6 Players Fantasy Managers Should Target in Trades Before Their Stock Explodes

It’s a tricky time of year in dynasty fantasy football leagues.

Many leagues are conducting their rookie drafts, but that isn’t the only thing going on in “dynos.” It’s the heart of trade season too—and if there’s one thing dynasty managers love, it’s trades.

(There’s a guy in a few leagues this writer participates in who makes trade offers like rabbits make baby rabbits—in droves and on the regular.)

The tricky part is valuing players fantasy managers are looking to buy or sell. Sure, past performance matters, but for many players the situation around them in 2025 is vastly different than a year ago. Or at least it’s perceived to be—at this point, judging future prospects contains a heavy dose of conjecture.

That conjecture inevitably leads to some players being overvalued—potential landmines that can blow up a season. But there are also players who are being undervalued right now—the sort of underpriced assets that make so-so teams good and good ones great.

Of course, those sale prices often don’t last—as we move into the summer, folks realize that they have steak on their hands with the price tag of a hamburger.

So, if you want to get your fantasy grub on, you’d better act fast.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. After 4,113 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and a QB7 fantasy finish in 2022, things started going sideways for the 25-year-old. Last year was rock-bottom—a 60.6 completion percentage, just over 2,000 passing yards and 11 touchdowns in an injury-marred season in which Lawrence missed seven games.

However, there’s reason to think that a big-time rebound could be in the offing in 2025. There’s a new offensive-minded head coach in Duval County in Liam Cohen. The Jaguars upgraded the offensive line with the addition of free agent guard Patrick Mekari. And in second-year standout Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie phenom Travis Hunter, the Jaguars potentially have one of the more exciting young wide receiver duos in the NFL.

Dabo Swinney, who coached Lawrence at Clemson, said on a radio appearance that he expects Lawrence’s fifth season to be his best.

"He's just always won,” Swinney said. “And so, I definitely think there's been, there's been some challenges that he's had to deal with, and part of that's being in the NFL. I mean, how many undefeated teams have there been in the NFL? It's a different deal. And then, he's had some injuries. He was never a guy that really battled a lot of injuries, and he's had a couple of tough, tough breaks, but he's as tough as they come. And again, incredibly smart, incredibly gifted, and he's got a long future ahead of him, and I'm excited to watch it all play out."

Lawrence’s consensus ranking for dynasty leagues at Fantasy Pros is QB17—mid-range QB2 territory. That’s much closer to Lawrence’s floor than his ceiling, and with an improved supporting cast a healthy Lawrence could easily find his way into the back end of the top-10.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke

Life comes at you fast in the NFL.

Christian McCaffrey’s fantasy value is proof of that.

Not that long ago, McCaffrey was the gold standard at his position. Back in 2023, McCaffrey topped 2,000 total yards, scored a gaudy 21 total touchdowns and was the top running back in fantasy football—by over 100 PPR points.

Sadly, last year was another story. McCaffrey played in just four games and averaged 4.0 yards per carry—his lowest total in that category since his rookie season. After a tumultuous offseason in Santa Clara, expectations for both McCaffrey and the 49ers as a team aren’t especially high in 2025. But McCaffrey told reporters both player and team are motivated to prove the doubters wrong this year.

"I kind of like the narrative going around because that's the kind of stuff where you can prove 'em wrong," McCaffrey said. "I think we've got a committed team and a team that's ready to jell together and realize that it's going to take all of us and that's how it should be. I'm excited about that."

Yes, McCaffrey is nearly 29—an age where running backs historically begin to decline. And last year wasn’t the first time he missed a chunk of the season with an injury—McCaffrey has missed nine or more games three times. But an expert’s consensus ranking (ECR) of RB17 is just—what?

But McCaffrey has a fantasy ceiling most running backs can only dream of. From all indications, he’s fully healthy. And the 49ers appear set to make him a focal point of the offense again in 2025.

Fantasy managers in “win now” mode should absolutely target McCaffrey—because the moment he hits the practice field and looks good doing it his asking price is going to spike.

D'Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Stacy Bengs

Chicago running back D’Andre Swift had an up-and-down 2024 season—in his first season with Da Bears, Swift topped 1,300 total yards. But the 26-year-old’s per-snap productivity wasn’t especially good—a career-low 3.8 yards per carry.

This season, the Bears have undergone a major offensive overhaul. There are new passing-game weapons. A re-tooled offensive line. And a new head coach in Ben Johnson.

Johnson coached Swift in Detroit, where Swift averaged a more robust 4.6 yards per tote. He told reporters that he’s looking forward to trying to bring out the best in his young back.

“I was with ‘Swifty’ when we first drafted him in Detroit a number of years ago, and I followed his career even after he left Detroit,” Johnson said. “I think very highly of him. He’s an explosive athlete. There’s a number of things that he can do both in the running game and the passing game. I do think he can help ignite an offense because He’s got that playmaking ability. So, it’ll be fun to start to work together again.”

However, while there’s increased enthusiasm about many of the Bears’ offensive skill players with Johnson’s arrival, Swift is being met with a collective “meh” by the fantasy community—his ECR in dynasty formats is RB29, behind the likes of Brian Robinson of the Washington Commanders and Tony Pollard of the Tennessee Titans.

If you believe in Johnson’s offensive acumen, then there’s value to be had here. Swift is Chicago’s clear lead back. The team didn’t add much competition for touches in the offseason. And Swift finished 10 spots higher than that ranking even in last year’s “disappointing” campaign.

Johnson’s lead back in 2024 (Jahmyr Gibbs) had more PPR points than any running back in the league. This isn’t to say that Swift is Gibbs. But he’s a talented back in his prime in a situation that could portend the best fantasy finish of his career.

At some point, folks are going to start figuring that out.

Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

The 2024 season was a major bummer for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave—the former Ohio State star missed over half the season, caught just 32 passes for 400 yards, scored a single touchdown and averaged a career-low 12.5 yards per catch.

Now, Olave heads into his fourth professional season playing for arguably the worst team in the NFL—a team that will likely be trotting out a rookie quarterback in Tyler Shough. Add it all together, and fantasy managers are lukewarm at best about Olave’s prospects—he’s ranked as a so-so fantasy WR3.

However, as Patrick McAvoy wrote for Sports Illustrated, the fantasy community may not be giving Olave his due.

“When he was last fully healthy in 2023, he had 138 targets, 87 catches, 1,123 receiving yards, and five touchdowns,” he wrote. “This feels closer to what Olave could do in 2025 with Kellen Moore leading the offense. AJ Brown was the No. 1 receiving option in the Philadelphia Eagles' Moore-led offense in 2024 and had 1,079 yards in just 13 games. Moore led the Los Angeles Chargers' offense in 2023, and Keenan Allen was the leading receiver with 1,243 yards in 13 games. In 2022, he led the Dallas Cowboys offense and CeeDee Lamb was the leading receiver with 1,359 yards in 17 games. Olave is the clear No. 1 receiver and with Moore's track record expect more from him.”

It’s an oversimplification to just pencil Olave in for “Moore WR1 numbers,” and comparing both Olave’s situation and talent to the likes of Brown and Lamb isn’t an apples-to-apples deal.

But the Saints will probably be playing from behind with regularity, and Olave should dominate the target share this season. If there’s any semblance of competent quarterback play in the Big Easy this summer, the same folks sleeping on Olave now will realize he’s grossly undervalued.

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

It’s another season of hope, excitement and optimism in Cleveland.

Just kidding. It’s Cleveland. Hope and optimism were murdered years ago. Unless excitement is French for dread and despair, there’s very little of that, either.

However, circumstances weren’t any different a year ago, and it didn’t stop Jerry Jeudy from having the best season of his career. In 2024, Jeudy caught 90 passes for 1,229 yards and four scores. The reception and yardage numbers were easily career-highs, and Jeudy was 16th in PPR points among wide receivers.

Kenny Pickett wasn’t in Cleveland last year for Jeudy’s breakout, but after working out with Jeudy in Florida this spring, Pickett lauded the 26-year-old’s skill-set.

“Just seeing his route running,” Pickett told reporters, “his ability to create separation, get open, his ball skills, everything that he can do down the field, he’s an incredible player, so throwing the ball to him is a pretty good play.”

However, Jeudy is being greeted with even less enthusiasm by fantasy managers than Olave—he’s generally regarded as a low-end fantasy WR3, despite just now entering the prime of career.

That’s too low—even in Cleveland.

Yes, the quarterback situation in Cleveland is unsettled. But whether it’s Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders under center, the Browns quarterback is going to have to throw the ball to someone. Last year, Jeudy had an impressive 24 percent target share. His 144 targets ranked seventh in the NFL. And the pass catchers in Cleveland are, well…

Is stinky poo too harsh?

Provided he’s healthy, Jeudy’s floor is 10 spots higher than he’s presently being ranked.

There may not be a more undervalued wide receiver in fantasy right now.

Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

The tight end position is rather a mess in fantasy football right now—especially in dynasty formats. You can count the number of reasonably reliable young fantasy starters on one hand—leaving many managers either riding aging veterans until the proverbial wheels fall off or looking for a younger dart throw.

Isaiah Likely of the Baltimore Ravens absolutely falls into the latter category.

Likely’s numbers in 2024 were nothing to do cartwheels about—58 targets, 42 receptions, 477 yards, six scores and a TE16 fantasy finish. But Pat Fitzmaurice of Fantasy Pros sees Likely as a sound investment—even if it’s one that may take some time to pay off.

“An investment in Isaiah Likely now could pay off handsomely in a year,” he said. “Likely and fellow Ravens tight end Mark Andrews are both in the final years of their contracts.

"There’s a good chance the Ravens part ways with Andrews, who’s entering his age-30 season, and re-sign Likely, who just turned 25. Even if Baltimore lets Likely walk, he’ll probably have a more prominent role as a full-time player in 2026. In Likely’s first three NFL seasons, he’s averaged 3.4 catches, 50.3 yards, and 0.7 touchdowns in the nine games Andrews has missed. That would work out to 58 catches, 855 yards, and 11 touchdowns over a full season.

"Not that we’re confidently projecting Likely for that sort of a season when he’s finally decoupled from Andrews, but Likely does offer TE1 upside.”

Frankly, it’s not that hard to imagine Likely’s role in the Ravens offense growing in 2025—Andrews shouldn’t be judged for a single pass he didn’t catch in the playoffs (a more brutal drop you will not see), but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning.

If Likely is Baltimore’s future at tight end, it makes sense for him to be a bigger part of the team’s present.

And another 1.5 PPR points per game would vault Likely well inside the top 12.

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Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather