The 2025 season is upon us. Are you ready? Hopefully you’re in for a winning campaign. But those of us that play Dynasty know it’s a 365-day a year endeavor. So, this is the time to make pickups and stashes that could pay off this season. Below are some players I think are worth stashing as we move through the pre-season. They won’t all make the opening day roster, but this is where you can strike gold with players on the cusp of breaking out. All roster percentages courtesy of the NFL.
Quarterbacks
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: Rattler didn’t look good as a rookie, losing all his starts and failing to make much impact in fantasy. But he’s had an off-season to grow and learn. He also has a good opportunity. The Saints’ quarterback competition continues, and rookie Tyler Shough isn’t looking great. Rattler could well be the day one starter.
Stetson Bennett, Los Angeles Rams
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: It’s been a long, strange journey for Bennett. But this pre-season, he’s looked sharp. That includes going for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns last week. With Matthew Stafford ailing, Bennett could be worth a stash, even with Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster.
Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 0
About: We’re at the pre-season hype portion of the off-season. Still, Stidham has looked sharp in the first two preseason games. He’s tossed two touchdowns in each as the Broncos have blown out the 49ers and Cardinals. Denver said they’ve gotten as many as nine teams inquiring about Stidham. I’m not sure he gets moved, but stranger things have happened.
Running Backs
Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders
Roster Percentage: 11.8; 0.2
About: This arises because the Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson, Jr., and reports suggest he might even be released. Austin Ekeler is there, but it appears the Commanders are high on Croskey-Merritt, who wants to go by Bill, and Rodriguez, too. Croskey-Merritt is being quickly snapped up, but Rodriguez is easier to acquire. Both are worth holding.
George Holani and Damien Martinez, Seattle Seahawks
Roster Percentage: 0.1, 0.2
About: The Seahawks have Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, which won’t leave a lot of room for other carries. But the Seahawks have a run-first offense under Klint Kubiak, and we’ve seen both these young backs make an impression. Holani has 110 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, and Martinez had 50 yards and a touchdown this past game. Both are worth a stash.
Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Roster Percentage: 0.3
About: This is about opportunity. Marks was taken in the draft and had a strong showing last week with 40 yards on seven carries. With Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce out, and Nick Chubb leading the backfield, there is opportunity. Marks could have a good shot to contribute, especially early in the season.
Frank Gore, Jr., Buffalo Bills
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The Bills have a deep running back bench with newly extended starter James Cook, solid second-year pro Ray Davis, and veteran Ty Johnson. But Gore has impressed in the first two pre-season games. He seems to fit the Bills’ scheme well and could be worth a stash.
Blake Watson, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 0
About: Watson is another player with a steep climb up the depth chart. R.J. Harvey and J.K. Dobbins seem to be locked in at the top. That leaves Watson, Tyler Badie, Audric Estime, and Jaleel McLaughlin fighting for one or two spots. But Watson continues to impress in camp and in pre-season games. Call it a hunch, but I like him as a stash.
Wide Receivers
Olamide Zaccheaus, Chicago Bears
Roster Percentage: 0.2
About: The Bears have a lot of options in the passing game, so Zaccheaus probably went under the radar. But we’ve seen him contribute before. In this week’s preseason game, with the Bears playing their starters, it was Zaccheaus who caught the 36-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams. That has me intrigued enough to make him a pre-season stash.
Andrei Iosivas, Cincinnati Bengals
Roster Percentage: 0.7
About: Another under-the-radar player on a team with a lot of passing game weapons, Iosivas has shown good chemistry with Joe Burrow. He played a key role in 2024, and the talk is that he has improved significantly for 2025. He’s not Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins, but he could be the kind of player that gets enough looks in a high-volume pass offense to be a good deep league flex option.
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 0.7
About: Franklin was a trendy sleeper heading into 2024. His college connection with Bo Nix and a wide-open Broncos’ depth chart seemed to play in his favor. Yet, he was mostly a non-factor. But this off-season, he’s come out hard, and it’s shown in the early games. He has seven receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns in two pre-season games. He could be poised for a breakout season.
Efton Chism III, New England Patriots
Roster Percentage: 1
About: The Patriots have been great at finding diamonds in the rough, especially at receiver. Chism has been impressive this pre-season, hauling in 12 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns in two games. The Patriots’ receiving room is another that is somewhat wide open, making Chism an intriguing sleeper.
Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Roster Percentage: 0.3
About: Wilson is another player who didn’t make much of an impact in his rookie year. But he’s in a good position to do that in year two for a Steelers group that lacks depth at receiver. He’s made a few nice receptions in pre-season and is one to stash and watch with Aaron Rodgers now in town.
Tight Ends
Charlie Kolar, Baltimore Ravens
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: Kolar has been under the radar for the past few seasons. While Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely have made a splash, Kolar has played more of a reserve role. But with Likely ailing, Kolar has looked sharp in the pre-season. Playing on a team that likes to target the tight end, he’s worth a stash.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
