While NFL training camps still haven’t opened, fantasy football draft season is already underway at the Fantasy Football World Championship. Some of the best and brightest in the FFWC world joined an early Starter League. This FFWC Starter League Draft Review recaps the draft.
FFWC Full Season Starter Leagues
FFWC Starter Leagues are a great way to start off your 2025 draft season. Starter leagues are full-season leagues where you set a lineup each week, with FAAB and FCFS roster management. They are a great way to introduce new players to the wonderful world of high-stakes, competitive prize league fantasy football.
They have a $50 entry, with $500 in prizes per league and a grand prize of over $1500! These are 18-round drafts that use PPR scoring. Starting lineups include 1 QB – 2 RB – 3 WR – 1 TE – 1 FLEX (RB-WR-TE) – 1 DST (No kickers). No trades are allowed.
Here are the results from a recent Starter League draft.
Roster Construction
With full PPR scoring and the ability to start three running backs or four wide receivers, quarterbacks plummeted down the draft board. In an era of Superflex roster construction, this seems unusual. However, it is the right approach in this format.
13 of the first 20 picks were wide receivers. The first signal caller, Josh Allen, wasn’t taken until the first pick of Round 6. With the QB position being so deep, waiting on quarterback, and attacking the needed positional depth was the strategy du jour.
In fact, two teams had yet to take a starting quarterback in the first 12 rounds!
This shows how deep the position is this season, and is a fascinating example of just how much draft strategy can change from league to league.
Draft Bargains
James Conner (5.10) – Conner’s FFWC ADP is 54.8 as RB19. Los Lobos got a nice bargain with Conner falling a few spots, but all the way down to RB25 looks tremendous. Conner has finished as RB15, RB13, and RB9 in PPR points per game in his last three seasons.
Calvin Ridley (7.09) – With abysmal quarterback play last year, Ridley still drew 120 targets and finished as the WR27 in full-point PPR leagues. Ridley has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and Cam Ward is substantially better than any QB the Titans had in 2024. He’s a top-25 wideout on my board.
Jakobi Meyers (8.03) – Three years in a row, Meyers has been a top-30 fantasy wideout in PPR points per game. He ranked 20th last year, and that was sharing targets with Brock Bowers. The Raiders have a huge upgrade at quarterback with Geno Smith, and the addition of RB Ashton Jeanty should also help the passing attack. Snagging Meyers as the 43rd wideout is a strong +EV move.
Team 1 late-round WR – I love that Mad Dads didn’t waste a draft pick on a kicker or defense. Smart move in a league that has waivers open before Week 1. I love three of his final four picks: Xavier Legette, Devaughn Vele, and Amari Cooper. These are potential depth pieces, making them excellent late-round dart throws.
Questionable Selections
Chris Godwin WR22– I rostered Godwin everywhere last year, so I know he’s a stud. But his current FFWC ADP is WR30. It’s a risk/reward pick, and I’m a fan of Godwin. But it feel like Godwin could have waited another round-especially if there was no plan to stack with Baker Mayfield.
Mike Evans WR17 – There’s nothing wrong with Evans at WR17. That is his current FFWC ADP. However, Terry McLaurin’s is WR16 and would have been a sweet stack with Respected Money’s QB, Jayden Daniels. I’m sure he didn’t know Daniels would last until Round 6, which is understandable.
Brian Robinson RB22 – I don’t get this one at all. Robinson’s FFWC ADP is 83.7 as RB30. He ranked 30th with 11.7 PPR points per game last season. I would have taken each of the next five running backs selected before Robinson, who went three full rounds earlier than his ADP suggests.
Joe Burrow QB4 – This is not a bad pick at all, I just wanted to point out that Lucky Mike savagely prevented Mad Dads from stacking Burrow with the overall 1.01, Ja’Marr Chase. All part of the fun, but that must’ve hurt. Speaking of hurt, Jalen Hurts wasn’t a bad consolation prize two spots later.
Jordan Love QB14 – Nothing wrong with the value here, just don’t like the idea of clogging up the roster with three good signal-callers in a league without trades. I do like the addition of Kareem Hunt two rounds later.
Cedric Tillman WR49 – Tillman’s current ADP is 165.1 as WR67. Nice late-round target, but not in Round 9.
Top Contenders
Team 1 – Aside from the Burrow snipe, Mad Dads compiled a nice roster, with plenty of late-round values. RB depth is light, but he did a good job attacking depth in Rounds 11-14.
Team 4- I love this team’s start, with two quality backs and three solid wideouts right out of the gate. Pirate Munkees punted tight end and still managed to land two decent options. He was also the last team to target QB, but still got a quality tandem in Drake Maye and C.J. Stroud
Team 8 – Any FFWC veteran knows Respected Money is going to be a force. Even with Mike Evans over Terry McLaurin, this team’s first dozen picks were solid. Additionally, we know this team will be well managed all year long, making them a force to e reckoned with.
Team 10 – Los Lobos picked Godwin a little early, but made up for it with excellent value recognition. They have quality depth, but can we talk about Kyle Pitts SZN yet?
Team 12 – Always Smooth is a formidable opponent. This draft shows that. He got Christian McCaffrey in Round 2, then was able to handcuff him with Isaac Guerendo in Round 12. He landed three top-25 starting wideouts and even got the top quarterback in the draft. D’Andre Swift has been one of my favorite middle-round RB targets. RB26 is a screaming value. A pair of quality tight ends didn’t wreck his depth, and I like some of the late-round WR dart throws. Backfield depth will be an issue, but Smooth will keep this team in contention with his savvy in-season management.
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