The second week of the 2025 NFL Preseason is in the books, so it’s time to assess which players are trending up the most in dynasty fantasy football.
Several young players, including a few rookies, have shown flashes of brilliance across limited action so far and could end up earning significant roles for their teams in 2025. Obviously, not every rookie ends up being a fantasy-relevant asset, especially in dynasty, but a player can absolutely earn a roster spot off of even just one dominant preseason performance.
These players could end up making waves in the future if they can carve out a role early on in their careers, so those who make this list are some names worth noting. They could end up as the biggest sleepers in dynasty leagues in 2025.
To check out the biggest dynasty risers from Week 1 of the NFL Preseason, check out this article! Let’s go over five risers for dynasty fantasy football after the second slate of NFL Preseason action!
Jaxson Dart (QB, NYG)
The New York Giants traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick. A polarizing selection, Dart came into the preseason needing to show some flashes if he wanted a chance at starting a few games this year, and he’s done exactly that.
While he hasn’t been asked to do too much, Dart has converted 26 of his 35 pass attempts for 291 passing yards and two touchdowns. Those statistics, combined with a completion percentage of 74.3% and a grand total of zero interceptions through two weeks of preseason action, are encouraging at the very least.
I would be very surprised if Jaxson Dart goes the entire 2025 season without starting at least a few games for the Giants. While veteran quarterback Russell Wilson had a solid 2024 season in Pittsburgh and is entirely capable of putting together some decent numbers for New York this year, it would make sense for the team to give Dart some regular-season reps if things start to look ugly late in the season.
New York has arguably the toughest schedule in football this season, so if Dart continues to make a case for playing time, he’ll likely get it at some point this year.
Overall, Jaxson Dart has had a strong start to the NFL Preseason and will look to continue this trend in Week 3.
Cam Ward (QB, TEN)
The Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Cam Ward with the first-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and so far, he’s putting together one of the better preseasons of any qualifying quarterback.
On Friday, Ward completed just two of seven pass attempts for 47 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. This clearly wasn’t a very impressive statistical performance, but a deeper look into the game film reveals a lot more about the situation.
Ward’s first pass of the day was a 35-yard completion to rookie wideout Elic Ayomanor off of play-action. His second attempt was an accurate deep pass thrown on a rope that fell through the hands of Van Jefferson.
He didn’t find as much success during the rest of his outing, but he certainly made an impression with his first two throws.
Cam Ward had the highest ceiling of any quarterback heading into this year’s draft. He has a rocket arm and isn’t afraid to test small throwing windows, even when they’re deep downfield. If his accuracy and consistency develop quickly, he could become a top-tier fantasy quarterback with time.
This was a solid debut for the top-overall pick.
Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt (RB, WAS)
Washington running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt might be one of the biggest risers of the entire offseason. The college football journeyman only played one game during the 2024 season at Arizona, causing him to be overlooked in this year’s draft until the seventh round. Croskey-Merritt reportedly had a very strong training camp, leading many to believe that his position on Washington’s roster is already secured.
If that wasn’t enough to convince you to give him a chance, the Washington Commanders are already listening to trade calls regarding incumbent starting running back Brian Robinson Jr., who has been the team’s leading rusher at the running back position over the last three seasons.
This has led many to believe that Washington wants to give Jacory Croskey-Merritt the chance to be the team’s starting running back in 2025.
As far as preseason production, the 24-year-old rookie rushed seven times for 24 yards and hauled in his only target for an additional eight yards during the Commanders’ 18-48 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 1. He followed it up with an impressive Week 2 outing, turning 11 carries into 46 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The former Arizona Wildcat is an explosive runner who breaks tackles, with good vision and the ability to make defenders miss at the line of scrimmage.
If he is named Washington’s starting running back, his dynasty outlook would obviously rise considerably. If Brian Robinson Jr. is indeed traded, this will be one of the most interesting backfields in football with quarterback Jayden Daniels, Croskey-Merritt, and Austin Ekeler.
Ollie Gordon (RB, MIA)
Dolphins rookie running back Ollie Gordon II has a very strong chance to earn a role in Mike McDaniel’s offense sooner rather than later. There are a number of reasons why his impact could be surprisingly relevant for dynasty and even redraft leagues this season.
Gordon would fit nicely as Miami’s goal-line back in 2025. Last year, starting running back De’Von Achane only averaged 0.8 yards per carry on attempts inside the ten-yard line (22 attempts), and 0.3 yards per carry on attempts inside the five-yard line (13 attempts).
Ollie Gordon (225 lbs) is currently 34 pounds heavier than Achane (191 lbs), and he’s also the more physical runner of the two. Because of his size, he’s able to take on more contact and run over defenders, something we’ve seen him do plenty of times this preseason.
Through two weeks, Gordon has taken 18 rushing attempts for 83 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He’s shown dynamic ability at the line of scrimmage, consistently breaking tackles, juking out defenders, and welcoming contact with physicality.
When Mike McDaniel’s offense featured a two-back system with Achane and veteran back Raheem Mostert in 2023, Mostert, the heavier of the backs at 212 lbs, took 20 carries inside the five-yard line (second-most in the NFL) for 12 touchdowns (tied for most in the NFL).
While Ollie Gordon II may not be as good a running back as De’Von Achane at the moment, it's hard to argue against using him in that area of the field. If he finds success there, it could lead to more opportunities.
At Oklahoma State, Gordon rushed for 2,920 yards and scored 36 rushing touchdowns across three seasons. A significant dip in production in 2024 caused him to fall down draft boards, but a good chunk of the blame falls upon a lackluster offensive line during his final collegiate season.
At his best, Gordon is capable of carving out a role as a dynamic runner of the football. I would be surprised if he’s not at least the Dolphins’ RB2 by the end of the 2025 NFL season.
Efton Chism III (WR, NE)
Former Eastern Washington wide receiver Efton Chism III went undrafted during the 2025 NFL Draft, but if his early preseason success is any indication, he may end up making every team in the league wish they had drafted him.
The 5’10”, 198 lbs wideout takes most of his snaps in the slot, allowing him to use his route running skills to create separation from defenders with ease. Beyond that, Chism showed an impressive ability to break tackles and gain extra yardage, something that head coach Mike Vrabel will need to take into consideration when narrowing down the roster.
In reality, there are several wideouts on the roster bubble for New England this year. 2024 draft selections Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker failed to make significant impacts in their debut campaigns, and if Chism continues to outperform them, they could see even less playing time this season. Javon Baker may not even make the roster.
Chism is making a great case to be the sixth or seventh receiver for this reloaded Patriots roster. If his playmaking from the slot earns him a role, he could become a fantasy-relevant asset in dynasty fantasy football quickly.
HM. Pat Bryant (WR, DEN)
HM. Ian Wheeler (RB, CHI)
HM. Troy Franklin (WR, DEN)
HM. Roman Wilson (WR, PIT)