Welcome to the Week 8 Dynasty Risers & Fallers. I highlight which players have had a huge rise or fall in their fantasy value this week.
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 7 of the 2025 NFL Season!
Week 8 Dynasty Risers
Oronde Gadsden II, TE (Los Angeles Chargers)
Oronde Gadsden II is officially breaking out and climbing fast in the fantasy football tight end ranks. The Chargers’ rookie delivered a monster Week 7 performance, finishing as the TE2 with 9 targets, 7 receptions, 164 yards, and a touchdown. That marked his second straight game seeing at least a 75% snap share while commanding 8+ targets and hauling in 7 receptions. With the other Chargers tight ends providing little impact, Gadsden has clearly taken over the position. He’s not just producing on volume either — he ranks top 10 among tight ends in average depth of target (ADoT), deep targets, red-zone targets, receiving yards, fantasy points per game, yards per target, yards per reception, and contested catch rate.
The Chargers’ offense, which leads the league in pass plays per game, has found a dynamic new weapon in their fifth-round rookie. Gadsden’s size, athleticism, and body control have translated seamlessly to the NFL level, and his chemistry with the quarterback grows by the week. He continued his hot streak under the bright lights of Thursday Night Football in Week 8, posting another 5 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. With his consistent usage, explosive efficiency, and expanding role in one of the NFL’s most pass-heavy attacks, Oronde Gadsden II has gone from late-round sleeper to a weekly fantasy starter — and possibly a league-winning tight end find.
Jaxson Dart, QB (New York Giants)
Jaxson Dart is quickly emerging as one of fantasy football’s biggest risers after another standout performance in Week 7. The rookie quarterback finished as the QB3 for the week, throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score for 29.4 fantasy points. Dart has now led the Giants to a 2–2 record as a starter, including impressive wins over the Chargers and Eagles. Over those four starts, he’s averaging 197.75 passing yards, 44.5 rushing yards, 2.5 total touchdowns, and just 0.75 interceptions per game — strong production, especially for a first-year signal-caller still getting comfortable in the NFL.
What makes Dart’s rise even more notable is that he’s been doing it without top wideout Malik Nabers for most of the stretch. Despite the lack of elite weapons, he’s maintained efficiency and playmaking ability, ranking as the QB3 in fantasy points per dropback. His confidence, poise, and ability to create off-script have given the Giants offense an energy it’s lacked in recent years. It’s fair to say the Giants might have nailed this draft — not only landing Dart in the first round but also finding a productive backfield partner in fourth-round pick Cam Skattebo. Dart looks like the real deal, and fantasy managers who picked him up early may be holding onto one of the season’s breakout stars.
Travis Hunter, WR (Jacksonville Jaguars)
It took a little patience, but Travis Hunter finally delivered the breakout performance Jaguars fans and fantasy managers had been waiting for. In Week 7, the rookie exploded for 14 targets, 8 receptions, 101 yards, and a touchdown — good enough to finish as a top-10 fantasy wide receiver and mark the best game by any Jaguars pass-catcher this season. Even standout rookie Brian Thomas Jr. hadn’t cracked the 100-yard mark yet, but Hunter showed why he was taken with the No. 2 overall pick. Through seven games, Hunter actually has one more reception than Thomas, just 10 fewer targets, 67 fewer yards, and the same number of touchdowns — all while pulling double duty on defense.
Yes, you read that right: Hunter is playing more than 60% of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps, yet still producing top-tier numbers as a receiver. His versatility and conditioning are unreal, but his offensive growth is what’s turning heads. He currently ranks 11th in target separation and 19th in yards after catch (YAC), proving he’s not just surviving at the NFL level — he’s thriving. As the Jaguars head into their bye week, expect the coaching staff to find even more creative ways to feature him on offense. The wheels are officially up for the former two-way college star, and it looks like the Jaguars’ bold pick at No. 2 overall is paying off in a big way.
Week 8 Dynasty Risers- Honorable Mentions
Rashee Rice, WR (Kansas City Chiefs)
Bo Nix, QB (Denver Broncos)
D’Andre Swift, RB (Chicago Bears)
Week 8 Dynasty Fallers
Kyler Murray, QB (Arizona Cardinals)
Kyler Murray’s fantasy stock is sinking fast after missing the last two weeks with an injury, and his absence has arguably raised more questions than answers about his future in Arizona. The Cardinals have just two wins on the season, but backup Jacoby Brissett has looked noticeably sharper than Murray has all year. In Week 6, Brissett threw for 320 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a narrow four-point loss to the Colts. He followed that up in Week 7 with 279 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers — another close defeat but a strong performance nonetheless. Those outings not only kept Arizona competitive, but they also produced fantasy totals that eclipsed any game Murray has put together this season.
For fantasy managers, that’s a serious red flag. Murray hasn’t thrown for more than 220 yards in any game this year and hasn’t shown the dynamic playmaking ability that once made him a weekly QB1 lock. With Brissett proving capable of running the offense efficiently — and the Cardinals’ season already slipping away — there’s legitimate concern about Murray’s long-term outlook, both in fantasy and in reality. Whether it’s lingering effects from past injuries, bad play-calling, or simply diminished confidence, Murray’s arrow is pointing down. Right now, he’s more of a bench stash than a reliable fantasy starter, and his future as Arizona’s franchise quarterback is suddenly in doubt.
Xavier Worthy, WR (Kansas City Chiefs)
Xavier Worthy’s early-season shine has started to fade, and Week 7 made it clear that his days as the Chiefs’ WR1 are likely over. With Rashee Rice returning to the lineup and immediately commanding 10 targets and scoring two touchdowns, Worthy was pushed to the background in Kansas City’s offense. He tied with Marquise Brown for just the fourth-most targets on the team and finished sixth in receiving yards with only 35. Even more concerning, Worthy posted his lowest snap share of the season, signaling that the Chiefs may be shifting toward a more defined receiver hierarchy — one that doesn’t favor the speedster as heavily as before.
For fantasy managers, the outlook isn’t encouraging. Worthy has just one touchdown on the year and failed to make much noise even while Rice was sidelined, which makes it tough to trust him in weekly lineups. His speed and big-play potential still give him a “boom or bust” appeal, but the floor has dropped considerably now that Rice is back as Patrick Mahomes’ clear top target. Unless Worthy finds a way to earn more consistent volume or capitalize on explosive plays, he’s trending toward being a risky flex option rather than a reliable fantasy starter.
Jordan Whittington, WR (Los Angeles Rams)
Jordan Whittington had a prime opportunity to step up in Week 7 with Puka Nacua sidelined, but the second-year receiver failed to capitalize. Fantasy managers hoped for a repeat of 2024, when Whittington posted multiple games with 8+ targets and double-digit fantasy points whenever Cooper Kupp or Nacua missed time. Instead, he managed just 4 targets, 2 receptions, and 9 yards in a game where the Rams’ passing attack was otherwise firing — Davante Adams scored three touchdowns, and six different Rams players finished with more receiving yards than Whittington. It was a major disappointment for anyone who took a flier on him as a potential Week 7 sleeper.
Now, with the Rams heading into their bye week, there’s a real chance Whittington’s window of opportunity has already closed. The extra rest could allow Nacua to return fully healthy, which would likely relegate Whittington back to a minimal role in the offense. Without making a statement when given the chance, he’s done little to convince the coaching staff that he deserves a larger share of targets going forward. Unless injuries strike again, Whittington looks destined to fade back into fantasy irrelevance — a reminder that not every “next man up” opportunity turns into a breakout.
Week 8 Dynasty Fallers- Honorable Mentions
Justin Fields, QB (New York Jets)
JJ McCarthy, QB (Minnesota Vikings)
Chuba Hubbard, RB (Carolina Panthers)
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You can also check out Corey Dozier & Kyle Dozier‘s Buys & Sells on this week’s episode of Fantasy Wall Street, available on the FSAN YouTube Channel.
