2025 Fantasy Football Stars to Trade and Sleepers to Add After NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL draft has stirred up excitement for rookie drafts in dynasty leagues, though managers should keep track of how the incoming class impacts veterans on their rosters.

Teams have added competition at the skill positions, raising questions about the depth chart ahead of minicamps. In other cases, clubs have made it clear who's in line for starting jobs based on decisions not to add early-round rookies at certain positions.

In the first 2025 offseason edition of the Bleacher Report's fantasy trade market, we'll highlight star players to trade, sleepers to add and a few veterans to hold as their teams sort through rotations and changes within the offensive personnel.

The recommendations below cater to dynasty league managers and points-per-reception scoring systems.

Buy These Players Now

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

49ers WR Ricky Pearsall

Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets

2024 Season: 106-of-161, 1,106 yards passing, 5 TDs, 1 INT; 289 rushing yards, 5 TDs

If you're a Fields believer, it's a good time to push all your chips to the middle of the table on his 2025 fantasy outlook.

The Jets signed the 2021 No. 11 overall pick to a two-year, $40 million deal, and he's the clear-cut starter over Tyrod Taylor, who's been a spot starter and backup for most of his career. 

After a one-year stop in Pittsburgh, starting in six out of 10 games, Fields will have an opportunity to showcase his dual-threat capabilities as a full-time starter, which raises his fantasy ceiling to top-10 territory.

In his second season, the 26-year-old finished sixth among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring (307), thanks to his 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. In the following season, he missed four games and finished 18th.

Remember that Fields will be throwing to Garrett Wilson, his college teammate from Ohio State. If healthy, the fifth-year veteran is at least a low-end QB1.

Buy Fields for: Dak Prescott, Anthony Richardson, Tua Tagovailoa

D'Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears

2024 Season: 253 carries, 959 yards, 6 TD; 42 catches, 386 yards

The Bears didn't sign a veteran to compete with Swift for touches, and they waited until the seventh round to select a running back (Kyle Monangai).

Swift has a grip on the lead position out of the backfield, which bodes well for his fantasy outlook under head coach and offensive play-caller Ben Johnson.

As the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, Johnson worked with the Georgia product in 2022 before the team traded the running back to the Philadelphia Eagles to make room for 2023 first-rounder Jahmyr Gibbs.

In Detroit, Johnson fielded a top-six rushing attack in 2023 and 2024 featuring Gibbs and David Montgomery. Swift is in line for a big role with his three-down skill set without the threat of a first-round running back taking his job. 

Swift racked up a career-high 1,345 yards and scored six touchdowns last season. He could top those numbers behind a revamped offensive line with Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson blocking on the interior.

Buy Swift for: Aaron Jones, Tony Pollard, Brian Robinson Jr.

Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers

2024 Season: 31 catches, 400 yards, 3 TDs, 3 carries, 45 yards

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL last October, which may keep him out through the first half of the upcoming season. The 49ers may be cautious about his ramp-up period.

San Francisco traded Deebo Samuel, so Pearsall and Jauan Jennings will open the 2025 season as the team's top two receivers.

Last year, Pearsall battled injuries, including a gunshot wound stemming from a robbery attempt. Still, he recovered and made notable contributions in the second half of the season. He caught 14 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns between Weeks 17 and 18.

Now healthy, with a full offseason ahead of him, the 24-year-old is a breakout candidate in his second season.

Buy Pearsall for: Xavier Legette, Darnell Mooney, Jalen Tolbert

Sell These Players

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Jets RB Breece Hall

Breece Hall RB, New York Jets

2024 Season: 209 carries, 876 yards, 5 TDs; 57 catches, 483 yards, 3 TDs

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has a vision for the backfield that should raise concerns for managers with Hall on their roster.

"I think, mentally, he's in a good place, but I would say that we have three running backs on this team that we're going to utilize as much as possible," Glenn told reporters about the running back's status with the team.

Last season, Hall recorded a career-low 4.2 yards per carry behind a shaky offensive line. The Jets drafted right tackle Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick, and second-year left tackle Olu Fashanu could make strides in a full-time role, but Glenn's hint at a running back by committee approach isn't what you want to hear if you hoped to see Hall bounce back in 2025.

As rookies, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis flashed in rotational roles. The former accumulated 482 scrimmage yards and scored three touchdowns. He's a 6'1", 235-pounder who may vulture touchdowns and play a role in the passing game. The latter averaged 6.4 yards per touch and could spell Hall in a three-down role as well.

Sell Hall's stock before the Jets' backfield becomes a fantasy football headache.

Sell Hall for: D'Andre Swift, Bucky Irving, David Montgomery

DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears

2024 Season: 98 catches, 966 yards, 6 TDs, 14 carries, 75 yards

With head coach Ben Johnson calling the plays, the Bears offense should be more efficient and productive than last year's group. Yet Moore may not reap the full benefits of a play-calling upgrade.

Chicago selected tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first two rounds of this year's draft. They will eat into Moore's target share.

The Bears haven't re-signed wideout Keenan Allen, which frees up some targets, but Johnson told reporters that Loveland reminds him of Sam LaPorta, who caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie year.

Even if Loveland doesn't match LaPorta's rookie numbers, Burden's involvement in the passing game further clouds Moore's upside in an offense full of playmakers.

When you factor in wide receiver Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet, Moore's fantasy outlook isn't appealing this year.

Sell Moore for: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tee Higgins, Calvin Ridley

Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2024 Season: 50 catches, 576 yards, 5 TDs

The Buccaneers selected Emeka Egbuka in the first round of this year's draft, and Godwin is recovering from ankle surgery.

General manager Jason Licht denied that taking Egbuka had anything to do with Godwin's recovery timeline. However, he also said the Buccaneers won't have to rush the veteran wideout back to action.

Because of the uncertainty around Godwin's return and Egbuka's arrival in Tampa Bay, managers rostering the eighth-year wideout should temper expectations about his early fantasy returns.

Moreover, Godwin has taken a significant number of snaps out of the slot in his career, where Egbuka lined up at Ohio State. So, the rookie could take some of those inside targets away from the veteran.

Sell Godwin for: Jaylen Waddle, Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

Hold These Players

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Steelers WR George Pickens

Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

2024 Season: 150 carries, 558 yards, 2 TDs; 39 catches, 254 yards

Managers have looked to dump Etienne after his least productive season in a timeshare with Tank Bigsby. Don't trade him at his lowest point yet.

The Jaguars hired head coach and offensive play-caller Liam Coen, who served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator and fielded the fourth-ranked rushing attack last year.

In Tampa Bay, his rushing offense featured two running backs, Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, with a sprinkle of Sean Tucker. Irving and White finished 13th and 22nd, respectively, in fantasy scoring for PPR leagues last season.

Even with the addition of rookie fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten, Etienne can be a fantasy RB2 while splitting the workload with Bigsby in Coen's system.

Managers should wait to see how this rotation plays out.

George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

2024 Season: 59 catches, 900 yards, 3 TDs

Is Pittsburgh entering the 2025 season with Mason Rudolph entrenched as its starting quarterback? Perhaps, though, Aaron Rodgers still has to decide on his future, which may come down to playing for the Steelers or retirement.

The Steelers could also make an offer to the Atlanta Falcons for their backup quarterback, Kirk Cousins. 

Pittsburgh has a couple of options to upgrade its quarterback position. If the club signs Rodgers or acquires a healthy Cousins, it would boost Pickens' 2025 fantasy outlook.

Managers should at least wait for Rodgers' decision before making a move on Pickens.

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings

2024 Season: 41 catches, 455 yards

The Vikings acquired backup quarterback Sam Howell from the Seattle Seahawks. With Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as the only other signal-callers on the roster, J.J. McCarthy is in line to start Week 1 of the 2025 season.

McCarthy sat out the entire 2024 campaign, recovering from surgery on his meniscus. So, the second-year pro will have to knock off some rust. He'll probably make mistakes in his first full season, which lowers the fantasy ceiling of his pass-catchers.

However, head coach Kevin O'Connell has proved to be a quality play-caller. And the Michigan product may exceed early expectations, which would bode well for Hockenson.

Coming back from a torn ACL and MCL, Hockenson posted modest receiving numbers last season, but he's more than a full year removed from that injury and could be McCarthy's big-target safety blanket.

Hold on to the two-time Pro Bowl tight end.

Looking for more insight to prep for your draft or make some tough roster decisions? Check out all the latest B/R Fantasy Football essentials here.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.