During this point of the NFL offseason, training camp hype and rumors spread like wildfire. It’s extremely easy to convince yourself of a certain player’s breakout based on one impressive highlight from a basic practice drill. However, many of these assumed breakouts don’t actually come to fruition.
Being able to sort through which players dominating training camp will actually see major statistical jumps during the coming regular season is one of the most important, and hardest, skills to hone in fantasy football. At the end of the day, a good chunk of your fantasy football season results are luck-based.
However, hitting on some big risers from training camp via trade in your dynasty leagues can add a ridiculous amount of value to your team long-term. It may not exactly be buying low, but if you believe that the player you’re targeting will truly break out, it’s worth a bit of an overpay if that’s what is necessary.
Let’s go over four players having sensational training camps who I believe have a real chance of carrying this momentum into the season.
George Pickens
(WR, DAL)
When the Cowboys traded for former Steelers wideout George Pickens, it instantly became one of my favorite transactions from the 2025 NFL offseason. Dallas was in need of a strong secondary receiving option behind superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb to give their passing game more firepower upon veteran quarterback Dak Prescott’s regular-season return.
They filled that hole perfectly with Pickens, who has a knack for making big plays and should be one of Prescott’s top targets this season as he makes his way back from the season-ending hamstring injury he suffered last year. The new addition at wide receiver has also been making huge plays in training camp this offseason.
In only 14 games during the 2024 season, Pickens registered 900 receiving yards and three touchdowns off of 59 receptions. Pittsburgh didn’t really have any elite options under center during Pickens’ tenure, so a shift to Dallas’ offense with Prescott, who threw for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns during his last fully-healthy season, is certainly a step in the right direction.
Pickens put up a career-high PFF receiving grade of 79.7 in 2024. He also posted an impressive 2.11 yards per route run, an average depth of target of 13.9, and 15.25 yards per reception last season. He’ll without a doubt be Dallas’ second receiver, and if he can overcome the concerns about his attitude, he has the chance to finish well inside the top-20 receivers in fantasy football.
With a more assured role, Pickens is a player I’m buying in 2025 dynasty leagues.
Josh Palmer
(WR, BUF)
Okay, I’ll be honest. New Bills wideout Josh Palmer isn’t a player I have the most belief in to establish himself as a top-30 option in 2025 in a vacuum. He’s never really been anything more than a third or fourth option throughout his career, but there are a few details of this situation, paired with some glowing reports from Bills training camp, that have me interested in Palmer’s value relative to his current asking price in most leagues.
Firstly, the Bills signed the former Chargers wide receiver to a three-year, $29 million contract this offseason, which was a much larger contract than he was first projected to receive. While he’s been a solid target in the past, $18 million total in guaranteed money is a solid investment for a weapon joining a team in the hunt for a Super Bowl.
If Palmer emerges as the team’s WR2/3 this season next to Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman, his fantasy value will climb much higher simply because he’ll be catching passes from the 2025 NFL MVP, Josh Allen. While Palmer’s former quarterback, Justin Herbert, is a star in his own right, Buffalo’s passing offense was simply more productive in 2024.
The competition for targets on the Bills is also less steep than in Los Angeles this season. Overall, Palmer is a solid receiver who received a massive payday by one of the top teams in the NFL. The circumstances surrounding him are extremely intriguing, and even if he isn’t the most productive receiver in the NFL, sometimes all it takes is an opportunity for a certain player to skyrocket in production, and in turn, dynasty value.
Calvin Ridley
(WR, TEN)
As far as buy-low options for contending dynasty teams, Tennessee’s Calvin Ridley is among my favorite targets in the realm of veteran wideouts. He may be 30 years old, but I still have firm belief that he has more left in the tank to give. He made some spectacular plays last season for the Titans with some extremely mediocre (at best) quarterback play from under center.
He managed to put together a 1,017-yard campaign with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at quarterback, so I have faith that he can put together a top-20 season in 2025 first-overall pick Cam Ward’s rookie season.
Ward isn’t afraid to rocket the football through tight windows down the field, so if he and Ridley can develop a quick connection, the latter may have the chance to surprise the dynasty community and help his managers bring home some hardware.
Calvin has always been productive when on the field, so I am certain that if Cam Ward gives him enough volume, this quarterback upgrade will be reason enough to buy low on Ridley in dynasty leagues. He’s been overlooked for far too long in dynasty formats, and will not cost too much to trade for.
Omarion Hampton
(RB, LAC)
It’s certainly not easy to trade for rookie running back Omarion Hampton in dynasty leagues. However, if you have a need at running back, he should be considered a truly elite asset. If you haven’t done your rookie draft yet, he’s a must-have prospect. Don’t hesitate to put together a generous offer for him because he could absolutely finish as a top-10 running back in his rookie season.
Hampton is an extremely balanced prospect and will have an instant impact heading into his rookie year. He has immense strength and power, with surprising elusiveness to keep defenders on their toes. Hampton’s contact balance is certainly among the best in this loaded draft class, and his receiving ability is also very solid, allowing him to rack up 38 receptions and 373 receiving yards during his final season at North Carolina.
He does everything well and profiles as a three-down back. Los Angeles has the roster to make a playoff run, so giving the majority of the carries to the best player in the backfield is without question the smartest move. New signing Najee Harris is a solid back, but shouldn’t be viewed as Hampton’s equal, especially now after he sustained an apparently serious eye injury in early July.
Omarion Hampton is an elite prospect who has landed with a coaching staff that has a history of running the football early and often. If the Chargers want a real chance at winning the AFC West, they will give Hampton a ton of volume in his rookie season. He will be considered an elite asset in dynasty after an electric rookie year following an impressive camp.
It’s not often that a running back is drafted in the first round to a very solid situation. He will be very hard to trade for, but it’s absolutely worth a try for 2025 dynasty leagues.