While the draft remains my favorite part of dynasty roster building, the last week of the season is almost better. It allows me to shed older roster cloggers and players from more volatile positions like tight end, defensive back, and defensive line, and try to find deep for dynasty stashes for next season. Most will miss, but if you hit on just one, it’s like getting a free draft pick by dropping a player you weren’t relying on anyway. Below is a list of potential last-second Deep Dynasty Stashes to add before waivers lockdown for the season.
Quarterbacks for Deep Dynasty Stashes
Joe Milton | Patriots | Rookie
There was a hiccup and a murmur in the preseason when hot takes were seeping through that said Joe Milton was outplaying Drake Maye. Obviously, we aren’t living in that world. Still Milton showed well before the season and now that Maye has solidified himself as the future the club might be willing to let Jacoby Brissett move on in free agency and put Milton an injury away from fantasy impact.
Milton has upside that he finally started reaching his senior year at Tennessee. He played in his first career game in week 18 for the Patriots passing for 241 yards and touchdown while completing 22 of 29 attempts. He also ran in a score. An added twist is that his size (6-3 235) and speed (4.62 40) have some believing his best NFL position could be tight end.
Jack Plummer | Panthers | Rookie
Jack Plummer is an undrafted free agent who the Panthers just added to their regular roster. While it may be nothing, it may also be a longer term chess move to get him a main roster paycheck and hold his rights into an offseason when current backup Andy Dalton will be a free agent. Plummer bounced from Purdue to California to Louisville, closing out his career with two solid seasons of over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. You could do worse taking a shot that Plummer is the backup to a very volatile Bryce Young.
Running Backs for Deep Dynasty Stashes
Will Shipley | Eagles | Rookie
Will Shipley is owned in most leagues, so he might not fit this list as well as the rest of the group, but running backs are hard to find and fantasy league rosters are diverse in size and construction. Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell have dominated the Eagles backfield share, but Gainwell hasn’t been special, and he’s heading to free agency.
Shipley wasn’t used much before week 18 when he had rushed 10 times for 32 yards and caught 4 balls for 35 yards. Shipley had just 20 carries for 50 yards, playing more than 230 snaps on special teams including returning kicks prior. He was a dual-threat RB at Clemson (85 career catches), and I bank on that being the case at some point next year in Philadelphia. If he’s unavailable, he might be worth a trade flyer to an owner frustrated by his lack of production in his first year.
Sione Vaki | Lions | Rookie
Sione Vaki was a surprise 4th-rounder in 2024 after he started 17 games at safety for Utah. He also played running back as a senior rushing for 317 yards and added 203 yards receiving with 5 total scores and that’s where the Lions have him on the depth chart. Like Shipley, Vaki has primarily played on special teams where he has seven tackles. Week 16 against the Bears, Vaki had 2 catches for 20 yards. With Montgomery out, he’s bound to see a few more opportunities when 2025 kicks off next season.
Wide Receivers for Deep Dynasty Stashes
Tyler Scott | Bears | 2nd Season
Tyler Scott’s numbers are down in his 2nd season after the Bear loaded up at receiver. With the team under new leadership for 2025, and DJ Moore and Rome Odunze locked in as starters, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they go with a lighter investment for their 3rd WR. The next man up may be given more of an opportunity next year. Keenan Allen (32 years old) and DeAndre Carter (31) will be hitting free agency. Scott will be entering his 3rd year, which used to be the breakout year for WRs.
Jha’Quan Jackson | Titans | Rookie
The 2024 6th rounder for the Titans, Jha’Quan Jackson, has just one catch, but is the primary punt returner and one of the top kick returners for the Titans. He’s buried behind Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Tyler Boyd this year, but both are free agents. The Titans will probably have a new QB under center next year and patient management could benefit Jackson. Of note, he has fumbled five times this year, losing two of them.
Jordan Whittington | Rams | Rookie
The Rams’ improved health has been Jordan Whittington’s loss as his snaps and targets have dwindled. Prior to week 18 he caught just one pass since Week 5 when 4 progressively stronger weeks put him at 18 catches for 201 yards on the year. Then he broke out in week 18 with 3 catches for 86 yards including a 50-yarder. He also flashed in the preseason with 11 catches for 126 yards.
Both Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell are free agents after this year, opening the door for Whittington to have a much bigger role. Over 120 of Whittington’s 201 yards were after the catch, which suggests more playmaking than his draft profile might have. If he can avoid the injury bug that hurt him in college, Whittington could slide right into a starter role alongside Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
Tight Ends for Deep Dynasty Stashes
Tanner McLachlan | Bengals | Rookie
Tanner McLachlan is an enigma. The team is basically redshirting him due to a late injury. An injury that wasn’t bad enough to send him to IR. They like him enough that he’s been on the 53-man roster all year, but they don’t like him enough to play him despite injuries to Erick All and Tanner Hudson.
Hudson and Mike Gesicki are both free agents this offseason, and All will be coming off his 2nd torn ACL in as many seasons. McLachlan could go from never playing to primary pass-catching tight end in a Joe Burrow offense. An older rookie, McLachlan will already be 26 in March, which could affect his longevity in the league.
Jaheim Bell | Patriots | Rookie
Jaheim Bell is another rookie who has played primarily on special teams. While he has over 40 offensive snaps, Bell has just three targets this year. At South Carolina and Florida State, he was a slightly undersized playmaker who added four touchdowns on the ground to his nine through the air. The Patriots backup tight end Austin Hooper is 30 and will be a free agent at year’s end. While Bell would be entrenched as the second tight end to Hunter Henry, the Patriots play two TE’s enough that Hooper still managed 50 targets through 15 games.
Jared Wiley | Chiefs | Rookie
Jared Wiley is another one who is probably owned in most leagues, but his knee injury and lack of production might make him available. Kelce is always in jeopardy of moving on and Wiley—who led all FBS TEs in receiving TDs in 2023—might benefit from those targets (122 in the first 15 games) going elsewhere.
Noah Gray is probably the next man up in Kansas City, but there are enough targets to go around in an Andy Reid offense. If Travis Kelce does retire, Wiley’s stock will skyrocket during the offseason. This could be a chance to find a “free” rookie 2nd or 3rd round pick on the waiver wire.
Additional Content to Deep Dynasty Stashes
In case you missed it, we released our most recent 1QB Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft:
