Dynasty Buy Window: 5 Players to Target Before Training Camp

Now is the time to buy.

LAB REPORTS

By: The Lab

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2026 Offseason Dynasty Buys

Dynasty is all about timing. Every offseason creates buying windows as player values fluctuate based on injuries, coaching changes, hype, and recency bias. The best dynasty managers don't buy after a player's value explodes—they buy before it does.

Some players on this list are coming off injuries. Others are being overlooked because of uncertainty or market perception. Regardless of the reason, I believe all of them have a realistic chance to significantly increase their dynasty value over the next year.

Here are my favorite dynasty buys heading into the 2026 season.

Player	Position	Current KTC Rank
Bucky Irving	RB	RB19
Malik Nabers	WR	WR6
Kyler Murray	QB	QB24
Ricky Pearsall	WR	WR47
Tucker Kraft	TE	TE5

Kyler Murray

Kyler to me seems like an obvious smash buy. QB24 is an insane ranking for Kyler in dynasty. People aren’t really scared of JJ McCarthy are they? And even if you are, you’re paying again QB24 pricing. Legit insanity.

He’s on a 1 year prove it deal with the Vikings. I think people look at this as a negative but I see it as a positive. First and foremost he’s playing with a major chip on his shoulder. A former franchise guy that’s now having to prove his worth again. On top of that JJ McCarthy is an abysmal NFL QB. Kyler has the chance to win the job out, have a good season, and become the Vikings franchise guy. Worst case scenario I think he ends up similar to Darnold, that no matter what he’s a starter for a team again next season.

The Production Has Already Been Elite

Kyler has never finished outside the top 12 at the position in points per game, with last season's 5-game season being the outlier. He is also now playing with arguably the best weapons, best offensive mind, and just overall best offense he’s ever had.

Year-by-year fantasy finish (FPPG):

2019: QB9 — 17.83 FPPG
2020: QB5 — 23.67 FPPG
2021: QB3 — 21.46 FPPG
2022: QB7 — 18.23 FPPG
2023: QB10 — 18.30 FPPG
2024: QB12 — 17.48 FPPG

That’s an absurdly consistent track record.

For his career, Kyler has averaged 19.5 fantasy points per game. That average would have been good enough for QB5 production last season. Yet the market values him as QB24. The gap between production and price is massive. Whatever concerns the market has are already baked into the cost.

At QB24, you’re not paying for a ceiling outcome. You’re paying for a player who’s being valued closer to a low-end QB2 despite producing like a QB1 for most of his career.

The Upside Case

Kyler still brings everything you want in fantasy:

Elite rushing ability at QB
Proven QB1 overall ceiling
Multiple top-5 fantasy finishes
Just entering his age-28 season

And now he’s entering one of the more favorable supporting environments of his career, with improved offensive structure and weapons compared to earlier years.

The Reality

Even if things aren’t perfect, Kyler’s range of outcomes is still heavily tilted toward usable fantasy production. At worst, you’re looking at a starting-caliber NFL quarterback who keeps his job and produces QB2 numbers with weekly spike weeks.

At best, you’re looking at a proven top-5 fantasy quarterback being drafted outside the top 20 at his position.

That’s a pricing inefficiency.

At QB24, you’re not betting on upside—you’re buying a discount on a proven ceiling.

And that’s exactly the type of bet that wins in dynasty.

Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving has become one of my favorite buy-low running backs in dynasty.

He's still just 23 years old and has already shown he can produce at a high level in the NFL. Yet his dynasty value has dipped because of concerns surrounding his injury and the addition of Kenneth Gainwell. To me, that creates a buying opportunity.

Despite battling injuries last season, Irving still averaged 13.85 fantasy points per game, which ranked RB18 on a points-per-game basis. That's a solid floor for what many dynasty managers are treating like a disappointing season.

What's even more exciting is what he looked like before the injury.

Over his first four healthy games, Irving averaged:

18.0 fantasy points per game
18 carries per game
5 receptions per game
108 scrimmage yards per game
0.5 touchdowns per game

Projected across a 17-game season, that pace comes out to:

RB6 overall
306 carries
85 receptions
1,836 scrimmage yards
9 touchdowns

That's league-winning upside.

Addressing the Concerns

The biggest concerns surrounding Irving come down to two things: his health and the arrival of Kenneth Gainwell.

The injury narrative gained traction after Todd Bowles said, "We expect Bucky Irving back sometime in the summer or fall." That understandably worried dynasty managers. However, Irving was later seen participating in minicamp and catching passes from Baker Mayfield, and all indications are that he'll be a full participant when training camp opens.

Could he get hurt again? Of course. But that's true for every running back in the league. At this point, there doesn't appear to be any reason to believe he'll enter the season with limitations.

The other concern is Kenneth Gainwell eating into Irving's receiving workload.

While Gainwell will likely have a role, I don't think it's enough to significantly hurt Irving's fantasy outlook. We've already seen this offense support multiple productive running backs. During Irving's rookie season, Rachaad White finished as a top-24 running back in both fantasy points per game and total fantasy points while catching 51 passes, the eighth-most among running backs.

That tells me this offense can sustain more than one fantasy-relevant back, especially with Baker Mayfield under center. There's also opportunity available in the passing game, as Tampa Bay enters the season with 36 adjusted vacated targets, leaving plenty of room for both Irving and Gainwell to be involved.

At his current dynasty price, you're buying a 23-year-old running back who has already flashed RB1 upside while the market focuses on questions that appear to be largely priced in. Those are exactly the types of bets I'm looking to make in dynasty.

Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers is one of the best values especially if you’re a rebuilder. He’s currently listed as the WR6 on KTC. He’s just 22 years old and has peaked at WR2. I think he can easily ascend into the top tier with JSN, Puka and Chase and has literal WR1 upside. At the moment he isn’t being priced as an untouchable because of injury, but fantasy is all about taking risk and buying low when others won’t.

A Historic Rookie Season

Nabers had a HISTORIC rookie season:

15 games
Rookie record for Targets + Receptions
109 catches
170 targets
34.9% Target Share

And he did it with bad QB play. Now he gets Jaxon Dart and I think he can provide Nabers with the ball at a higher level than he has ever had.

That level of volume + efficiency puts him in elite company:

18.2 FPPG as a rookie — higher than:
- Chase (17.9)
- Jefferson (17.1)
- Puka (17.6)
- Randy Moss (17.0)

The Upside

That’s not normal production. Nabers has 20 PPG upside. In his 3 full games last year he was at 17.7 FPPG. But I dont think we got to see the full potential or realization of what year 2 could have been.

This is why the upside is still massive.

He’s already producing like a top-tier WR, and now you’re betting on:

Natural year 2/3 growth
Better QB play
Continued elite target share

That’s how WR1 overall seasons happen and how a player transcends into the Dynasty WR1.

Ricky Pearsall

Ricky Pearsall is one of my favorite upside buys in dynasty. While his career has gotten off to a rocky start due to circumstances outside of his control, every time he’s been healthy and given a meaningful role, he’s produced.

Strong Finish to 2024

He closed out the 2024 season on a high note:

7.0 receptions per game
105.0 receiving yards per game
1 touchdown per game
23.8 PPR points per game

That stretch showcased the ceiling that made him a first-round NFL Draft pick.

Pearsall carried that momentum into the start of the 2025 season, averaging 14.6 PPR points, 5.3 receptions, and 93.7 receiving yards per game through the first three weeks. Unfortunately, a Week 4 PCL injury derailed his season, and he wasn’t fully healthy again until around Week 15.

Once healthy, the production returned.

In Weeks 15 and 17, Pearsall averaged:

14.6 PPR points per game
5.5 receptions per game
90.5 receiving yards per game

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, the opportunity is there for Pearsall to take another step. He’ll be just 25 years old and plays in one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses. With Mike Evans, Christian McCaffrey, and George Kittle all entering the later stage of their careers and having injury concerns, and with Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne no longer on the roster, there’s a clear path for Pearsall to earn a larger share of the offense.

While a lot of the red-zone opportunities will probably continue to flow through Evans, McCaffrey, and Kittle, Pearsall can still be an impact on the field. If he settles into a role averaging 6+ receptions and around 90 receiving yards per game, he has the profile to become a high-end PPR asset and significantly increase his dynasty value.

Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft is one of my favorite dynasty buys, especially in tight end premium leagues.

He's currently valued as the TE5 on KTC, and I still think there's room for him to climb. The market views him as being in the tier below the elite tight ends, but I think he has a legitimate chance to finish right alongside them.

Elite Production Already

Before suffering a knee injury last season, Kraft was putting together an outstanding year.

He finished as the TE4 in fantasy points per game (14.65) while establishing himself as one of the league's most efficient receiving tight ends.

His 2.27 yards per route run ranked among the NFL's elite pass catchers.

For perspective:

Ja'Marr Chase: 2.23 YPRR
Drake London: 2.32 YPRR
Tucker Kraft: 2.27 YPRR

That's not just elite for a tight end—that's elite compared to wide receivers.

The Opportunity Is There

The Packers enter the season with roughly 170 vacated targets, and much of the discussion has centered around which wide receiver will emerge as Jordan Love's top option.

I think there's another answer.

Tucker Kraft.

Jordan Love has consistently shown trust in Kraft, and his ability after the catch makes him one of the most dangerous weapons on Green Bay's offense. He isn't simply catching passes—he's creating explosive plays with the ball in his hands.

The Ceiling

Over a 17-game pace last season, Kraft was on track for:

68 receptions
1,039 receiving yards
14 touchdowns

The touchdown pace was likely unsustainable, but the yardage upside is very real.

Only Trey McBride eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards among tight ends last season. Even if Kraft's touchdown total falls into the 7-8 range, a 900-1,000 yard season would still put him firmly in the elite fantasy conversation.

Why He's Still Undervalued

The biggest reason I like Kraft is the market disconnect.

He's valued as the TE5, but dynasty managers treat him as though there's a massive gap between him and the top four tight ends.

I don't think that gap actually exists.

Instead, I believe Kraft belongs in that same conversation.

The drop in dynasty value between players like Colston Loveland and Tucker Kraft is far steeper than the difference in their expected fantasy production. That's an inefficiency I'd rather take advantage of than pay a premium for a player in the tier above.

The Dynasty Bet

At just 25 years old, Kraft already has:

Proven top-five fantasy production
Elite efficiency metrics
Outstanding yards-after-catch ability
A quarterback who trusts him
Significant target opportunity entering the season

In tight end premium leagues, difference-makers are incredibly difficult to find.

I believe Tucker Kraft has already shown he can be one of them, and I wouldn't be surprised if we're talking about him as a top-three dynasty tight end by the end of the season.

BONUS: Jalen McMillan

Jalen McMillan is one of the more overlooked upside bets in dynasty right now.

He’s currently priced as the WR58 on KTC, yet he already flashed meaningful production late in his rookie season and enters Year 2 with a realistic path to a much larger role.

Late-Season Flash

While his rookie year was inconsistent overall, McMillan finished the season on a strong note.

Over the final stretch of his rookie season, he showed what he’s capable of when involved in the offense, averaging nearly 20 fantasy points per game in his most productive span.

That stretch wasn’t random — it came when he began earning more consistent opportunities within the offense and showing he can win at the NFL level.

Path to a Bigger Role

The opportunity in Tampa Bay is what makes McMillan interesting.

The Buccaneers are entering a transition period at wide receiver, with significant vacated targets heading into the season — including over 100 targets from the WR room alone.

That creates a realistic path for multiple receivers to earn meaningful roles, not just one alpha.

McMillan’s clearest path to value is simple:

Earn the WR2 role behind Emeka Egbuka
Compete with Chris Godwin for consistent snaps and targets
Grow into a full-time rotational or starting outside role

Godwin’s return adds competition, but also uncertainty regarding role and usage as he works back into form. That keeps the door open for younger receivers to carve out meaningful snaps.

Why the Price Matters

At his current dynasty cost — often a late 3rd-round pick or similar throw-in value — McMillan is being valued as a pure depth dart rather than a developing third-year receiver with a clear role path.

That’s where the inefficiency is.

You’re not paying for a guaranteed starter. You’re paying for a player who has already shown NFL-level production flashes and now has a realistic opportunity to earn a consistent WR2/WR3 role in an evolving offense.

The Profile

This is the type of dynasty bet that makes sense at cost:

Third-year receiver
Proven NFL production flashes
Clear target opportunity opening
Minimal acquisition cost

If the role expands even modestly, McMillan doesn’t need to become a star to return value — he just needs consistent involvement in an offense that can support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers.

That’s the kind of upside worth buying at the bottom of drafts.

Final Thoughts

Dynasty value is constantly changing, and the best opportunities usually exist before the market catches on. Every player on this list is undervalued for a different reason, but they all have one thing in common: I believe their dynasty value will be higher a year from now than it is today.

You don't have to hit on every buy-low target to build a contender. If you consistently identify players whose price doesn't match their range of outcomes, you'll create long-term advantages over the rest of your league.

These are the six players I'm buying before the rest of the dynasty community catches up.

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