This week’s Fantasy Dynasty Podcast begins with Borg recounting the slow starts for WRs on his dynasty squad, including Brian Thomas Jr., Drake London, and Ladd McConkey. He also reminds us to utilize the Ultimate Dashboard to help in stressful flex situations as the season progresses. Jason highlights the winning decision-making power of the Dashboard in Dynasty leagues with larger rosters.
Plenty of pain and sweat to go around in Week 2 for sure, all discussed on the Fantasy Footballers Dynasty podcast.
Before we get into it, remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Weekly Rewind
Ricky Pearsall
Betz highlights Pearsall’s impressive performance as he stepped into a larger role due to injuries on the 49ers. He had a career-high 11 targets, eight catches, 117 yards, and was used in both the high-percentage, short-route role and the downfield role. He is currently on pace for 1600+ yards! His versatility and usage speak to his real upside. Jason believes he is primed for a breakout, touting his route running, exceptional hands, and his opportunity. What happens when Jauan Jennings and Kittle return? The hope is that the 49ers have seen what they now have, and he usurps a larger share when other skill players return healthy. Pearsall is a player to trade for before Brock Purdy‘s return. I have more supporting details on Pearsall in my deep dive below.
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
C.J. Stroud & Woody Marks
Jason watched the film on C.J. Stroud and concluded that while he looks “okay,” he has no weapons or protection, which is a major concern. There is little hope that Stroud will turn this season around. Woody Marks, a pass-catching specialist in college, has been getting more snaps (up to 50% in Week 3) and opportunities on the ground. However, Marks doesn’t look special and is likely not a long-term piece for the Texans.
Cam Skattebo
Jason is extremely high on Cam Skattebo-yah! Jason notes that he looks like a “quality NFL player” with his receiving work (2nd-most RB targets on pass plays behind CMC) and tough running style against a strong Kansas City run defense. Despite being a day-three pick, he looks entrenched as a fan favorite. Everyone commented on Skattebo’s seeming indestructibility through his violent playstyle, which provides confidence in his availability. He is viewed similarly to Bucky Irving from last season, where his skills are translating to the NFL. While their surrounding offense quality is very different, Skattebo still provides a ton of value to your team. Jason would trade RJ Harvey or Kaleb Johnson for Skattebo without blinking, but Betz and Borg were a little more hesitant to move RJ Harvey. Obviously, my outlook on Skattebo received a bump after his performance this past week; I should have made some moves then **sigh**.
Quinshon Judkins
Judkins is a high-floor player on a bad team, who is seeing passing-down work with Dylan Sampson “evaporating” from the game. He is a solid RB2 or future second-contract player, comparable to David Montgomery. Borg believes he has more juice than Montgomery. Borg asks, “Judkins or Henderson?” as they were back-to-back in rookie ADP. Jason vehemently chose Judkins as his top RB prospect behind Ashton Jeanty, but Betz prefers Henderson.
Trending or Ending?
Brian Thomas Jr.
Betz believes Thomas Jr. is a desperate buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues. Jason’s on the buy-low train as well, but fantasy managers who are being patient due to BTJ’s youth and demonstrated upside. He’s on pace for a ridiculous 141 targets but has a historically low catch rate, suggesting he has “the yips”. Borg cautions against recency bias and the timing of these troubles while also highlighting doubts about Trevor Lawrence‘s ability to elevate the offense. They are confident he is a good player who will eventually bounce back from a 28% catch rate.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Ladd McConkey
Don’t panic and sell McConkey in dynasty. His elite route-running is not in question. His low production so far is due to the offense, which has yet to target him in the end zone. He is still a weekly must-start player, but not an “alpha WR1” in the way some people expected. The quality of the Chargers’ WRs room is part of the challenge in McConkey’s upside, which we saw last season.
Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty is a “hold steady” player. He is working behind an offensive line allowing contact behind the line of scrimmage on 57% of his attempts, and the Raiders are not utilizing him in the passing game as expected. In fact, Jeanty has only been targeted on six of 51 routes. Other RBs targeted at a higher rate include Jordan Mason, Kyren Williams, Derrick Henry, and Zach Charbonnet. Jason notes his lack of usage in the two-minute drill as especially concerning and accuses Chip Kelly of malfeasance! With that said, Jason can’t imagine how these trends continue. Betz notes the hit rate of Round 1 draft picks in the NFL as phenomenal, so he is comfortable that Jeanty will pan out.
TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson appears to be trending in a good direction, with other RBs on the team struggling with fumbles and pass blocking. They expect him to grow into a role where he sees four-plus targets a week.
RJ Harvey
Borg expressed concern about Harvey’s long-term dynasty value, as the team has not needed him since signing JK Dobbins. Jason notes Dobbins has been a steady veteran presence, and until he slows down, Harvey’s opportunities will likely be limited. Sean Peyton has not utilized Harvey in his college specialty: pass-catching in space. This is a hold for now, but his value has fallen a bit.
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Juwan Johnson
Juwan Johnson, Hunter Henry, and Jake Ferguson have been crushing it since getting contract extensions. Juwan Johnson is a perfect trade target for a contending team, but a rebuilder could sell him for a 2nd-round pick as a short-term asset. Borg posed the question, “Isaiah Likely or Juwan Johnson,” and Jason prefers Likely, with Mark Andrews potentially not on the Ravens next season.
James Cook or Kyren Williams?
James Cook appeared to be the preferred RB of the Ballers in dynasty, despite Williams being a year younger. Cook’s QB, Josh Allen (29 years old), is much younger than Kyren’s, Matthew Stafford (37.6 years old), giving him more long-term value in the Bills’ high-powered offense. Additionally, the Bills are treating James Cook like a true bell cow after awarding him the new contract.
Week 3 Film Deep Dive
Ricky Pearsall
Ricky Pearsall‘s recent performances didn’t surprise me. Following a rookie season that showed flashes of his potential, the 2024 first-round pick has burst onto the scene in 2025, solidifying his role as a key contributor to the San Francisco 49ers‘ offense. He’s currently ranked third in the entire league in receiving yards (281), a testament to very good route-running and reliable hands. He earns a high target share of 22.6% and ranks ninth in the league with a 45.7% Air Yards share per PlayerProfiler. While the all-important TD production has yet to occur, his target share and consistent downfield performance suggest it is a matter of when, not if, he starts finding the end zone. Pearsall has demonstrated a unique ability to create separation from defenders, and his on-field chemistry with either of his QBs is rapidly developing, making him a central figure in a dynamic offense.
The statistical success on the field is a direct result of his refined technique and exceptional football IQ. Winning at the line of scrimmage against press coverage is a major pillar of his success. His Week 1 performance against the Seattle Seahawks is a great example, where his technical skills were on full display.
Ricky Pearsall is an absolute "buy" at this point. The consistency that he shows in releasing vs Man is intriguing. The DBs normally pay for it by getting stacked. pic.twitter.com/1k19t3X7Wj
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 23, 2025
Fundamentally, his release against press is exceptional. He has a clear plan and good use of hands to defeat the jam, consistently using explosiveness to “stack” DBs, leaving them reading his nameplate. In a highlight against Arizona, he demonstrates an excellent change of direction at the top of his route, forcing DBs to react to his movements. This routinely generates the space we desire, and it’s the primary contributor to a +12.4 in receiving EPA (9th) and 4th ranking in both Catch Rate Over Expected (CROE) and Air Yards per target. A subtle but critical detail is how he finishes his routes, such as digs and outs; Pearsall consistently runs a slight angle back to the line of scrimmage. This calculated move ensures he cannot be undercut by a trailing defender, highlighting his high football IQ.
Ricky's ability to stack isn't dependent on a defeated jam. He has explosiveness to find a way on top of the DB. At the top of his route, his twitchiness consistently helps create separation. On Digs and Outs, he routinely takes angles back to the QB to avoid being undercut. pic.twitter.com/5OqZ0ZdrXe
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 23, 2025
If the crew couldn’t convince you with their words, please let the evidence above convince you that Pearsall is a “buy”. These elements of his game are ridiculously consistent. The 49ers would be fools to reduce Pearsall to WR2 in this offense when he is clearly at least WR1b. Need more stats? How about seventh in PFF receiving grade, six of seven contested catches completed, and second in first downs with 14. That translates to three things we care about: reliability, trustworthiness in contested situations, and he’s a chain mover.
As a recommended “buy”, I looked into some recent Pearsall trades. One such trade that occurred this past Sunday had Pearsall and Dalton Shultz go for Dalton Kincaid, a 2026 2nd, and Xavier Legette. Feels more like Kincaid and a 2nd for Pearsall to me as Schultz appears to offset a TE vacuum that would be created. This indicates there is still some suppression of Pearsall’s value due to uncertainty when other playmakers return. This is great for your “buy” window.
Quinshon Judkins
Quinshon Judkins‘ NFL debut against the Green Bay Packers, a top-five defense against the run, was a significant test. Despite the Browns’ struggling passing game, Judkins accounted for 54% of the rushing yards the Packers have allowed to RBs this season. Even when removing his 38-yard outlier run, his adjusted average of 3.29 YPC still edged out the YPC output of the Lions and Commanders against the Packers.
Dane Brugler described Judkins as an “attitude” runner with a blend of quickness, vision, and violence. On film, his athleticism and physical style are evident. The film definitely had flashes of quickness and violence, but, for me, the jury is still out on the translation of his vision. With that said, there weren’t any glaring indicators of bad vision, and the game should slow down for him eventually. In the clip below, we can see patience, vision, and burst on this 38-yard run.
Quinshon Judkins got his debut, and you've likely seen this highlight by now. I like that we got to see his potential upside so early. Patience, burst, and solid long speed are on display. pic.twitter.com/39JfveLEQK
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 23, 2025
He also demonstrates the ability to threaten defenders with his acceleration and combine balanced explosiveness with quick cuts to exploit running lanes. On the following play, his speed to the edge forced a defender to play a wider angle, allowing for a decisive cut upfield for a 14-yard gain, which he finished with power.
Judkins here on Outside Zone threatens the edge, causing #20 to overplay, creating space to cut upfield. Judkins wins with very good change of direction and burst here. I would want him to finish with a better pad-level here, though. pic.twitter.com/LBLIIDJUJj
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 23, 2025
Yes, the sample size is small, but it is easy to see how Judkins could be a “David Montgomery” with more “juice”, as the Ballers pointed out. Again, it is critical to remember that this was done against a Packers defense that had been very good against the run in the first two weeks. Judkins has a vibe of inevitability, where feeding him consistent opportunities will result in valuable production.
If you can find a good “price” on Judkins, you may want to take it. In real dynasty trades that have occurred since Sunday, it seems Judkins is in the range of multiple firsts. There was one trade where Judkins, Trey Benson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. were packaged to get CeeDee Lamb and Jakobi Meyers.
Things are starting to take shape, but as the Ballers recommend, it’s still a bit early to arrive at any hard conclusions yet. This includes underperforming vets and rookies as well as potential overachievers.
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