Dynasty Movement: Week 18

Week 18 provides the final opportunity to sway opinions on many players. The NFL playoffs eliminate half the league and in many cases, targets and opportunities are constricted to elite playmakers. Dynasty staffers Corey Spala, Andy Hicks, Jason Wood, Josh Fahlsing, and Hutchinson Brown hit their movers coming out of Week 17.

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 Wide Receiver

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville

Josh Fahlsing: Thomas is ranked 11th among wide receivers in our consensus rankings, yet there still might be room for him to climb. He went on a heater to end the season, going five straight weeks with at least 10 targets and scoring five touchdowns. He's only 22, and the situation around him in Jacksonville will continue to improve. I can't move him much higher, but I can find 2-3 wide receivers ranked above him that I would move down.

Ladd McConkey, LA Chargers

Josh Fahlsing: McConkey currently sits as our 18th-ranked Dynasty wide receiver. While his rank could go either way, he will move up some as we head toward 2025. McConkey proved he belonged in the NFL, runs excellent routes, and seems to be the apple of the eyes of both his coach and quarterback. He has a valuable role in this offense. The Chargers will spend the offseason looking to improve in other areas, leaving plenty of opportunities for McConkey to improve his rookie year numbers.

Corey Spala: McConkey is the new rookie leader for receptions and yards in the history of the Chargers. He is the leader in the NFL in terms of the separation win rate from the slot, running 70% of his routes from the slot. He is currently ranked fourth in the win rate against man coverage and fifth in the contested catch percentage. McConkey had a stellar season and should be moving up from his WR18 ranking. 

Jameson Williams, Detroit

Andy Hicks: Since his suspension, Williams has been performing at a fantasy WR1 level. He ranks 11th and looks good doing so. Whether he has finally matured or the team has more confidence in him is up for discussion. The results are there. Young men mature at different rates, and their previous college skill level needs to be factored into how they started in the NFL. He deserves a substantial rise in rankings.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco

Andy Hicks: Pearsall has had an eventful rookie season but finally looked worthy of his first-round selection against the injury-depleted Lions. One good game does not make a career, but it allows the team to offload or renegotiate an expensive contract like Deebo Samuel Sr.'s. Pearsall is set for a great 2025, depending on what happens at coach and quarterback in the off-season. The feeling is something is bound to change. 

Jayden Reed, Green Bay

Andy Hicks: Given the options Green Bay has at receiver, Reed looked to be the top dog. That can no longer be the case. He has 17 receptions since the bye in seven games. This includes games of zero and one reception. This isn't the same player with three 100-yard games before the bye. All are still on rookie contracts and can still be for the 2025 season. All of them have reason to fight for the ball. Stating the obvious, it is impossible to have confidence in any until the team invests in them. 

Keon Coleman, Buffalo

Andy Hicks: Coleman has quietly amassed 500+ receiving yards in his rookie season, despite missing four games. He is an excellent deep threat, and with a full off-season to learn and develop rapport with Josh Allen, he could be in for a huge breakout in 2025. Or not. We will see what Buffalo does in the offseason. If they spend on a free agent or invest a high draft pick on another receiver, I would be concerned about Coleman's long-term prospects. Right now, he is getting a considerable bump in rankings. 

Jordan Addison, Minnesota

Corey Spala: Addison has continued to develop as the WR2 in Minnesota and our Dynasty teams. He is WR20 overall and in points per game; he missed two games this season. Following his return from injury in Week 4, he was WR7 overall. He is our current WR29 and should easily move up the rankings. I would rank him over Tyreek Hill (WR24) and arguably D.J. Moore (WR22). 

Xavier Worthy, Kansas City

Jason Wood: As the regular season winds down, it's wise to re-evaluate young players, recognizing that optimism often surges before the next season. This provides opportunities to target them if you foresee a big leap or move them if you anticipate a plateau. In Worthy's case, I'm betting on a step forward. His involvement picked up late in the season, even with the Chiefs having DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, and JuJu Smith-Schuster in the mix. The Chiefs are constantly retooling, and I believe their 2025 receiving corps could center around Rashee Rice, Worthy, and tight end Noah Gray.

Jaylen Waddle, Miami
Tyreek Hill, Miami

Jason Wood: If you're confident in projecting either Dolphins starter, more power to you. Given the inconsistencies in Miami's offense this season, I see both as conundrums. Hill is especially perplexing; he went from being a consensus game-breaker and top-5 asset to someone who, despite being active, rarely helped fantasy managers win their weekly matchups. I'm hoping we find out he played through an injury that requires off-season surgery—otherwise, it's hard not to conclude that he's hit the age cliff suddenly and devastatingly.

Waddle feels safer, but I struggle to rank him higher than a WR3. He's too far in his career to expect another major leap forward, even if everything breaks his way.

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay

Jason Wood: McMillan had an up-and-down rookie season, but I've seen enough to feel confident he'll eventually emerge as the Buccaneers' No. 1 receiver. Mike Evans will likely return in 2025, but will Chris Godwin? Godwin has shown incredible resilience, bouncing back from multiple career-hampering injuries, but can he do it again at his age? I see McMillan as the probable WR2 next year in what could be a strong passing attack, with quarterback Baker Mayfield solidifying himself as a high-output gunslinger. By 2026, McMillan could take over as the team's No. 1 receiver, depending on Evans' plans.

Tee Higgins, Cincinnati

Hutchinson Brown: Higgins had a monstrous finish to his season. Since returning from injury in week eleven, he put up 49 targets, 40 receptions, 517 yards, and seven touchdowns. His 2024 season showed how necessary he is to the Bengals. When you add that he has switched agents to Ja'Marr Chase's current agent, it seems like he will be a Bengal for life. Being tied to Joe Burrow and this offense for his career would be great for his fantasy value.