Fantasy Football: Players You Should Buy Right Now in Dynasty Leagues

Creating realistic trade offers that lead to a deal being accepted is always a challenge. That’s where Justin Boone is dynasty trade value charts come into play and act as a guide to make moves and manage your selection.

Dynasty Rankings and Trade Values ​​(PPR)

QB | RB | WR | TE | Beginners | Concept choices

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Below, he highlights some of the players you should buy in the dynasty right now.

The arrival of Mike McDaniel as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator has created a lot of buzz around their offense, with most of the fantasy excitement focused on Omarion Hampton and Ladd McConkey.

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Maybe that’s because the quarterback position is incredibly deep, so it doesn’t feel necessary to hit the table for a guy like Herbert when you could potentially find a cheaper short-term replacement.

However, I would argue that people are underestimating the fantasy ceiling for the 28-year-old moving forward.

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While Herbert’s fantasy finishes haven’t exactly won anyone their leagues lately, he was the second-highest scoring quarterback in 2021, behind only Josh Allen.

This past season, Herbert had the fourth-most fantasy points among quarterbacks through the first nine weeks (21.8 fppg) before injuries to himself and his offensive line took their toll. That led to him being the QB20 the past eight weeks, averaging just 14.8 fppg. He ultimately finished as the QB11 for the year.

Fortunately, the Chargers are getting their star tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt healthy again, and reinforcements are on the way on the interior with center Tyler Biadasz, guard Cole Strange and second-round rookie guard Jake Slaughter. We can even add fullback Alec Ingold and tight end Charlie Kolar as meaningful pieces that will help improve the team’s blocking and allow McDaniel to implement his system immediately.

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The front office has also done a good job of deepening the skill positions to help isolate Herbert. At receiver, they include McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre’ Harris, Brenen Thompson and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. At running back, they have a strong trio with Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal. The most recent signing came to a tight end when veteran David Njoku joined Oronde Gadsden II and Kolar.

We’ve also seen the two best results of Herbert’s career over the last two seasons, even while playing through multiple injuries. Despite his increasing yardage, we’ve only seen him rush for two touchdowns in those campaigns. If he continues to use his legs at this rate, there will be a spike in the TD department.

Ultimately, with McDaniel calling plays and a little more injury luck, Herbert will have a chance to push for top-five fantasy numbers and has the talent to compete for a top-three spot on an annual basis.

Other QB purchases to consider:

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Sometimes the players we trade for as dynasty signings are underachievers who haven’t yet reached their true potential, but often the best targets are aging veterans who are put out to pasture too early.

After the last two seasons, the Montgomery Dynasty’s stock fell precipitously as Jahmyr Gibbs captured more and more touches as the Lions took back the lead. While Montgomery remained a weekly fantasy flex option, his value was primarily tied to TD scores – as he found the end zone eight times on 182 touches.

With his role in the offense fading, Montgomery became a fantasy afterthought… until he was traded to the Texans in March.

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That move puts him back in the mix as a potential fantasy RB2 with an even higher ceiling over the next two years.

Houston doesn’t have a single player on its depth chart that threatens Montgomery’s starting spot. Sophomore Woody Marks is more effective as a pass catcher and failed to do much last year when given a chance to be the No. 1 pick, which was likely a big factor leading to the Montgomery trade.

After Marks, it’s a collection of unproven depth, including Jawhar Jordan and Evan Hull, as well as undrafted newcomers Noah Whittington and Joshua Pitsenberger.

Clearly, Houston believes Montgomery — who turns 29 in June — still has plenty left in the tank to bolster its rushing attack, and fantasy managers should do the same.

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It’s worth noting that the Texans had success with a similar move when they acquired Joe Mixon a few years ago. That resulted in Mixon finishing as the RB5 overall in 2024 as he racked up 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns before his freak off-field injury led to him sitting out last season and ultimately being cut.

Montgomery’s ceiling may not be that high, but a low RB1 finish is within his range of results. Remember, prior to the past two seasons, Montgomery averaged at least 235 touches or more in his first five campaigns, including being a clock cow for the Bears.

Since I tend to build my dynasty rosters around high-end receivers and quarterbacks, trading veteran RBs is often part of my blueprint. That makes Montgomery an obvious target this season before people are reminded of what he is capable of in Houston.

Other RB purchases to consider:

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Christian Watson/Jayden Reed, WR, Packers

Normally we select one player per position to buy, while considering a handful of other players. However, this is true Mine list, which means I can cheat and list two players in the same spot.

The Packers’ receiver room has been an extremely talented and deep group over the past few seasons, but they have often been held back in their fantasy plays due to injuries and usage.

However, with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks finding new homes this season, we can finally get some clarity on how this group will be deployed, with Watson, Reed and Matthew Golden leading the way.

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Last year, Watson finally stayed healthy long enough to show his positive side and the results were a very impressive WR16 finish in fppg. Whether it’s splash plays or his affinity for the end zone, Watson is the kind of week-winning fantasy WR2 you want in your lineup.

Reed is a more interesting profile with an equally high ceiling – albeit with even more sporadic production. Reed immediately earned a role in Matt Lafleur’s offense as a rookie, finishing as the WR23, scoring 10 total touchdowns (8 receiving, 2 rushing) and adding 119 yards on the ground despite only seeing the field on 56% of Green Bay’s snaps.

The following year, the early returns were excellent, with Reed averaging the WR14 fantasy stats through the first nine games of 2024 while increasing playing time to 66%. But after the Packers’ Week 10, his numbers fell off a cliff, exceeding 50 yards only once the rest of the way and dropping to 60% of snaps.

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Last year, Reed scored a TD in Week 1 before breaking his collarbone a week later and missing most of the season.

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For Reed to really make a splash in fantasy, we’ll likely need to see him earn more snaps in two-receiver sets, which isn’t guaranteed. But with the recent WR departure and Golden struggling to make an impact as a rookie, Reed will have as good a chance as ever to get more playing time.

In my opinion, that’s worth the risk for a player we’ve seen provide meaningful upside in the past.

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Other WR purchases to consider

Chig Okonkwo, TE, Commanders

Okonkwo was one of the signings I wrote about earlier this season, and after looking at the tight landscape a few months later, I’m doubling down on him here.

That’s because very little has changed in Washington since then.

The team drafted the intriguing rookie wideout against Antonio Williams in the third round, who is currently the No. 2 pass catcher in this offense. Brandon Aiyuk is still on the 49ers roster and is far from guaranteed to provide any fantasy value in 2026 or beyond – regardless of which team he is on. Stefon Diggs has been rumored to be a possible addition, but that hasn’t materialized.

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Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels is healthy and ready to bounce back after a season derailed by injuries.

When looking for a sleeper tight end, one of the things I always look for is a player with a path to becoming a top-two target-getter in his offense. Okonkwo certainly has that option among the commanders.

The 26-year-old has been quietly productive for the Titans, with over 50 receptions in three straight campaigns. He’s also one season removed from flashing TE1 fantasy potential down the stretch, as he posted top-12 fantasy stats over the last six games — including three top-seven weekly finishes.

In Washington, he will be asked to replace veteran Zach Ertz, who was the TE14 in fppg last year for the first 13 weeks before suffering a season-ending injury. While the offense will look different under new offensive coordinator David Blough, it’s hard to imagine the tight end not being a key part of the passing attack given their options at this point.

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Either way, it’s easy to make a case for Okonkwo’s fantasy world now that he’s escaped from Tennessee and is tied to a quality young quarterback in Daniels. Okonkwo is unlikely to gain TE1 value in a trade, but that’s exactly the kind of upside he offers. He’s also the type of player you could get as a throw-in for a bigger deal.

Other TE purchases to consider