FFPC: Startup to Super Bowl
The NFL season is over, and many people are getting the itch for a new season of fantasy football. Are you looking for a new platform to try out or do you need to find new leagues to join? FFPC could be the place for you. They offer leagues for every type of fantasy player. There are Best Ball, SuperFlex, Dynasty, or Tournament styles to pick from. FFPC also has leagues for those who want to buy in for $5 and those who want to drop $10,000. If you want to join a dynasty league that is already running, there are orphans that you can take over. DLF has a partnership where you can get $25 off joining an orphan on FFPC by using this link.
This past year, we started our partnership with FFPC and had a DLF dynasty league startup. It was fun to take part in the start-up with experienced fantasy football players. So that everyone can get a look into how the setup works and how the league went, I will talk about the draft and the playoffs for the DLF league.
League Setup
This was a 12-team league with a start-up draft of 20 rounds. It was a slow draft with an eight-hour clock stopping between 2-8 AM.
Starting lineup consisted of:
- 1 QB
- 2 RB
- 3 WR
- 1 TE
- 1 Flex (QB, RB, WR, or TE)
- Additional 2 Flex spots (RB, WR,TE)
The regular season lasts weeks 1-14. Another component I like in this league was the 1,000 FAAB wallet to use all season for waivers. So, the decision is not based on who is the worst in the standings each week.
Startup Draft
The beginning of a dynasty draft can change the strategy very quickly. That was no different in this draft as eight quarterbacks were picked in the first round. I was at pick five and decided I would go with CJ Stroud, but that was a costly decision for me. Only one person decided to go quarterback with their two first picks (Lamar Jackson and Jordan Love). After the first three rounds, four managers already had two quarterbacks. Two more were taken in the fourth round and I made another costly decision that I could wait on quarterback. That same round Jared Goff was selected with pick 12 and I made the decision just to wait on quarterback based on what was remaining.
Round four was also a tight-end heavy draft where five were picked. I again made the costly mistake of taking Dalton Kincaid who might pan out in the future but this year did not. Round five would not have any quarterbacks and in round six, I decided to take a chance on Kirk Cousins. Yet again another costly decision for me has Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, and Bo Nix went after Cousins.
Wide receivers were heavy in rounds two through six. 29 out of 60 picks were receivers, but I only drafted one: Garrett Wilson. What saved me was getting Terry McLaurin in the seventh round as my second receiver. Running backs were slim through the first three rounds. Only six of the first 36 picks were running backs but this is where I gained an advantage. I selected Saquon Barkley as the fourth running back in round three.
Once the draft was completed, I thought I had an advantage at receiver. That was not the case as Diontae Johnson, Amari Cooper, and Calvin Ridley did not pan out. The duo of Saquon Barkley and Travis Etienne seemed solid. I was half right but luckily I picked up Aaron Jones and Chase Brown in rounds 11 and 12.
Playoff Results
Playoff standings were decided by Victory Points, which considers points scored and H2H victories. I like this format because it is not luck-based on how the scheduling works out. Playoffs included three division winners and three with the highest Victory Points. Despite my quarterbacks not producing much during the year, I made the playoffs as the second wildcard team. My team would end up being propped up by Barkley, McLaurin, and Brown.
Another twist in the playoff format was the wild card round in week 15. Seeds three through six would compete based on points scored and not matchup. The top two scorers moved on to week 16. This twist did not help me either, I finished seven points out of moving on.
The championship was decided by the total score in weeks 16 and 17 from the four remaining teams. Sometimes in the playoffs, the better team does not win. That was not the case in this league. The top two scores finished one and two with the leader in total points Beats by Gray winning the championship. Congrats to Ryan McDowell and below is a look at his stacked team, especially at quarterback.
Stay tuned for future articles where I will talk about strategy for the rookie draft, free agency, and trades in the off-season.
- FFPC: Startup to Super Bowl - February 14, 2025
- Five 2024 Rookies to Buy in the Off-Season - February 12, 2025
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Early Look: Devin Neal, RB Kansas - January 28, 2025
