Keeping the back end of your roster in dynasty leagues populated with longshots is often a useful exercise. There are always roster spots that can be reserved for players who might hit in the medium- and long-term, even if that is a ways off from the current season. Dynasty rosters typically are a lot larger than traditional redraft rosters, meaning there is less risk in stashing players in dynasty leagues.
It’s essential always to be mindful of which end-of-bench players are worth monitoring in your leagues. Patience is a virtue when you roster these players. Will they get in the way of a roster addition that can help you claim a championship this season? Likely not, but with big enough rosters and taxi squads, you might be able to find room.
Here are four players I plan on stashing at the end of my roster in dynasty leagues. Their impact in 2025 is likely minimal, but down the road, they may be important. Whether they’re available on the waiver wire or need to be selected later in startups, these four are names worth monitoring.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
4 Players to Stash in 2025 Dynasty Football Leagues
Riley Leonard (QB – IND)
What if the right answer to the Daniel Jones versus Anthony Richardson debate is neither? What if they have shown through their multiple years in the NFL that they are not up to starting-quarterback caliber? That had to be going through the Indianapolis Colts’ heads when they drafted Riley Leonard out of Notre Dame in the sixth round.
Surely you remember Leonard’s accomplishments as Notre Dame barely missed winning a National Championship in 2024? Leonard threw for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 906 yards and 17 scores (tops at his position in 2024). Leonard drew enough attention in his one year at Notre Dame (he transferred from Duke) that the Colts decided to make him the QB3 on their roster. In his first preseason action, Leonard completed 12-of-24 passes for 94 yards and an interception. It wasn’t pretty, but it did result in the only touchdown drive of the night against Baltimore.
If Richardson is once again inaccurate and can’t pick up blitzes, he won’t last long as a starter this year. Jones is in a similar boat after squandering his opportunity in New York. Plus, it’s not like Jones and Richardson are strangers to injuries. In Leonard, the Colts have a third dual-threat quarterback who could potentially be an answer at least until the next franchise quarterback is located.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith (WR – LAC)
Preseason darling KeAndre Lambert-Smith is getting a lot of fantasy love, and I have to admit, I am buying into the hype. It’s not often that a player can transfer into the SEC and produce like Lambert-Smith did in 2024. In his one year at Auburn, he produced 50 receptions, 981 yards, and eight touchdowns playing against the best players in the country. What if Lambert-Smith can make a similar leap as he moves into the NFL?
Keenan Allen signing with the Chargers and Tre Harris being drafted in the second round complicates things, but beyond Ladd McConkey‘s role, I don’t think anything is set in this offense with so many strong pass-catching options. Lambert-Smith came out in his first preseason game and dominated with two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. That performance turned heads and should get him more run in the future.
Before and after the Hall of Fame Game, there were reports of Lambert-Smith dominating in practice. He makes at least one explosive play per day, which is exactly what this offense needs. Lambert-Smith might be a better option next year when there is no Allen and Quentin Johnston is persona non grata, but the time to stash him is right now.
Tahj Brooks (RB – CIN)
How you feel about Tahj Brooks this year and the years ahead depends on how you feel about Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. If you think Brown is going to be a workhorse back for years to come, Brooks might not make much sense. If you think Perine gets all the third-down and two-minute drill work, Brooks loses a lot of the appeal. But what if Brown gets hurt, and Perine remains inefficient?
Brooks has the profile to be a workhorse someday. He rushed the ball 286 times and caught 28 balls in 2024. He had 18 total touchdowns in an all-offense, defense-be-damned team at Texas Tech. Does that sound familiar to the context he is walking into with the Cincinnati Bengals? If things break the right way for Brooks, there could be some big workloads ahead.
Chase Brown is set to dominate the touches in 2025, but that just pushes Brooks’ price down to after RB70 in dynasty drafts. At that draft cost, there is no risk holding onto Brooks to see what his role becomes.
Gunnar Helm (TE – TEN)
Chigoziem Okonkwo is established as the TE1 for the Tennessee Titans and new quarterback Cam Ward in 2025. What is less certain is what happens after 2025. Okonkwo’s four-year deal is up after this season, and he will be a free agent. Will the Titans want to pay Okonkwo another big contract when they know they have to pay Calvin Ridley and will have Ward’s contract coming in three seasons?
Meanwhile, rookie Gunnar Helm (a fourth-round pick out of the University of Texas) sits second on the tight end depth chart. Will he see a lot of targets and involvement in 2025? Probably not, but in 12 personnel, Helm should be on the field plenty and have opportunities to develop a rapport with Ward. Helm was on a University of Texas team that featured NFL players Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Jaydon Blue, plus future NFL wide receiver Ryan Wingo. Even with all that talent around him, Helm caught seven touchdowns and secured a 14% target share.
Ward also loves him some tight ends. At Miami in 2024, Ward connected with Elijah Arroyo and Elija Lofton for a combined 45 receptions, 740 yards and eight touchdowns. It’s possible Helm could become a preferred tight end down the road. He is a safe stash that won’t cost anything in drafts.
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