresses, Likely could see an elevated role—but that doesn’t seem to be the plan. It’s hard to call Likely a loser, but his situation is boxed out.
Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants, 25 Years Old
Tyrone Tracy managers breathed a collective sigh of relief after dodging bullets on Day 2. But that feeling of security quickly disappeared on Saturday as the Giants made Cam Skattebo the third pick in the fourth round. Skattebo could turn this backfield into a committee — or take it over.
Tracy will have to play very well to keep Skattebo at bay. Brian Daboll is coaching for his job, and Tracy had five fumbles in 2024. There could be a quick trigger if he coughs one up early this season. Skattebo is also a threat to Tracy as a pass catcher. There are multiple paths to Skattebo damaging Tracy and a few pathways to nuking him.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 29 Years Old
Godwin has to deal with injury recovery, young receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan, but also a possible return to an outsized role and an outside wide receiver, and a lower percentage of slot usage than he saw in 2024. He will still be an effective player for dynasty managers, but Godwin is at his best fantasy-wise when he plays predominantly inside. Under Dave Canales in 2023, Godwin’s PPG average fell to 12.3 PPG — a far cry from his 19.7 average in 2024. Egbuka will be a hard player to keep off the field. You do not draft the Ohio State all-time reception leader at 19 overall to have him play an apprentice role.
