X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Values: Four Backup Wide Receivers To Buy (2025)

Rome Odunze - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty fantasy football trade advice - backup wide receivers to buy In 2025 dynasty leagues. These four WRs that are worth trading for in 2025 dynasty leagues.

Depth charts are constantly shifting in the NFL, and on the offensive side of the ball, wide receivers are constantly breaking out, falling off, or displaying all the precursors for an increase in production the next season. The third group of players are the ones we'll be discussing today.

It's easy to be pessimistic about players after they have a down year or simply fail to live up to expectations, but often, production is a product of a player's environment more than it is of their talent. The players themselves also can improve significantly year over year.

Sometimes, the situation improves, and the player does, too. Often, these two grouped together can signify a breakout is imminent, and you should take advantage of this by making a move for that player in dynasty fantasy football. Let's break down the best backup WR buys ahead of the 2025 season. By backups, we mean not the team's WR1.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears 

This one's obvious, and many expect him to have much better production in his second season. However, the presence of WR Keenan Allen could muddy things a bit. It's still not clear if Chicago wants to retain him. He's an unrestricted free agent. It seems better to let him walk and use resources elsewhere, though. The team already has other good pass-catching weapons.

His usage will be very important. Slot receivers on offenses commandeered by Ben Johnson, the new head coach of the Bears, tend to do very well. And Odunze is best suited for the slot. He's a more physical mismatch for slot corners and doesn't have the top speed to win consistently on vertical routes on the outside. The tape from his rookie season was mostly fine.

But players who excel on horizontal breaking routes and don't have the speed to burn corners are better suited to playing closer to the middle of the field, so they have more space to work to whichever side of the field is shorter for them. In addition, he'll face better matchups within the secondary.

 

Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints

Shaheed was in the midst of a breakout season before a knee injury cut his year short and sidelined him for the remainder. He was the clear preferred target of quarterback Derek Carr, though, and that's unlikely to change. Yet, top wide receiver Chris Olave is seen as the team's clear WR1, but he's continually disappointed fantasy managers after his rookie season.

Shaheed has developed very nicely as a route runner. His explosiveness led to him being used primarily as a returner in his first two seasons, but his ability to win on vertical routes and explosiveness out of his breaks make him a true potential WR1 who can play outside. He will also be moved around the formation more to exploit mismatches.

Carr also loves the deep ball, and he'll likely continue to look to complete long downfield passes to Shaheed more than once per game. It seems that consensus isn't ready to move on from the idea of Olave being the team's clear top wideout, so there's a good chance to capitalize on that sentiment.

Olave and Carr have had some chemistry issues, and Shaheed would have likely finished ahead of him statistically had both remained healthy for the majority of the season. That didn't happen, but that gives you a chance to make a move while uncertainty is still a big factor.

 

Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers 

Legette had a disappointing first season as a pro, but for the price you can get him, he's probably worth picking up. He's dealt with a wrist injury since college that he aggravated around midseason, which caused his production to drop off a cliff. He was probably playing through extreme pain, as NFL players often do.

He said he would finally have surgery this offseason to fix the issue, so we should expect him to be fully healthy in 2025. Additionally, it seems that quarterback Bryce Young has made strides as a signal-caller, and head coach Dave Canales made the offense look serviceable in the passing game even through the QB turmoil.

The Carolina defense was also woefully bad, yet the offensive line played mostly well. If they don't fix those issues, they could find themselves having to pass heavily, which would benefit Legette. And WR Adam Thielen is 34 years old and will turn 35 before the 2025 season starts.

Receivers also tend to take big leaps in production in their second year if they have relatively mediocre rookie seasons. For all these reasons, and because of Legette's absurd combination of size and athleticism, it's worth buying into him before next season rolls around.

 

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts 

The problem has been and remains to be quarterback Anthony Richardson. Downs was fantastic out of the slot and made great strides in many aspects of his game in the 2024 season. The issue was Richardson's lack of accuracy, awful inconsistency, and the omnipresent injury issues he deals with.

The suddenness in Downs' route breaks, his short-area quickness, and his savviness in separating from defenders were all on display, but his value is depressed in dynasty fantasy football due to his inconsistent production. Yet, he looked like a league-winner in PPR scoring formats for a few weeks.

The fact that Richardson was benched for backup QB Joe Flacco at any point doesn't reflect well on ARich's tenure so far. Even after he returned, he struggled with inconsistency and didn't manage to complete even 50 percent of his passes. It's not hard to see why a QB with such poor accuracy is bad for his receivers.

Downs has the makings of a fantastic slot receiver and an elite PPR fantasy option if Richardson can fix his problems or if the team finds another quarterback at some point in the future. The returns might not be immediate, but if you're willing to wait, making a move for Downs could pay off in a year or two.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Heston Kjerstad15 mins ago

Back In Action Against Nationals
Brock Purdy20 mins ago

Reports For OTA's Amid Contract Discussions
Ben Rice21 mins ago

Back For Yankees On Tuesday
Bryse Wilson25 mins ago

To Serve As Bulk Reliever On Wednesday
George Kittle27 mins ago

Skips Start Of 49ers Offseason Program
Agustín Ramírez28 mins ago

Agustin Ramirez Draws Another Start, Batting Fourth On Tuesday
Kerry Carpenter33 mins ago

Back In Detroit's Lineup
Dallas Cowboys35 mins ago

Stephon Gilmore Spotted At Cowboys Facility On Tuesday
Willi Castro40 mins ago

Still Out Against White Sox
Gabriel Arias45 mins ago

Absent From Lineup On Tuesday
James Cook48 mins ago

Not At Start Of Voluntary OTAs
Brandon Young51 mins ago

Recalled From Triple-A Norfolk
Kirk Cousins56 mins ago

Reports To Voluntary OTA's
Cam Ward1 hour ago

Titans Officially Staying Put At No. 1 Overall Pick, Expected To Select Cam Ward
Jeimer Candelario1 hour ago

Spencer Steer On The Bench Tuesday, Jeimer Candelario At First Base
Lane Thomas1 hour ago

To Be Placed On 10-Day Injured List
2 hours ago

Ashton Jeanty's Tackle-Breaking Ability Sets Him Apart
2 hours ago

Jalen Milroe Not A Lock To Go In First Round
Denver Broncos2 hours ago

Broncos Willing To Trade Up In This Week's Draft
Indianapolis Colts2 hours ago

Colts Searching For A Tight End That Can Do It All
Daniel Jones2 hours ago

Colts Expect Both Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones To Help Them In 2025
3 hours ago

Giants High On Jaxson Dart
Rory McIlroy3 hours ago

Making Second Appearance At Zurich Classic
3 hours ago

Saints Not Expected To Take Shedeur Sanders
Aaron Rodgers3 hours ago

Situation Won't Affect Steelers Draft Plan
Nathan Wiles3 hours ago

Called Up From Triple-A
Michael Soroka3 hours ago

To Make Rehab Start On Tuesday
CJ Abrams3 hours ago

Beginning Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
Joe Boyle3 hours ago

Named International League Pitcher Of The Week
Iván Herrera3 hours ago

Ivan Herrera Begins Running The Bases
Masyn Winn3 hours ago

Expected To Be Activated On Tuesday
Daz Cameron3 hours ago

Swinging A Hot Bat With Nashville
Lucas Giolito4 hours ago

Goes Five Innings In Latest Rehab Start
Daniel Susac4 hours ago

Named Pacific Coast League Hitter Of The Week
Brayan Bello4 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Tuesday
Ben Rice4 hours ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
NFL5 hours ago

Browns, Giants Receiving Calls For No. 2, No. 3 Picks
Nikola Jokić6 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Posts 19th Postseason Triple-Double
Kawhi Leonard6 hours ago

Leads Clippers To Game 2 Victory
Jalen Brunson6 hours ago

Leads All Scorers With 37 Points In Monday's Loss
Tobias Harris6 hours ago

Notches Double-Double In Game 2 Win
Cade Cunningham6 hours ago

Leads Pistons To Victory With 33 Points
Rob Dillingham6 hours ago

Out On Tuesday
Maxi Kleber7 hours ago

Remains Out For Game 2
GG Jackson II7 hours ago

Available For Tuesday
Evan Bouchard7 hours ago

Dishes Out Three Assists In Postseason Opener
Connor McDavid7 hours ago

Racks Up Four Points In Losing Effort
Nick Taylor7 hours ago

Can Surprise Again In The Big Easy
Phillip Danault7 hours ago

Nets Two Goals In Game 1 Victory
Adam Hadwin7 hours ago

Expects To Contend At Zurich Classic
Mark Scheifele7 hours ago

Bags Two Points In Monday's Win
Alejandro Tosti7 hours ago

Could Get Hot Again In New Orleans
Lane Hutson7 hours ago

Posts Two Assists In Playoff Debut
Joe Highsmith7 hours ago

Struggling As New Orleans Approaches
Dylan Strome7 hours ago

Registers Three Assists In Overtime Win
Karl Vilips7 hours ago

Steps Up To Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Alex Ovechkin8 hours ago

Scores First Playoff Overtime Goal
Michael Thorbjornsen8 hours ago

Ready To Make Waves In New Orleans
Braden Schneider8 hours ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Tom Hoge8 hours ago

Ready To Make Some Birdies In New Orleans
Billy Horschel8 hours ago

Has Game To Win Third Zurich Classic
Tennessee Titans16 hours ago

Titans Have Turned Down Offers For No. 1 Overall Pick
16 hours ago

Saints Targeting Jaxson Dart?
Kirk Cousins16 hours ago

Falcons Have Had Trade Discussions Regarding Kirk Cousins
Atlanta Falcons16 hours ago

Falcons Could Take A Tight End On Day 2 Of The Draft
17 hours ago

Steelers Very Interested In Jaxson Dart, Shedeur Sanders
Sam Howell17 hours ago

Seahawks Open To Trading Sam Howell
Aaron Gordon18 hours ago

Cleared For Action
Ousmane Dieng21 hours ago

Still Out On Tuesday
Kevin Love21 hours ago

Remains Away From Team
Terry Rozier21 hours ago

Hurts Ankle Monday
Damian Lillard21 hours ago

Officially Listed As Questionable For Game 2
Isaiah Stewart22 hours ago

Ruled Out For Game 2 Against Knicks
Trent Frederic22 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Monday
Leon Draisaitl22 hours ago

Returns To Oilers Lineup For Postseason Opener
Jake Walman22 hours ago

Available For Game 1
Brett Kulak22 hours ago

Ready To Play Monday
Aliaksei Protas22 hours ago

Expected To Return During First-Round Series
Miro Heiskanen22 hours ago

Out On Monday
Ross Colton23 hours ago

Uncertain For Game 2
Gabriel Landeskog23 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Auston Matthews1 day ago

Finishes Game 1 With Two Assists
Mitchell Marner1 day ago

Totals Three Points In Postseason Opener
Matt Boldy1 day ago

Bags Two Goals In Losing Effort
Brett Howden1 day ago

Scores Twice In Sunday's Win
Logan Stankoven1 day ago

Nets Two Goals In Game 1 Victory
Isaiah Stewart2 days ago

Iffy For Monday Night
Aaron Gordon2 days ago

Listed As Probable For Game 2
Jaylen Brown3 days ago

Not Expected To Be Limited On Sunday
Ja Morant4 days ago

Cleared To Play Friday
Brandon Williams4 days ago

Available Against Grizzlies
Anthony Davis4 days ago

Will Play Friday Night
Gary Trent Jr.4 days ago

Available For Game 1 Against Pacers
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Bold Strategies Fall Flat, Still Musters A Top-Five Finish At Bristol
Lucas Glover6 days ago

Looks To Rebound After Poor Performance
Daniel Berger6 days ago

Looking To Continue Solid Play At RBC
Sepp Straka6 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At RBC
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF