4 Players to Sell in Dynasty Fantasy Football Before the 2025 NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft is on the horizon, which means that everyone who plays dynasty fantasy football is doing their research on the incoming rookies. On top of compiling a list of rookies to target in rookie drafts, this is a perfect time to consider trading away aging players or players who could see their current role affected by the results of the draft.

Whether you are someone who is competing for a title in your dynasty league or someone who needs to retool their roster, it's always worth seeing what trades are available to make with your league mates. Taking that into account, let's discuss which players we should consider moving on from before the 2025 NFL Draft begins.

Players to Trade Away in Dynasty

Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers

Recommending to part ways with Christian McCaffrey seems like a crazy idea, but there are multiple reasons why I'd be looking to move on from the San Francisco 49ers' All-Pro running back this offseason. Even though we just witnessed Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley make a case for veteran running backs to be respected more in fantasy football, McCaffrey is still coming off a season-ending PCL injury in 2024, and he dealt with Achilles tendonitis that kept him sidelined until Week 10 of last season.

Despite head coach Kyle Shanahan stating that CMC is 'healthy' ahead of offseason workouts, it's tough to trust information coming from San Francisco's camp, and McCaffrey is set to turn 29 years old this summer. Additionally, Shanahan made it clear that the 49ers intend to address the running back position during this year's draft, especially after the team traded Jordan Mason.

There are a ton of red flags surrounding McCaffrey, but there could be people out there who still will give up a decent chunk of change for the aging back due to his name value and the belief he can still be a focal point of the 49ers' offense. While McCaffrey has been one of the most productive running backs in fantasy football history, this seems like a good time to move on from him as he enters the latter stages of his career.

Kyren Williams, RB, Rams

Whenever I wrote up the article on players to sell before free agency began, Kyren Williams was among the names mentioned, and my opinion on him hasn't wavered ahead of the draft. Williams has undoubtedly been a fantasy stud, finishing as the RB6 and RB7 in half-PPR formats in back-to-back years, but it's tough to envision a scenario where he remains a workhorse back for the Los Angeles Rams long term.

According to PFF, there were 46 running backs that received 100-plus rushing attempts in 2024, and Williams finished 37th in yards after contact per attempt (2.75) in that sample. While Williams is fantastic in pass protection and is a viable pass catcher, his eight fumbles over the last two seasons also aren't helping his case to remain the clear lead back in LA's backfield.

During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Rams added Blake Corum in the third round out of Michigan, and this year's class is considered to feature a deep group of running backs to choose from. Considering that Los Angeles has used a draft pick on a running back in each of the last seven years under head coach Sean McVay, there's a decent chance the Rams try to add some explosiveness to their running back room during the draft.

George Pickens, WR, Steelers

Another player who is making a repeat appearance in this article is George Pickens, as there are plenty of question marks surrounding the former second-round pick. Of course, the trade for D.K. Metcalf affects Pickens moving forward, but it also remains to be seen if we ever see Pickens reach his ceiling in the NFL.

Even with Pickens pacing the Pittsburgh Steelers in targets (105) and yards per route run (2.11) by a decent margin last season, he was the overall WR42 and WR43 in fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats in 2024. Now, Pickens will have to compete for targets with Metcalf in a run-heavy offense, and it has yet to be determined who is starting under center for the Steelers in 2025.

While Pickens is still 24 years old and is in a contract year, he has yet to show enough consistency to have confidence in him being a reliable option in any offense moving forward. Remaining on the Steelers is still an option, but Pittsburgh could also look to address the receiver position -- possibly to replace Pickens -- during the draft, especially after handing Metcalf a lucrative extension upon acquiring him via trade.

Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts

During the 2024 campaign, Michael Pittman Jr. was hindered by a back fracture, resulting in him registering the fewest receptions (69), receiving yards (808), and receiving touchdowns (3) since his rookie season in 2020. Inconsistent quarterback play also hurt the Indianapolis Colts' aerial attack a season ago, and their situation under center doesn't appear to be in a much better place ahead of the 2025 season.

The Colts brought in Daniel Jones to compete for the starting job alongside Anthony Richardson, so expectations should be tempered when discussing Indy's passing game. Pittman signed a three-year, $70 million contract with the Colts before the 2024 season kicked off, so there's a chance he's sporting a horseshoe on his helmet until he's 29 years old.

Additionally, tight end has the shortest odds when it comes to which position the Colts will use their first draft pick on, so they're expected to add another pass catcher early. When factoring the long-term concerns pertaining to Indianapolis' passing attack and the potential addition of another player who will garner targets, I'd be looking to part ways with Pittman as soon as possible.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.