Welcome to the Week 2 Dynasty Risers & Fallers. I highlight which players have had a huge rise or fall in their fantasy value this week. From National Champion to Dynasty Champion: JJ McCarthy Surging Up FF Rankings!
Fantasy Football Risers & Fallers is one of the biggest topics in dynasty every season. It’s quick & easy to understand, translates to several different league formats beyond dynasty, and, most of all, it’s SEO-friendly. This season, Fantasy Sports Advice Network has allowed me to cover the biggest movers of our beloved fantasy football space each week! So without further ado, why don’t we talk about the players that made a splash (both good and bad) in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season!
Week 2 Dynasty Risers
J.J. McCarthy, QB (Minnesota Vikings)
There are few better ways to start your career than the way J.J. McCarthy did in his first NFL start. Not only did he beat division rival Bears in Primetime, but he did it electrically. He started slow, with minimal stats and even a Pick 6 in the first 3 quarters. But in the 4th quarter, McCarthy turned it up. He led the Vikings to a comeback victory after scoring 3 TDs (2 Passing & 1 Rushing) in the 4th quarter alone.
He may have only thrown for 143 yards and run for 25, but he still finished as the QB11 in Week 1. In fact, McCarthy finished 4th in Points per Dropback, 8th in Explosive Rating, and even 6th in True Passer Rating. McCarthy finished Week 1 in the top half in several passing metrics, not to mention others.
If he can do this in his first start, then J.J. McCarthy is gearing up to be a true dynasty roster linchpin. And right now, he is still valued in the middle of the pack of Dynasty QBs. In SuperFlex, he is a perfect 2nd QB option with tons of upside. McCarthy has the profile, weapons, and coach to truly be a top QB just like he was in college. He is highly efficient and will continue to do so. BUY J.J. McCarthy before it gets even harder to do so.
Travis Etienne, RB (Jacksonville Jaguars)
All offseason, Travis Etienne’s value was incredibly low. In fact, he was going about the same range as his former backfield mate Tank Bigsby. He carried an ADP of around RB31 and was decently cheap to acquire in dynasty. In Week 1, Etienne reminded us all of the athlete he was drafted to be, finishing as the RB6. He carried the ball 16 times for 143 yards and added 3 receptions. Tank Bigsby only had 5 carries, and Bhayshul Tuten only had 3.
Etienne is locked in as a true bellcow on an offense that is hoping to ascend this year. This was further evidenced by the Jaguars trading away Bigsby on Monday morning. The Jaguars are convinced that Etienne is their guy- and really, we should’ve expected that. After all, this is an RB with an electric profile and 1st-round draft capital.
Etienne has finished every season that he played 17 games with at least 1000 rush yards. Look for him to keep that trend alive this year if he stays healthy. Currently, he is Top 5 in several metrics, including Yards Created, Breakaway Runs, Explosive Rating, Yards per Touch, and Rush Yards. Obviously, it’s a small sample size- but that kind of explosiveness doesn’t just fade away. The Jaguars ran the ball the 5th most times in Week 1 and then traded away Etienne’s main backup. Buy high on Travis Etienne in Dynasty- he is set up for success.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB (Washington Commanders)
Well, the hype was real! If you caught on this offseason, Jacory Croskey-Merritt made his early adopters beyond excited in Week 1. In fact, “Bill” made all of his fantasy football managers happy regardless of what they spent to acquire him. Croskey-Merritt out-carried every RB on the Commanders with 10 to Austin Ekeler’s 6. He did the most with those 10 carries as well, taking them for 82 yards and a TD. The 7th round rookie finished as the RB17 on the week, and is building momentum to finish the year as a league-winning RB. He has already demonstrated his explosiveness as a runner, but also has the profile to make an impact as a receiver.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt finished Week 1 Top 5 in these important metrics- Points per Opportunity, Yards per Touch, Explosive Rating, and Juke Rate. The Commanders themselves were also top of the league in Run Block Rating, Game Script, and Run Plays per Game. We have seen fantasy success from Brian Robinson on this offense, and his profile is not as electric as Bill’s. I think we can expect Croskey-Merritt to at least finish as an RB16 or higher this year.
And yes…I might be cheating and writing this after Week 2’s TNF…The unfortunate injury to Austin Ekeler only solidifies Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s meteoric rise up fantasy rankings even more. Bill will be a key to the Commanders’ offense for the rest of the year. Buy him if you even can.
Week 2 Dynasty Risers- Honorable Mentions
Javonte Williams, RB (Dallas Cowboys)
Daniel Jones, QB (Indianapolis Colts)
Emeka Egbuka, WR (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Harold Fannin Jr, TE (Cleveland Browns)
Week 2 Dynasty Fallers
Kenneth Walker, RB (Seattle Seahawks)
This one may be more on me if I am being honest, but few players disappointed me more in Week 1 than Kenneth Walker. Walker has always been one of my favorite RBs since entering the league. He has an ELITE athletic profile and is on a run-heavy offense. On paper, Walker should be an elite fantasy RB. But in practice, he keeps losing snaps to Zach Charbonnet.
In Week 1, and for the first time in his career, Walker was outsnapped and outperformed by his former backup. Charbonnet finished the day with 12 carries for 47 yards and a TD. Walker, meanwhile, finished with 13 touches for 24 yards. Abyssmal.
The picture is painted even clearer when you take a look at his underlying metrics. Kenneth Walker is currently bottom of the league in a number of efficiency metrics- 50th in Points per Opportunity, 37th in Snap Share, 44th in Yards per Touch, 34th in Explosive Rating, and even 99th in EPA. His Week 1 performance was simply bad and terribly concerning for his fantasy value. He is easily one of the biggest fallers from Week 1. The only way he even starts to sniff starting lineups again is if Charbonnet gets hurt, or if his usage trend goes up to his past usage. But even then, we would need to see his efficiency improve before we can trust him again. To the bench you go, K9…:(
Ladd McConkey, WR (Los Angeles Chargers)
In a game where Justin Herbert threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs, Ladd McConkey was unfortunately not the Alpha we wanted him to be. Sure, he got volume- 9 targets to be exact. He even did okay in the PPR league, taking in 6 of those targets for 74 yards. 13 points isn’t too shabby, but it feels painful when he was outproduced by both Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen. Johnston finished the day with 5 receptions, 79 yards, and 2 TDs. Keenan Allen finished the day with 7 receptions, 68 yards, and a TD. Allen even out-targeted McConkey 10 to 9. Minimal, but discouraging for those who hoped McConkey would turn into a True WR1 in Year 2.
However, while McConkey is a Faller, that doesn’t necessarily mean we should be fading him. In fact, I am exploring buying him as he should still have a solid floor, even if his ceiling is a bit zapped. Justin Herbert looks to have returned to his former self, and the Chargers are no longer afraid to let him sling it. 9 targets from Herbert is nothing to scoff at. And if you look at McConkey’s underlying metrics, you can find some things to hang your hat on. Ladd McConkey currently sits Top 12 in Route Separation, Juke Rate, Targets, Slot Snaps, and Targety Separation vs Man. All of those stats paint a picture of an elusive slot receiver. As long as he gets volume, he is still a Roster Lock week in and week out.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Miami Dolphins)
Few teams looked as bad in Week 1 as the Miami Dolphins, who were totally embarrassed by Daniel Jones and the Colts. A big part of that was Tua Tagovailoa’s struggles. Tagovailoa finished the day 14/23 completions, 114 pass yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, and a Fumble…It really doesn’t get much worse. That performance was good for a 3.8 QBR and 51.7 Passer Rating. Yes, Jaylen Waddle was injured, but DeVon Achane and Tyreek Hill were still present…at least physically. Hill only had 4 receptions for 40 yards. And Achane salvaged his measly 10-touch, 75-yard day, with a garbage-time receiving TD. That garbage time touchdown also saved Tua’s fantasy managers from an even worse disappointment.
Things in Miami do not look good, and it’s hard to imagine Tua Tagovailoa bouncing back to being a trusted fantasy QB. Tagovailoa is currently 1st in Danger Plays, 2nd in Interceptable Passes, 32nd in Expected PPG, 32nd in Passer Rating, and even 32nd in Yards per Attempt. These are the worrying metrics that paint a picture of a struggling QB. You cannot trust him right now, and I am not sure when you can. I wouldn’t say sell low, but I also wouldn’t trust him in my starting lineup until he proves otherwise.
Week 2 Dynasty Fallers- Honorable Mentions
Jaydon Blue, RB (Dallas Cowboys)
C.J. Stroud, QB (Houston Texans)
DeVonta Smith, WR (Philadelphia Eagles)
Kaleb Williams, RB (Pittsburgh Steelers)
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