Chad Workman | Mon, Oct 13th 2025, 7:23am EDT

16 Fantasy Football Risers & Fallers: Dynasty (2025)

Through six weeks, we have a good idea of who’s who and who’s not. New trends are emerging, however, and we’ve seen some huge performances over the last couple of weeks. Let’s take a look at whose dynasty fantasy football value is rising and falling as a result of the Week 6 action.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers & Fallers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers

Jaxson Dart (QB – NYG) & Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)

The new kids on the block in New York are turning the tide for Brian Daboll. Not only is the future looking brighter each week for the G-Men, but Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo have made Big Blue dangerous in the present as well. Dart has delivered victories in two of his three starts and posted his best fantasy output on Thursday night with 23.6 fantasy points.

Although the yardage totals haven’t been eye-popping, Dart has been efficient with his arm and has rushed for 50+ yards in all three games, adding a rushing touchdown in two games. The most impressive part of Dart’s performance is that he’s doing it without Malik Nabers or anything resembling a go-to receiver.

Following Tyrone Tracy‘s injury in Week 3, Cam Skattebo began to pop. The infectious energy and bulldozing style that the rookie played with at Arizona State is translating to the NFL, culminating in 98 rushing yards and three scores on 19 carries in Week 6. Even with the return of Tracy, Skattebo dominated the backfield with 49 snaps to Tracy’s 21, while the latter saw just four carries.

The rookie has now topped 10 PPR points in every game since Week 1, in which he saw just two carries, and he’s caught at least two passes in all six games. The Giants’ offense will face the ultimate test next week against the Broncos’ stifling defense, but these two rookies are clearly trending in the right direction.

George Pickens (WR – DAL)

While operating in Arthur Smith’s offense in Pittsburgh, George Pickens was practically glued to the sideline with a clear assignment to go deep. There was no versatility in Pickens’ usage, and he was rarely moved around the formation. Although we couldn’t have forecasted an injury to CeeDee Lamb, there was hope that the Cowboys’ offense would offer Pickens more movement, including free releases and a more diverse route tree.

What we did not know, however, was whether Pickens could handle additional routes or was best used as an exclusive vertical threat. Pickens has emphatically answered those questions since taking over for Lamb as Dak Prescott‘s top target. Consistently ripping apart the Panthers’ secondary on Sunday, Pickens tallied 165 yards and a score, corralling nine of his 11 targets.

Pickens has now found the end zone six times over his last five games and has cleared 30 PPR points in two outings after his 31.8 points this week. He’s now the WR3 this season, and while Lamb’s return will limit Pickens’ target share, he’s established himself as an important cog in the passing wheel and will command loads of attention in free agency next summer.

Sam Darnold (QB – SEA), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA) & AJ Barner (TE – SEA)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba hit the risers list after Week 3, but his ascension has continued to soar since. The former Ohio State standout delivered 30.2 points on Sunday, topping his season-high 27.2 from last week. His 162 receiving yards are his second-highest output in his young career, while his touchdown marked his third in the last four games. Smith-Njigba is the WR2 on the season and has been awesome, but he owes Sam Darnold a fruit basket for the assist.

Darnold is playing every bit as well as he did in Minnesota and looks like a bona fide franchise quarterback. He may be a better real-life quarterback than fantasy due to his limitations as a runner, but he’s hit 20 points in each of the last two weeks and is operating with pristine efficiency. Darnold is a great QB2 option in Superflex leagues and should be consistent in that spot for some time.

The biggest revelation of the Seahawks’ aerial attack has been AJ Barner, the second-year pro out of Michigan. Following the release of Noah Fant, the assumption was that rookie Elijah Arroyo would become a focal point of the passing game while Barner would be the preferred blocker. Instead, Barner has made a statement that he can do both.

Barner posted a career-high 71 yards on Sunday while his 10.1 PPR points marked the third consecutive week he scored 10+ points, and his fourth such game this season. He’s scored four touchdowns in six games and will continue to be a red-zone threat as the season progresses. However, Barner is also proving he can operate downfield a bit.

Tyler Warren (TE – IND)

After tying his season and career high of 18.3 fantasy points on Sunday, Tyler Warren is now the TE2 through six weeks of the season. The rookie has been remarkably consistent, going for 63-79 yards in four of his six games and scoring double-digit fantasy points in five games.

Warren drew nine targets this week, matching his highest previous total, which came in Week 1, catching six passes for 63 yards and a score. While he didn’t record a carry in this one, Warren has four rushing attempts this season, one of which resulted in a touchdown, and he is as involved in an offense as any tight end in the game right now.

Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE)

Kayshon Boutte caught all five of his targets for 93 yards and two touchdowns. His 26.3 fantasy points are the third-most among wide receivers this week, and the most of Boutte’s career, although he cleared 20 points twice last season. After seeing eight targets in Week 1, Boutte’s usage has been up and down, but he led Patriots receivers in snaps this week while drawing the most targets on the team.

With Drake Maye playing at such a high level, multiple pass-catchers in New England’s offense can succeed. Although the top performers may rotate between Boutte, Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry, the third-year pro out of LSU is just 23 years old and has an opportunity to become a favorite of Maye’s and a focal point of the offense.

Oronde Gadsden II (TE – LAC)

With Will Dissly returning from his knee injury, the Chargers’ tight end room was back to full strength for the first time since Week 2. This time, however, Oronde Gadsden was atop the pecking order.

I noted Gadsden as a riser a few weeks ago when he usurped Tyler Conklin, but he’s now topped three veterans on the roster, including Tucker Fisk, and tied Ladd McConkey with a team-high eight targets. His seven grabs for 68 yards and 11.8 fantasy points were season highs. We’ll see if the usage continues in this direction when Quentin Johnston returns, but it’s encouraging for a fifth-round rookie who was a raw prospect.

Rico Dowdle (RB – CAR)

Rico Dowdle has put on too much of a show not to make the list. He has 473 total yards, two touchdowns and 66.3 fantasy points across the last two weeks.

That is as good a two-game stretch for a running back I can remember, let alone a backup running back. Dowdle has clearly earned himself a bigger slice of the pie when Chuba Hubbard returns.

Jack Bech (WR – LV)

While it translated to just one target and zero production, Jack Bech officially took over the No. 3 WR role from Dont’e Thornton. Bech played 46 snaps compared to just two for Thornton following Bech’s three grabs for 27 yards one week ago.

The Raiders’ passing game has been in shambles for most of the season, so Bech doesn’t have a whole lot of short-term value, but he remains an intriguing dynasty player, especially with the potential for Jakobi Meyers to be moved at the trade deadline.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers

Jonnu Smith (TE – PIT) & Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)

For the second week in a row, Darnell Washington led all Steelers tight ends in snaps, playing 47 compared to 41 for Jonnu Smith and 21 for Pat Freiermuth.

Washington was second on the team in targets with five, while Smith saw four, and just one went Freiermuth’s way. When the Steelers acquired Smith, we knew it would put a dent in his value along with Freiermuth’s, but I didn’t have Washington out-snapping both on my bingo card.

Travis Hunter (WR – JAX)

While Travis Hunter played a season-high 58 snaps this week, he played exclusively in 3-WR sets. Plus, you’d hardly know he was out there if not for a brutal penalty in which he lined up offside, calling back a magnificent Brian Thomas Jr. touchdown catch.

Hunter caught four passes for just 15 yards in Week 6. He has yet to score a touchdown this season or reach double-digit fantasy points in any game. With Tim Patrick and Parker Washington making splash plays, plus Dyami Brown soaking up plenty of snaps, it’s concerning that Hunter has yet to make a true impact on the offensive side of the ball.

Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)

With Tyjae Spears in his second week back from injury, he out-snapped Tony Pollard 36 to 26. It was a more favorable game script for Spears with the Titans trailing, but that’s the bad news for Pollard, who plays significantly more with a lead.

The Titans simply aren’t a good football team. Pollard was averaging 90% of the snaps through the first four weeks and could get home on volume, but his snap share dipped to 73% last week and was down to 43% this week. He’s not nearly efficient enough to be playable with that kind of risk to his snap share.

Cam Ward (QB – TEN)

This was the week for Cam Ward to show why he was the number one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Raiders’ defense allowed the 12th-most points to opposing quarterbacks entering the week and had issues across their secondary. Although Ward lost his top target in this one with Calvin Ridley suffering a hamstring injury, there’s no excuse for his performance of just 6.88 fantasy points.

It marked the fifth time in six games that Ward failed to reach double-digit points, with his season high coming in at a whopping 11.96. He’s thrown an interception in four straight games and coughed up two fumbles for his third and fourth of the season. Things are going from bad to worse in Tennessee.

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