FFPC: Roster Cuts And Rookie Draft Preparation

Jalen Milroe | Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.

Brandon Haye Posted On April 9, 2025

The NFL Draft is just a couple of weeks away! Now is the time to join a new league in preparation for the dynasty rookie drafts. FFPC is the place to find those new leagues to join! They offer leagues for every type of fantasy player. There are Best Ball, SuperFlex, Dynasty, and Tournament styles. 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 using this link.

Last time, I talked about our DLF dynasty league on FFPC and how the Playoffs ended in the inaugural season. This time, I will discuss the cut down on rosters and strategy for the rookie draft before landing spots are determined.

Roster Cut Down

The roster limit in the offseason is 20, and by March 31st, your roster must be cut down to 16. There can be no players on injured reserve, and trading is paused for 24 hours after the cutdown deadline. Another big thing is to not wait for the automated cut down because that will cut based on ADP.

I did not have as difficult of a decision with my cuts as some of the other league members. You can see my remaining roster on the screenshot, and I will explain my cut decisions below.

Sterling Shepard, WR TB: In larger rostered leagues, this is a player I would like to keep because he had some nice games, and Chris Godwin’s health is unknown.

Sam Howell, QB SEA: I was wrong about Sam Howell last year in Seattle. I thought it was a great opportunity, and he would be starting by halfway through the season. That did not happen, and he did not look good in the one game he came in relief of Geno Smith. The Seahawks signed Sam Darnold, and I imagine they will draft a developmental quarterback.

Israel Abanikanda, RB SF: I liked Abanikanda coming out of college, but he never got much of a chance in New York. This is not a bad spot since the 49ers have been cursed with health issues at the running back position. Jordan Mason is no longer on the team, but there is still Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor ahead of Abanikanda.

Diontae Johnson, WR FA: This draft pick blew up in my face. I thought he would be a big part of the Carolina offense, but he was on three teams last year and had little impact. He is a free agent now and I wonder if he may be done in the NFL.

With a smaller roster in this league, some notable cuts had to be made.

Team Needs

I went all in on CJ Stroud as my number one quarterback, but he had a disappointing year. I still have to believe he will bounce back, but the only other quarterback on my roster is Kirk Cousins, and his status is in limbo. So, in superflex, the quarterback position is a huge need for me.

Running back, I have a stud in Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones should have another productive year in Minnesota. I kept both Jacksonville running backs, but if they draft a new back, then this could be trouble. Chase Brown was another good sleeper, but his status depends on whether the Bengals select a running back. So RB is not a need, but you always want to get a new back to keep the pipeline going.

I hit big with Terry McLaurin in the draft, but Amari Cooper was a bust. I held onto Cooper, hoping he still had a little left in the tank. The Jets did not meet expectations, but Garrett Wilson had his best year and is being reunited with his college QB Justin Fields. The Titans quarterback situation is unsettled, but Calvin Ridley as my third receiver is not too bad. So, I feel good about three of my receivers, but I need to bolster this position with the uncertainty of a couple of the players.

Tight End I went young in last year’s draft, and there is a mixed bad. Dalton Kincaid was going to be the highest value, but he struggled with injuries. Rookies Ja’Tavion Sanders and Theo Johnson looked promising before their season-ending injuries. This league only makes you start one tight end, so this is not a glaring need in my eyes, as I can play matchups.

Draft Strategy

The rookie draft in this league is set for May 3rd, and there are seven rounds. Since I made the playoffs, I will be picking from spot eight. This is a problem for me looking to find another starter at quarterback. This class is not as deep, and after the top two, there are questions about their ability to be NFL starters. So in my opinion I have three options. One trade up serious draft capital or players to reach the top three picks, select a second-tier quarterback at pick eight, or wait and see who is left when I pick in round two.

Last year, my team was successful despite average quarterback play. I am not sold on Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, so I am not likely to make a big trade to move up. Depending on the draft capital, I could see myself taking a chance on Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart late in the first round. If not, I would take the best available RB or WR.

Overall, I need to get at least one QB and TE sometime in the draft to help fill a pipeline for the future. The rest will be used on WR and RB since I think that is where the depth is in this class.

Depending on where they fall, here are some players I will be looking at after round one:

Jalen Royals, WR Utah State
Ricky White, WR UNLV
Devin Neal, RB Kansas
Jayden Higgins, WR Iowa State
RJ Harvey, RB UCF
DJ Giddens, RB Kansas State
Jack Bech, WR TCU

Stay tuned for next month’s article, where I will talk about strategy during the rookie draft and the results.

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Brandon Haye

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I am a data analyst for a health insurance company and try to bring both film and analytics together in my fantasy football analysis. I have been playing fantasy football for over 20 years and enjoy every type of format. I have a soft spot for Devy because of my love for college football.