Dynasty Fantasy Football Notebook: Value Check on Notable Players

This past season, 12 members of the Fantasy Life team started a dynasty league we dubbed "Dynasty Life." Now that the season has wrapped up, I polled the league and asked them for their suggestions on players they had the most questions about heading into the offseason. Here are some of the top responses and how I'm approaching each of them in dynasty formats.

J.J. McCarthy, WR - Vikings

His scintillating 4th-quarter performance against the Chicago Bears back in Week 1 feels like a lifetime ago. It was a rocky season for J.J. McCarthy, who appeared in just 10 games for the Vikings. Let's put some numbers to the up-and-down nature of his 2025 campaign:

In his five best games, he averaged 25.8 PPG
In his five worst games, he averaged 6.9 PPG
He threw 11 TDs & 12 INTs
He rushed for 4 TDs

Still just 22 years old, there's plenty of reason for optimism (or pessimism) depending on which numbers you want to focus on.

Personally, I think he's a worthy trade target in SF dynasty leagues this offseason. The offensive pieces are there and, if anyone can get the most out of his QB, it's head coach Kevin O'Connell.

It sounds like Minnesota is open to the idea of bringing in someone to compete for the QB position this offseason. My preferred target would be Mac Jones, who I think could legitimately thrive in this offensive system.

Regardless, McCarthy has the tools to become both a successful starting QB in the NFL and a viable QB2 in your SF dynasty fantasy football leagues.

Cam Skattebo, RB - Giants

From Day 3 pick to offensive cornerstone, it's been a turbulent season for Cam Skattebo. Before a gruesome dislocated ankle injury cost him the rest of the season, Skattebo tallied the following across eight NFL games:

101 rushing attempts
410 rushing yards (4.06 YPC)
5 rushing TDs
24 receptions
207 receiving yards
2 receiving TDs

Skattebo is an old-school grinder who averaged 12.6 rushing attempts per game, and likely would have handled more had it been up to him. Standing at just 5'11" while being listed at 215 lbs, he's built to handle a significant portion of the rushing attack.

The Giants suddenly have some exciting pieces on offense that fantasy managers are going to pay attention to. Along with Skattebo, Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers complete a dangerous trio of talented players.

We'll see how the injury recovery goes for Skattebo, but personally, I am probably staying away from him at his current cost. His likable persona, active life outside of football, and genuine, authentic love for the game will always mean he's top-of-mind for dynasty managers. Given the severity of his injury, I'm fine waiting until I see him on the field before making any significant offers for him across my own leagues.

Xavier Worthy, WR - Chiefs

"We've seen flashes, but is he just Mecole Hardman 2.0?"

This was the question asked in our Fantasy Life dynasty league recently. While I initially recoiled at the mere prospect of Xavier Worthy being a new-age Hardman, once I sat with the idea for a moment, the more I realized there may be something here.

Back at the 2024 NFL Combine, Worthy ran a record-setting 4.21 40-yard dash, beating the previous time held by fellow speedster John Ross (4.22). Worthy parlayed his strong combine performance into landing with the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick.

It's perhaps noteworthy that Kansas City traded with the Bills to move up a few slots and snag Worthy. Ever wonder if Buffalo fans think about that once in a while while Josh Allen is looking for an open receiver down the field?

Despite the pedigree, draft capital, and playing with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, Worthy has been relatively disappointing through two seasons. In total, he tallied just:

101 receptions
1,170 receiving yards
7 TDs

That's across 31 games over two seasons. Those…aren't great numbers.

Certainly, the Chiefs had their share of struggles this season, not that anyone outside of Kansas City is complaining about that. Even so, for an all-world talent with his skill set, fantasy managers are right to be disappointed with what they've gotten so far.

I don't mind taking a few stabs at Worthy this offseason as the Mahomes injury will keep prices lower than usual for all Chiefs players. I am willing to bet that Reid/Mahomes bounce back as much as health allows next season (and beyond), so recouping some value in Worthy, after a pair of less-than-stellar seasons, could be the move.

Brian Thomas Jr, WR - Jaguars

Will the real Brian Thomas Jr. please stand up?

2024 BTJ:

133 targets
87 receptions
1,282 receiving yards
10 TDs
17 games

2025 BTJ:

91 targets
48 receptions
707 receiving yards
2 TDs
14 games

What in the world are we doing? One of the best preseason calls I made was that Trevor Lawrence would finally take the step into stardom we've all been waiting for, but I assumed that BTJ would have a massive role in making that happen.

Never in this lifetime did I think that Parker Washington (who I do happen to like) and Jakobi Meyers (another favorite) would challenge BTJ for meaningful production. Thomas just has too much talent and too much upside for me to ignore. That makes him a viable trade target for me this offseason.

The Lawrenece ->Thomas combination will feed families for many seasons to come.

Rome Odunze, WR - Bears

According to KTC, the Bears currently have three WRs ranked in the top-50.

Rome Odunze - WR16
Luther Burden - WR21
D.J. Moore - WR47

The Ben Johnson/Caleb Williams tandem looks legit, and we've seen flashes of absolute dominance from this passing game.

(As I write this on Saturday afternoon, mere hours before the Packers and Bears square off in a Wild Card matchup)

From a value perspective, Moore is the odd man out simply because of his age. Odunze just wrapped up Year 2, while Burden is putting the finishing touches on Year 1. They certainly look like one of the more capable, dangerous duos moving forward, so how should managers value Odunze, specifically?

Well, he's the most expensive, so that alone means he better be worth the cost of admission. It doesn't help that Odunze hasn't played since Week 13, while Burden has been heating up/on a tear over that same time period.

If I had to make a pick right now, given their respective costs, give me Burden over Odunze. It's not a matter of preferring one talent over the other; it really comes down to cost/viewing them in a similar tier.