Five Risky Players to Buy This Offseason – If You’re Brave Enough – Dynasty League Football

Winning dynasty leagues is about paying off your risks and being brave enough to know when to take them. Looking at the past few years, there have been many examples of where a high-risk player has paid off – whether it was buying the dip on Jaxon Smith-Njigba after a rough first two seasons in the NFL or keeping Christian McCaffrey through an injury-plagued 2024 in which he missed the entire season.

However, focusing on risk is about knowing the situation involved, being clear about the value you are willing to lose if you are wrong, and identifying your own comfort level. To give you an example of this, a community of dynasty managers was thrilled to trade for Deshaun Watson when he was cut for his personal conduct a few seasons ago. That may not have paid off, but the benefit of a potential top-ten QB at cheap prices presented an opportunity that the risk-conscious managers were happy to seize.

So which assets should you focus on this season? It depends on your personal risk tolerance, but the upside is clear if you’re willing to take the gamble.

Brandon Aiyuk, WR SF/FA

Aiyuk is perhaps the riskiest signing in the dynasty right now. Despite not having played football in over a year, with his time with the 49ers ending in a coaching staff breakdown and him refusing to play or practice, he is still drafted as the WR41 among startups. But in 2022 and 2023, his final full seasons, Aiyuk finished as the WR14 and WR13, finishing with over 1,000 yards and seven+ touchdowns. Aiyuk has shown he has the best running backs in the NFL and the former first-round pick is only 27 heading into this offseason, where he will be cut from the team and likely released as a free agent.