Hey Rewinders, it’s your Dynasty Rewind crew member, Brandon Ghabbour (and host of the Deep Dive Fantasy Football Podcast), diving into a Dynasty special for the 2025 NFL season!

With my data-driven analysis and common-sense approach, I’m here to guide you through assessing your squad, making trades, and setting up for either a 2025 title or a 2027 dynasty. This episode is for my dynasty diehards, but redraft players, hang tight—you might just catch the dynasty fever! Let’s break down how to evaluate your team, target key players, and escape the purgatory of mediocrity.

Follow me on Twitter/X (@DeepDiveFF), Instagram (@DeepDiveFantasyFootball), or email me at deepdiveff@gmail.com, and keep the dynasty strategy flowing!

Five weeks into the 2025 season, your dynasty team’s fate is undeniable. To face reality, dive into your points fielded (total points scored by your starting lineup) and your record.

If you’re 4-1 or 3-2 with top-three points fielded, you’re a contender—even if you’re 2-3 but cursed with bad luck (facing everyone’s best week). If you’re 0-5 or 1-4 with bottom-tier points, it’s time to rebuild. And if you’re 2-3 with a talented roster hit by injuries, you’re likely reloading for 2026.

In one of my dynasty leagues, I’m reloading because my Bengals stack got hit hard by the Burrow injury—Chase Brown (RB34 by PPG, averaging 9.5 PPG) and Ja’Marr Chase (17.1 PPG, struggling without Burrow at WR10) both took major hits, and Omarion Hampton’s 4–6 week ankle injury is a gut punch. So, I’m tweaking for a 2026 run—not throwing in the towel.

The absolute worst place to be in dynasty? Lukewarm. If you’re 2-3 with a mediocre roster, patting yourself on the back for “improving” from last year’s 1-13 disaster, you’re doomed. Mediocrity—neither contending nor rebuilding—guarantees you’ll never taste championship glory.

You’ve got to pick a side: go all-in for a 2025 title or sacrifice the present for a future window. Sitting idle, hoping for a miracle, is a one-way ticket to irrelevance. Below, I’ll lay out detailed strategies for winners (contenders) and losers (rebuilders/reloaders), with specific players to target based on their current situations, performances, and market value, ensuring you maximize your roster’s potential.

If you’re a contender—say, 3-2 with the second-most points fielded despite brutal matchups—you’re in the driver’s seat for a championship. Even if you’re 2-3 but have returning stars like George Kittle (back Week 7), CeeDee Lamb (Week 7–8), or players like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins who could surge with Joe Flacco’s deep-ball accuracy (Chase projected to climb to 18–19 PPG, Higgins to 13–15 PPG)—you’re still in the hunt.

Here’s how to lock in that title with aggressive, calculated moves:

1. Raid Losing Teams’ Rosters for Temporary Producers

Scour the 0-5, 1-4, or 2-3 teams with abysmal points fielded—these owners are desperate and ready to deal. Target older players or those in short-term roles who can elevate your starting lineup without costing an arm and a leg.

• Davante Adams (WR16 by PPG, Rams, 32 years old, 15.1 PPG): A locked-in WR2 thriving in Sean McVay’s star-oriented offense with Matthew Stafford. Rebuilders see his age as a liability and may trade him for a 2026 second-round pick or a young bench player. He’s a massive flex upgrade who could push you to a title.

• Courtland Sutton (WR12 by PPG, Broncos, 29 years old, 16.1 PPG): A borderline WR1 in a Year 2 Bo Nix offense under Sean Payton, benefiting from a 21% target share. Losing teams may let him go for a second-rounder, as his age lowers his dynasty value. He’s a plug-and-play flex who upgrades your WR3 spot immediately.

• Mike Evans (Buccaneers, 32 years old): As a Bucs fan, I’m pumped for Evans’ Week 7/8 return from a hamstring injury. His involvement in Tampa’s high-powered offense makes him a potential flex steal. Grab him for a late second-rounder from a rebuilder focused on youth.

2. Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good

Trading 2026/2027 picks for win-now players feels scary, but hesitation could cost you a championship. In my Bengals-heavy league, injuries derailed my 2025 plans, and such luck can strike any “bulletproof” team. If you have the shot to win now, take it. Don’t let Adams or Sutton rot on a 1-4 team’s roster—strike before another contender does. A second-round pick for a WR1/2 could mean the difference between a title and a playoff flameout.

3. Target Talent in Temporary Situations

Players thriving due to short-term boosts (e.g., teammate injuries) are gold for contenders.

• Jaylen Waddle is dominating targets with Tyreek Hill out for the season (knee). Reports suggest Miami might cut Hill post-season, and with no elite WR drafted yet, Waddle could be their WR1 in 2026. Rebuilders may undervalue him—trade a second or Ladd McConkey for his WR2 upside.

• Jake Ferguson (Cowboys, TE1) is a beast with CeeDee Lamb out, but his pre-injury production (18 targets in Weeks 1–2) shows he’s legit. Grab him for a second—he’s a top-five TE even when Lamb returns.

4. Leverage Package Deals for Elite Upgrades

Combine bench players and picks to land game-changers. I once traded DeVonta Smith, Tee Higgins, and a first for Ja’Marr Chase in a win-now push (with Nate “The Professor” Christian), turning depth into a superstar while setting Nate up for the future.

Consider packaging DeVonta Smith and a 2026 first for Amon-Ra St. Brown, who could add 10–12 more points per week to your lineup. Avoid trading for bench depth—focus on starters who move the needle.

5. Analyze Playoff Matchups (Weeks 15–17)

Check your starters’ schedules now to avoid matchup disasters. If your RB1—say, James Cook—faces Cleveland’s top-five run defense (3.8 YPC allowed) in Week 17, trade for a comparable RB like Josh Jacobs, who faces Chicago’s porous front (4.8 YPC allowed). That swap could yield a 15-point swing in the championship. Use strength-of-schedule data now, not at the deadline.

Be relentless—don’t expect losing teams to advertise their players. Send messages like, “I’m going all-in. Got any short-term producers you’d move for picks or young guys?” If you’re not proactive, you’ll be the one crying, “I would’ve offered more!” after a rival snags your target. Outwork your league, or get left behind.

If you’re 0-5 or 1-4 with bottom-tier points fielded, your 2025 season is toast—embrace the rebuild or reload. Your mission is to trade away temporary producers for future assets and snag young or injured talent at a discount.

Here’s how to build a championship contender for 2027:

1. Target Contenders’ Injured or Underperforming Stars

Hit up 4-1 or 3-2 teams and offer players who help them win now for sidelined or struggling assets. Top targets include:

• Malik Nabers (WR, Giants – Out for Season)

• Joe Burrow (QB, Bengals – Out for Season)

• Trey Benson (RB, Cardinals – Out 4–6 Weeks)

• Omarion Hampton (RB, Chargers – Out 4–6 Weeks)

• Jayden Reed (WR, Packers – Out for Season)

2. Scoop Up Sneaky Buy-Lows

Target players like Jalen McMillan (Buccaneers, WR, on IR), seen as WR4–6 behind Egbuka, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin. McMillan’s 2024 finish (24 catches, 316 yards, 7 TDs in 5 games, top-12 WR) screams future WR2. Trade a flex like Demario Douglas (11.2 PPG) or Darius Slayton (10.9 PPG) for him—contenders may jump at it.

Cedric Tillman (Browns, WR, out 4 weeks) and Jalen Coker (Panthers, WR) are other gems. Coker’s role was set to expand post-Thielen trade, but then he got injured. I hyped him last offseason as a post-rookie-draft waiver wire steal. Offer mediocre low performers for Coker’s big-slot upside.

3. Buy Underperforming Talent

Snag proven players in tough spots like A.J. Brown (Eagles, 8.9 PPG, WR49) and Ladd McConkey (Chargers, 9.7 PPG, WR44). Brown’s frustrated with Philly’s low pass volume (25 attempts per game), but at 28, he’s a WR1 in a better 2026 situation—trade Deebo Samuel (31, 17.5 PPG) and a pick for him.

McConkey’s squeezed by Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen but is a reloading target for 2026. Offer Stefon Diggs or another older performer for his youth.

4. Target Rookies with Slow Starts

Rookies like Kaleb Johnson, Luther Burden (Bears, WR, 101 yards Week 3), Colston Loveland, and RJ Harvey are much cheaper after quiet starts. Kaleb Johnson is being traded for third-round picks—insane for a potential RB1. Burden and Loveland could be had for seconds, while Harvey (behind JK Dobbins) is a late-second steal. These could be future stars, like Davante Adams and others, who took time to emerge.

5. Sell Temporary Producers

Cash in on players with short-term value—Woody Marks, Jordan Mason, JK Dobbins, Keenan Allen, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans (post-injury), and Stefon Diggs.

In my reloading league, I traded JK Dobbins for Jayden Reed (Packers WR, out since Week 1), a young, efficient wideout tied to Jordan Love’s big-play offense. Pit contenders against each other—say, “Your rival’s offering a late second for Diggs. Beat it with a second and a fourth.”

6. Burn Your FAAB

Spend your free-agent auction budget on waiver pop-ups, then flip them for picks. FAAB resets every offseason, so don’t hoard it waiting for a Puka Nacua or Terry McLaurin—they usually pop early. You’re essentially buying picks with FAAB that you can’t carry over anyway.

7. Build Strategically

In Superflex or TE-premium leagues, prioritize quarterbacks and tight ends when rebuilding over running backs. QBs and TEs last longer and are harder to replace—backup RBs produce 75% of the starter’s output, but backup QBs rarely hit that.

My Superflex rebuild priority order:

• QB

• TE (in premium formats)

• WR

• RB

For long-term rebuilds, avoid early rookie picks on RBs—they peak early and fade fast. Build around longer-lasting assets first.

Five weeks into 2025, your dynasty team’s path is clear—don’t wallow in mediocrity.

Contenders: go all-in by raiding losing teams for players balling out now. Use picks and packages to supercharge your starters and study playoff matchups to dodge traps like Cleveland’s run defense.

Rebuilders: sell high on JK Dobbins, Keenan Allen, and Deebo Samuel, and buy low on injured or underperforming young assets. Burn your FAAB to flip waiver adds and build smart—prioritize QBs and TEs in Superflex or premium leagues.

Laziness guarantees failure, so get to work.

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