Due for a QB1 bounceback?

15 articles/videos we loved + top 5 player insights

August 17, 2025

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Yooo!

Saw a post in the DynastyFF subreddit today asking about QB/WR stacks and it got me thinking… if you could bottle up and sell the feeling of watching your guys connect for a 10+ point TD, you’d be a billionaire.

Here’s what else I got for you tonight:

  • From our friends at PlayersTV

  • Trade advice poll

  • 15 articles + videos we loved this week

  • Top 5 player insights

Giddy up.

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The results from last newsletter’s trade poll are in. I asked what you thought of this trade submitted by David:

Team A (Contender) receives:

  • Joe Burrow

  • 2027 3rd round pick (early/mid)

Team B (Rebuild) receives:

  • Drake Maye

  • 2026 Late 1st Round

  • 2027 2nd Round

  • Jalen McMillan

Survey says… Team B (Maye, 26 1st, 27 2nd, McMillan) is the winner with 59.32% of the votes.

Here are some additional comments left by the voters from each side:

Team A voters (Burrow, 27 3rd):

  • “In no real world scenario would a team owner with any respect in their league trade a top tier qb like Burrow for a year 2 qb who didn’t exactly light the league on fire and 2 late round picks no matter the round and McMillan who was already behind Evans and Godwin but now also Embuka. This trade is almost as bad as last weeks Burrow trade. You don’t devalue your own guy because you have another of the same tier.”

Team B voters (Maye, 26 1st, 27 2nd, McMillan):

  • “Maye can be a good QB, with top 12 upside! The picks and J. McMillan are good additions for the team!”

  • “Maye with picks will build a complete team not just fill a qb spot”

Fair for both sides voters:

  • “Seems pretty fair. Team A gets a top qb to hopefully help them win. While Team B gets a young unproven but high talent qb, a lottery ticket and McMillan who proved himself last year in a high volume offense.”

Our take:

  • This trade really comes down to what you think about Maye. We currently have him in our consensus rankings as QB9 and Burrow is QB4.

  • Maye has better offensive weapons around him this year and seems poised to make a year 2 leap. Is he going to immediately enter Burrow territory of 20+ fantasy points per game? Maybe not. But he showed enough last year to realistically expect he could be a solid QB1 for a long time.

  • A 1st round pick + Maye feels fair for Burrow which means Team B essentially got a 2027 2nd Round and Jalen McMillan for a 2027 3rd round pick (early/mid). That’s a great value for a rebuilder.

  • At the same time, I understand why the contender wanted the “sure thing” in Burrow. If Burrow outscores Maye by 5 fantasy points per game this year and Team A wins a championship, it won’t matter that he “lost” this trade on paper from a value standpoint. Those two picks could easily bust and then this looks like a steal for Team A.

Today’s contestant…

This trade comes in from your fellow sub, Mike. Everyone say, “HI MIKE.”

Team A (Contender) receives:

  • Chase Brown

  • Brian Thomas Jr

Team B (Contender) receives:

  • Ashton Jeanty

  • Zay Flowers

  • 2026 2nd

Which side got the better deal?

(Vote to see live results)

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Want your trade reviewed?

Just reply to this email with any trade completed in your league (or a trade you’re considering) and I’ll add it in a future newsletter. 🤝 

The next open slot is 9/7.

15 articles + videos we loved this week:

Articles:

Podcasts/Videos:

QB - Dak Prescott (DAL)

  • Dak Prescott is positioned as an excellent late-round quarterback value for 2025, with the addition of George Pickens alongside CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, and Jalen Tolbert providing him with an improved weapons arsenal in Dallas's pass-focused offense.

  • The Cowboys demonstrated their commitment to passing in Weeks 1-8 last season, ranking eighth in neutral passing rate and tenth in pass rate over expectation. This offensive philosophy, combined with Prescott's weapons, suggests a return to QB1 status is likely.

  • Prescott's 2024 touchdown rate of 3.8% was unusually low compared to his historical performance of over 5.8% in previous seasons. The article predicts a positive regression in touchdown rate, noting that Prescott was QB4 in fantasy points per game just one season prior, with strong efficiency metrics including ranking seventh in yards per attempt and eighth in CPOE.

RB - Kyren Williams (LAR)

  • Kyren Williams led all RBs in red-zone touches last season and tied for most rushing TDs (31) over the past two years.

  • Despite doubts, Sean McVay keeps leaning on Williams, reflected in his 88% snap share and 83% opportunity share – both near league-leading.

  • Concerns center on Davante Adams’ arrival possibly cutting into TDs, making Kyren better valued in Round 3 than Round 2.

WR - Calvin Ridley (TEN)

  • Calvin Ridley's preseason performance suggests a potentially massive target share in Tennessee's offense, with rookie quarterback Cam Ward targeting him on three of eight dropbacks in the preseason opener. Ridley turned these opportunities into 50 yards, accounting for 74.6% of the team's receiving yards.

  • Despite logging back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Ridley struggled with efficiency in Tennessee last year, posting a career-low 53.3% catch rate on 120 targets. Poor quarterback play significantly impacted his performance, though he still managed to finish as WR28.

  • Ridley faces minimal target competition in 2025, with aging Tyler Lockett and inconsistent Van Jefferson as his primary competition. His target dominance is further evidenced by last season's performance, where he doubled the next closest wide receiver's target total, suggesting significant upside in his current sixth-round ADP.

WR - DeMario Douglas (NE)

  • DeMario Douglas, despite his modest 5'8" frame, possesses quick-twitch explosiveness that makes him particularly effective from the slot position. He's positioned to start the 2025 season as the WR2 behind Stefon Diggs in the Patriots' offense.

  • Douglas is expected to see significant targets in Josh McDaniels's slot-heavy offensive scheme, with his after-the-catch abilities being a particular strength. His role could become even more prominent given that Stefon Diggs is returning from an ACL injury and presents an injury risk.

  • The article suggests Douglas is significantly undervalued at his current draft position, particularly in PPR formats. With the Patriots' offense potentially taking a step forward and Drake Maye making his first full season of starts, Douglas could be primed for a breakout season working the middle of the field.

TE - Brock Bowers (LV)

  • Brock Bowers is coming off a historic rookie season where he finished as the overall TE1, catching 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games. His 112 catches were the most all-time by a rookie pass catcher, and his 1,194 receiving yards set a record for rookie tight ends, leading to an impressive 15.5 PPR fantasy points per game average.

  • Despite catching passes from subpar quarterbacks like Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder in 2024, Bowers still managed to rank 19th in catchable target rate and 10th in red zone targets. He now gets a significant quarterback upgrade with Geno Smith, who ranked top-10 in accuracy rating and true completion percentage last season.

  • As the top pass catcher in the Las Vegas offense with minimal target competition and an improved quarterback situation, Bowers has a strong chance to repeat as the overall TE1 in 2025, which would make him the first tight end to accomplish this feat since Travis Kelce did it in 2019-2020.

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That’s all for today!

See ya pizza,

Joe

P.S. Don’t forget about these free dynasty resources you have access to: