July is a strange time of purgatory on the dynasty fantasy football calendar. Rookie drafts are nearly finished, trade activity has slowed, and training camp hasn’t begun. On the surface, it feels like a lull, but the narratives for value shifts are forming. Depth charts are taking shape, while second-year players are gaining steam, and managers are using this window as their last chance to act before the chaos hits.
July | Dynasty Fantasy Football Calendar
What We Know
Breakouts are simmering beneath the surface while camp hype bubbles over. Hidden value is shifting as the rest of your league is away. July gives the illusion of calm, but beneath it, movement has already begun. And when camps start, the ones who stayed ready will be in the best position.
- Coaches are hinting at depth chart battles.
- Undervalued second-year players are gaining subtle momentum.
The fantasy market is in a holding pattern, but that means prices are artificially stable. And that creates opportunity.
Market Psychology
The league’s quiet, and this perception dulls urgency. Most managers either:
- Believe their roster is set.
- Too risk-averse to act without preseason data.
- Are distracted by summer plans.
That lull creates a vacuum where value leaks slowly, instead of spiking. Players rise and fall in perception before the news breaks. And once the storm hits in August, you’re either cashing in or chasing the market like everyone else.
Market Strategy
To win in July, you must act sharply. This month is about foresight. Your edge comes from:
- ADP that hasn’t caught up to role changes. J.K. Dobbins only recently signed with Denver, and his ADP is already climbing. Where will it be by the end of July?
- Camp hype hasn’t inflated prices. These are QB18-QB23 on Sleeper who could see a significant value surge, or decline, after camp news begins to circulate.
The managers who stay engaged now will have an advantage once the buzz becomes mainstream.
Here’s How to Approach Dynasty Fantasy Football This Month:
- Target Breakout Candidates. This is your window before they explode. Their ADP is still reasonable. It won’t be in August. Monitor buzz around players like:
- WRs in ambiguous depth charts offer hidden value. Take Green Bay, for example: Matt LaFleur said the concept of a “WR1” makes him vomit. In situations like this, targeting cheaper options like Romeo Doubs or Dontayvion Wicks outside pick 200 can offer major value upside over earlier round bets like Jayden Reed or Matthew Golden.
- RBs locked into backup roles who are easier to project. These players have a clearly defined path to relevance, one injury away from immediate value. When that moment comes, they’re easy to flip for value or plug in for points—depending on your team’s strategy
- TEs in pass-heavy systems. Cade Otten became a sneaky fantasy star for several weeks in 2024. Jonnu Smith, somehow, led a star-studded Dolphins receiver room in receptions. These outcomes weren’t expected, but they could have been anticipated.
- Sell the Hype
- If you sense a player’s value is built on camp vibes instead of an actual role, move on. Running with the 1st team is great, unless it’s an UDFA behind a 1st Round NFL pick. Raheim Sanders and Donovan Edwards are fun names to have on your taxi after throwing out a few FAAB. But if the camp hype gets heavy, sell the buzz—don’t buy it. If the breakout path isn’t sticky, take the profit and move on. July is the best time to offload camp darlings before they hit the preseason wall.
- Audit Your Roster & Insulate with Depth
- Identify weak spots now, not after Week 1.
- Secure RB3/WR3s with upside who could spike in August.
- Add “boring” vets who will earn steady targets/carries.
- It’s easier to fix holes now than to trade from desperation in-season.
Market Research
2nd Year Breakout Players
J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy has the rushing upside to be a difference-making QB, even in 1QB leagues.
This trade gap is more likely to widen further apart than it is to even out over time.
Trey Benson
Trey Benson is one injury from assuming the bulk of the backfield opportunities in Arizona, and a path to league-winning RB1 production.
Solidified Backup RB
Tyjae Spears
Aaron Rodgers is a backend QB2 in what’s likely his final season. He now holds some SuperFlex appeal. Moving from a 3rd to a 2nd round rookie pick while adding a pass-catching back (82 receptions in just 29 career games) may seem like a strategic depth move now, but it could be a steal in a few months.
Only a few players being drafted around this range have the same upside as Spears.
Ambiguous WR Rooms
Christian Kirk
This is the top-end cost for Christian Kirk, a future rookie 3rd, but when he’s locking down your WR3 spot, he’ll easily outperform that price.
Hunter Henry
I love this move for any roster, trading Kelce for Hunter Henry is reading the trend line, and picking up draft capital in the process.
August Look Ahead | Dynasty Fantasy Football Calendar
Preseason chaos is in full swing. Depth charts are shifting, injuries are hitting, and hype trains are launching and crashing daily. This is when the inattentive fall behind and the sharp get aggressive. Climb the chaos ladder by grabbing rising backups before the waiver surge and buying talent on the dip after bad preseason reports while everyone else is reacting.
