The quarterback carousel is rolling, and multiple significant receiver injuries hit in Week 7. The Dynasty staff gathered to work through multiple quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends who are the biggest risers or fallers in rankings. Check out the Footballguys Dynasty Football show with Jagger May and myself for more Dynasty content. We do three episodes weekly, discussing a variety of relevant Dynasty trends.

Dynasty Movement at Quarterback

Drake Maye, New England

Jason Wood - Maye has looked good in his first two starts despite a less-than-inspiring supporting cast and coaching staff. The quarterback position remains uncertain, but Maye’s age and potential 10-plus-year outlook as an above-average producer warrant moving him up a tier below the proven 2024 starters.

Andy Hicks - The Patriots have done the right thing by easing their high draft pick into action. Now what? He has a terrible group of wide receivers and a team in rebuild mode. He has looked good to date, but his situation means he will need help to get wins and consistent numbers from his receivers. He rises in rankings, but his situation will take time.

Corey Spala – Maye delivered during the first two starts of his career. He has a 90.8 grade on throughs over 20 yards. He finished seventh in expected points added per dropback in Week 7. New England has their quarterback, and the future will optimistically get better. New England will hopefully surround Maye with a superior supporting cast throughout the 2025 offseason. 

Hutchinson Brown -  Maye has only started two games this season and has one less passing touchdown than Patrick Mahomes II. Even with poor receiving talent around him and a questionable coaching staff, Drake Maye has looked very impressive. He has been excellent for fantasy with back-to-backtop-twelvee quarterback finishes. He should only continue to grow and develop this year, and then year two should be very fun. As long as New England has some idea of what they are doing, they will add a threatening receiving weapon or two to this offense and then combine that with Maye’s sneaky rushing ability; he should be a monster for fantasy purposes for future years. Maye has jumped into my top twelve and has the potential to climb higher. 

Matt Montgomery - Whether you’re a fan of the New England offense, you must take the bias out of the situation and contextualize what you have seen. Drake Maye was viewed as more of a project player when he came into the league, and while it was still early, the momentum was there to become a great NFL quarterback. In the two games he's started, he is 46/70 for 519 yards, five TDs, and two interceptions. Not a bad start for a rookie who is on what many consider to be the worst offense in the NFL. 

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh

Jason Wood - Fields managed the Steelers' offense well enough to achieve a 4-2 record, but head coach Mike Tomlin boldly benched him in favor of Russell Wilson. While it was just one week, nothing is set in stone; Wilson passed the test and further elevated the offense. Fields is still young and has many desirable traits, but this is now the second team that has effectively moved on from him as the starter, at least temporarily. It's challenging to justify ranking Fields highly in Dynasty circles once he secures a transparent, sustainable starting role on a solid offense.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay

Andy Hicks - With Chris Godwin lost for the year and Mike Evans likely to miss significant time as well, the fairytale performances of Mayfield will come to a halt. With 20 touchdowns in seven games, he is atop fantasy rankings. Cade Otton and the running backs will keep him ticking over, but the red zone threats are gone. He has to move down slightly, but while the floor won't collapse, it’s shaky. 

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland

Corey Spala – Watson has been horrible this season. He has the lowest expected points added among every quarterback in Weeks 1-7, dating back to 2000. This alone was enough reason to drop Watson significantly in rankings. His Achilles tear, combined with the fact he is horrible, is enough reason to put him outside of the top 32 quarterbacks.

Will Levis, Tennessee

Ryan Weisse - I was never too high on Levis, but being a 25-year-old starting quarterback kept him near my top 20 in Dynasty. As the season has progressed, he struggles with turnovers and might be short for the starting job. As such, he falls to my QB27, in the same tier and situation as Daniel Jones. He's a QB3 in Superflex leagues and might not be worth much next season.

Dynasty Movement at Running Backs

Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville

Andy Hicks - The struggles of Travis Etienne Jr. haven’t happened overnight. Since last year's bye week, he has averaged below 3.6 yards a carry and struggled to make an impact. That has opened the door to second-year back Tank Bigsby. Bigsby struggled as a rookie but has developed well and taken advantage of his opportunities. Bigsby will rise in rankings, but caution is advised until the coaching staff shows him he is preferred. 

Nick Chubb, Cleveland

Andy Hicks - The day finally arrived for Chubb to make his comeback for the Browns. The performance wasn’t his best, but a touchdown eased him back in nicely. Now that he is actually on the field, anything is possible. But expectations should be tempered—a nice rise in rankings in anticipation of better days ahead.

Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas

Andy Hicks - Mattison seems to have won the starting role, despite the return of Zamir White. Let’s see what happens against the stingy Chief's run defense. I am not a big fan of the back, but due to his potential output, he deserves a probable short-term upward move in rankings. 

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans

Corey Spala – New Orleans did not want a rebuild; Kamara signed a two-year extension. I see no reason why it would be time to fade Kamara. He is a consistent producer and has a guaranteed future outlook. In his career, he has at least 40 receptions per season. His only finish non- RB1 finish was in 2021 when he played 13 games. Kamara will provide two more seasons of top-tier production.

Kendre Miller, New Orleans

Corey Spala — Miller totaled nine opportunities in his first game of the season. He turned eight touches into 37 yards and looked impressive while doing so. It appeared New Orleans has him as their backup running back, which is notable as Kamara is playing with a broken hand. Miller can be Kamara’s compliment in the run game, and his Week 7 outing provides an optimistic outlook.

Ray Davis, Buffalo

Ryan Weisse — I was slightly scared off by Davis' age as a 24-year-old rookie running back. Running backs already have a limited value window in Dynasty, so I didn't want to rank him too highly. He deserved a bump in my rankings as he has seen more playing time. He's still inside my Top 50, but if he keeps playing as well as he has been, he might be a much better asset than I am giving him credit for.

Zamir White, Las Vegas

Ryan Weisse - We all loved the scenario White was starting the season in, but as the games were played, it's clear we were too excited. While White had a few good games as a rookie, it doesn't look like he's much more than a complementary back in 2024. The Raiders are bad, and I'm trying not to hold that too much against White, but Alexander Mattison is finding some success as back on this team. So far, White looks like a Day-3 back. He is barely in my Top 50 and falls below a rising Ray Davis.

Blake Corum, Los Angeles

Jason Wood - This week, confirmed reports indicate that Cooper Kupp is on the trade block, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that Matthew Stafford might be as well. This points to a Rams team preparing for a complete rebuild, which raises questions about whether Sean McVay might also consider a change of scenery. With this level of uncertainty, it's hard to confidently invest in a backup running back who has yet to secure a defined role. The Rams could look entirely different next year, leaving many scenarios where Corum's value could be minimal.

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay

Jason Wood - Jacobs is having an average fantasy season, currently ranking 24th in points per game, and the Packers aren't prioritizing him in the red zone. Given his age and contract structure, it's becoming harder to assume he has three or more seasons left as a workhorse back compared to how he was viewed this offseason.

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

Matt Montgomery - It's hard to get movement from a player already in the top five at his position. Still, due to the exciting developments in personnel for the Rams, we could see Kyren become even more of an offensive focal point for the rest of the season. With the potential not only for a Cooper Kupp trade but also a Matthew Stafford trade, Williams will become the most consistent option there, especially considering his part of the game doesn’t change too much. He will be pricey, but he could be the safest bet in fantasy football moving forward.  

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay

Matt Montgomery - Despite the inconsistency with this backfield, someone will emerge as a true fantasy asset. My pick for this is Irving for many reasons, but the most important is his age. He’s 22 years old and has a solid rookie season that includes rushing and receiving numbers. He’s averaging just under 12 touches a game and has been highly productive in these touches. I don’t think it would shock anyone if we saw this raise to the 15-18 touch limit by season's end. 

Dynasty Movement at Wide Receivers

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville

Andy Hicks - Thomas is playing and scoring like an elite receiver. I had high expectations for him since the draft, but he has exceeded even those. If the Jaguars ever put together what their potential indicates they can, then Thomas is a top-10 fantasy receiver. Right now, he is close, but another coaching change looks likely. More suffering for Jaguars fans is coming.

Hutchinson Brown -  There have been some slight debates about whether his value has gone too high; I think not. He is everything we wanted to see from him out of college and more. His ability to make plays downfield and do damage with the ball in his hands is extraordinary and leads to massive outputs in fantasy leagues. He is on pace to put up top-ten numbers for fantasy football as a rookie, even with a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, who has yet to play precisely how we want him to. He is a blue chip asset in Dynasty, deserves to be in the top eight conversations in Dynasty rankings, and only has room to grow in value as a 22-year-old star.

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay

Andy Hicks - Ever since Doubs pouted his way into a one-week team suspension, he has been rewarded with two touchdowns against the Cardinals and eight catches against the Texans. With the options in the Packers offense, it is hard to see this as a permanent situation, but he gets a bump no matter what. 

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco

Jason Wood - This was a very positive week for Pearsall’s outlook. Not only did he return to the field after recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during a robbery attempt, but Brandon Aiyuk also suffered a season-ending knee injury involving multiple ligaments. Pearsall's path to becoming a meaningful contributor has opened up significantly. If you don’t acquire him now, his price could quickly escalate, mainly if he performs well during the second half of the season.

Andy Hicks - Surviving a bullet wound, Pearsall made his debut with a relatively innocuous performance against the Chiefs. With Brandon Aiyuk having a severe injury, he must develop quickly and become what is expected of a first-round receiver. At least he jumps in the fantasy rankings, but his development must be watched cautiously. 

Garrett Wilson, NY Jets

Andy Hicks - Garrett Wilson doesn't seem invited to the Packers reunion in New York. Soon-to-be 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, soon-to-be 32-year-old Davante Adams, and soon-to-be 29-year-old Allen Lazard are getting preferential treatment over the 24-year-old Wilson. The youngest player was coming off back-to-back 100-yard games. While this team destroys itself from within, Wilson will want out sooner or later. And with good reason. He is an elite receiver. He just needs an elite franchise. 

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay

Andy Hicks - For the team to lose both Evans and Godwin at the stages of their career is brutal. Godwin will be a free agent, but a likely multi-ligament knee injury kills his future earnings. Mike Evans' 1000-yard season streak will end this year, barring a miraculous recovery. After lifting Godwin high last week, he plummets this week. Evans proved age is undefeated as well and must fall in the rankings. 

Keon Coleman, Buffalo

Corey Spala – Coleman has quietly had a great rookie season. He leads all rookies with 10.0 yards after catch per reception and is fourth in receiving yards. Not every wide receiver, like Justin Jefferson, will produce immediate gratification in rookie seasons. Coleman is getting better each week as a wide receiver; he has 2.0 yards per route run and is efficient on a per-target basis. Buffalo appears to be utilizing his after-the-catch skillset, as his short-yardage usage increased over the last two weeks with six total slot routes (one from Weeks 1-5).

Rashod Bateman, Baltimore

Corey Spala — Bateman is healthy and shows why he was once a Dynasty darling. He is currently third in separation and seventh in route win rate, with the second-highest separation percentage. Over the last three games, he accumulated 16 targets and 250 receiving yards. Bateman will turn 25 in November and looks to have regained confidence. 

Jameson Williams, Detroit 

Jason Wood - Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me. Williams is undeniably talented, and we saw his potential early in the season. However, not only has his performance declined, but he’s also been suspended again, this time for violating the performance-enhancing drug rules. He’s still too young and talented, and Detroit is too strong of a team to dismiss him entirely. Still, his Dynasty value must be discounted due to the added uncertainty and volatility of his projected outcomes.

Hutchinson Brown - Not only has he been producing very little since his scorching start, but he is also now receiving his second suspension since he has been in the league for performance-enhancing drug use. He is a talented young kid with a lot of speed, but it still needs to come together for him after three years. He could still be relevant for fantasy, but it is less likely that he lives up to the top fifteen draft picks that Detroit spent on him. He’s falling in my rankings.

Ryan Weisse  - This is a talent versus opportunity argument. Based on talent, Williams is a Top 20 receiver. He is only 23 years old and is as fast as anyone in the league. Unfortunately, he can't get out of his way. His rookie year was marred by injury. That's not on him, but it's endearing, either. In Year 2, he missed time due to violating the league's policy on gambling. Now, in Year 3, he's likely giving up games due to an NFL suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Throw in the boom-or-bust nature of his game, and you have a guy that belongs outside the Top 30.

Terry McLaurin, Washington

Ryan Weisse - I loved McLaurin like everyone else when he came into the league, but barely finishing in the Top 25 year after year wore out my patience. He felt like a high-floor, low-ceiling, boring play at receiver. It turns out he just needed a quarterback. With Jayden Daniels, McLaurin is a Top 15 receiver this season and should be suitable for the next two or three seasons in Washington. That's enough to get him back into my Top 25 for Dynasty receivers.

Dynasty Movement at Tight End

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay

Ryan Weisse - Otton is the talk of Week 8, and I realized I needed to be higher on him in my Dynasty rankings. He has a good connection with Baker Mayfield and has been playing like a top-5 fantasy tight end over the last five games. At just 25, he should be a big part of this offense for the next few years, so he is now in my Top 15 with room to grow.

Andy Hicks - Otton may see a rise in his fantasy standing following the loss of Chris Godwin and probably Mike Evans, but almost every catch resulted in him being hammered. This is unsustainable. If he continues to be a heavy target and new red zone friend of Baker Mayfield, he becomes a starting fantasy tight end. 

Will Dissly, LA Chargers

Andy Hicks - Dissly is an old favorite of mine from his days in Seattle. He broke out in 2019 and was a top-six tight end until he got injured. He never recaptured that form but has been a reliable option for his team down the depth chart. This may be a one-week wonder. Maybe he establishes himself on his new side. My bias requires a lift in rankings. 

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta

Corey Spala—The Dynasty rollercoaster of Pitts appears to have solidified as a ride you want to be on. Pitts has scored 10+ points and totaled over 60 yards in three straight weeks; he has 17 total receptions. He ranks third among tight ends in yards and sixth in targets. Pitts is 24 years old and has averaged 5.8 targets per game. 

Brock Bowers, Las Vegas 

Hutchinson Brown—I write out my Dynasty rankings on Google Sheets; it’s the easiest way to organize them. I added two-tier breaks before the next best tight end after Brock Bowers. If he is not your TE1 in Dynasty by a wide margin, you need to rethink it. He is on pace to beat any player's all-time rookie reception record, and he looks like everything he was promised to be in college. This is the guy you want in Dynasty.

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo

Jason Wood -  Amari Cooper’s arrival adds another obstacle for those who viewed Kincaid as the next elite fantasy tight end. The top fantasy tight ends all share one trait: they command a disproportionately high percentage of their team's passing targets. Kincaid doesn't see that volume, and the Bills continue to signal that they have no intention of increasing his workload.

Mark Andrews, Baltimore

Matt Montgomery - We are so back! We may always need to understand why Andrews started the way he did. Maybe it was the lingering effects of the car wreck he was in before the season’s start, but whatever it was seems to have passed. He has been on a tear for the last three weeks, hopping back into the elite tight end tier. Despite what we saw at the beginning of the season, he is pacing for more touchdowns and similar reception and yardage numbers from last season. Targets are still down, but I think we have a unique buy window for Andrews as he enters the twilight of his career.