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FFPC Main Event Strategy Guide: How to attack the first 6 rounds

Make sure to check out Part 1 of the FFPC Main Event Strategy Guide, breaking down the rules of the contest.

I’m going to cover Rounds 1-6 in this part of the Strategy Guide. Building an explosive core in the early rounds will be vital in building your million dollar winning roster.

The biggest key to good roster construction is winning the flex positions. The FFPC allows for 2 flex starters (RB,WR,TE). In order to have an absolute juggernaut, you have to have 2 players in the flex that are smashing. We just want points!

Speaking of points… The players that score the most points based on where you will be taking your flex positions (Rounds 3-6) are WRs. Historically, after round 1, WRs outscore RBs at their respective ADPs. WR15 outscores RB15, etc. We need to know ADP in order to maximize these picks. though. Check out Main Event ADP here.

Roster construction is almost as important as the actual players we select. We will go through my favorite players in these rounds, but another crucial tool is the Draft War Room. The DWR is a dynamic cheat sheet that adjusts rankings as the draft moves along. You can sync it to your draft and league. It is a game-changer, folks!

In order to find value and smash the flex, we need to compare Draft Sharks projections to ADP. That is where we find the value. That is where we smash the flex. Let’s get started.

If we look at the top 24 scoring players (Non-QBs) in Draft Sharks projections, we find 12 RBs, 9 WRs and 3 TEs. Don’t forget TEs get 1.5 PPR in this TE-premium scoring format. It's a pretty diverse top 2 rounds.

There may be more RBs in the top 24, but check out the top 5 in projected scoring…

1. WR Cooper Kupp
2. TE Travis Kelce
3. RB Christian McCaffrey
4. RB Jonathan Taylor
5. WR Justin Jefferson

Let’s take a look at the current Main Event ADP below using the DS ADP Index Tool.

Lamb, Diggs, Hill and Andrews are all projected to outscore the RBs in round 2. The highest scorers in every round, based on ADP, from Round 2 to about Round 7 are WRs.

Check out round 3…

WR Jaylen Waddle is the only Non-RB projected to score fewer points than Nick Chubb in Round 3. Three of the bottom 4 projected scorers in the round are RBs.

I’m not afraid to go WR heavy in the first 6 rounds of Main Event drafts. In order to put 2 WRs in the 2 flex spots, we need to go WR early and often.

There is a position scarcity issue at RB – and I generally wont take one after Round 3 until Round 8 or so. I’m ok with a RB or 2 early to get the position out of the way, but don’t forget that RB bust rates in the early rounds are much higher than WR bust rates in those same rounds. Proceed with caution.

Now that we have an idea of the macro view of the first 6 rounds, let’s go round by round and look at my favorite players to build a team around. I will be posting current ADP to go along with each round.

Round 1

I like to include a few more players in the ADP because this is the Main Event and a “get your guys” type of draft. I mean, we are competing for a million bucks!

I love the WRs in Round 1. I am targeting Kupp, Jefferson, Chase and Diggs in that order. If I can get any one of them I am thrilled and on my way to a stacked WR corps.

There are 4 RBs I would be willing to take as well. CMC and JT in the top 2-3 spots. Ekeler and Saquon in the back half of the round if I miss out on my top WRs. I love grabbing Barkley, The 2022 DS Comeback Player, in the back third of Round 1. I know his ADP says 15th overall but I don't want to risk it with the potential #1 overall RB in ‘22.

TE Travis Kelce would be the only TE I consider in Round 1. We have him projected as the #2 overall scoring non-QB in this format, but his age does concern me a little. I like him anywhere after pick 4.

If going Zero RB (No RBs in first 4-5 rounds) or Hero RB (1 Rb in Round 1 or 2 and no more for 5-6 rounds) isn't for you, then I would suggest drafting 2 RBs by Round 3. After Round 3, I will rarely, if ever, suggest taking a RB until Round 7 or 8. That’s the RB Dead Zone: the RBs have a much higher bust rate in those ranges while not projecting to score as many points as the other positions in that range.

Round 2

My dream scenario in Round 2 is Saquon or TE Kyle Pitts. I take them in Round 2 every time regardless of how I start in Round 1.

WR CeeDee Lamb is my WR of choice in Round 2 if I don't get Pitts or Barkley. Lamb could finish as a top 2-3 WR this season.

WR Mike Evans is a player I have always loved and someone I have already taken in the Main Event in Round 2. A small hamstring issue and the Bucs adding Julio Jones has me a little down on him as of late. He’s still a fine pick late in Round 2.

RB Javonte Williams has top 3 RB upside and can be had late in the 2nd round. A nice upside play, especially if you go WR or TE in Round 1.

Round 3

If Javonte Williams does fall to the 3rd round, I think he’s a great pick with low risk at that point in the draft.

I really like all the RBs in this range and have found myself taking them because it’s the last stop before the RB Dead Zone hits. RB Cam Akers is probably the only RB that I would completely fade in Round 3. I have passed on Breece Hall and James Connor in hopes that they fall back to me in the 4th round.

D.J. Moore and Tee Higgins are the 2 WRs I have been targeting most in the 3rd round. Higgins has a nice floor, while Moore is due for a smash season with a QB upgrade arriving in Baker Mayfield.

Round 4

If RBs Breece Hall or James Conner fall to the 4th round, they are a quick smash for me. (Unless I started with 2 RBs in the first 3 rounds, which is rare.) Remember, we generally want WRs in our flex spots – BUT Conner and Hall could easily find themselves as top 10 RBs.

WRs are usually the answer in Rounds 4-6 for me. My top targets in Round 4 are Allen Robinson, Jerry Jeudy and Rashod Bateman. You won’t see Bateman or Jeudy on the ADP list for Round 4, but remember this is a “get your guys” draft. I’m currently doing a slow Main Event Draft from the 4 hole where I took Jeudy in the 4th and Bateman in the 5th.

Josh Allen is not an option for me here. I NEVER want to be the team that takes the first QB.

TE is a hard pass for me as well here. I either want an elite one with Kelce or Pitts, or I want to wait till round 6 to get a DS favorite. Stay tuned…

Round 5

Round 5 is another round for WR. Brandin Cooks, Jerry Jeudy and Rashod Bateman are my Round 5 targets and one of them is always there.

Cooks is a player you could take in Round 4 as a floor play, but I prefer him in Round 5 and he falls here enough to justify passing in Round 4.

Jeudy has 2021 Cooper Kupp vibes to me. I think he is very talented and got a massive QB upgrade. Unlike Kupp, we just haven't seen Jeudy do it yet. This may be the year.

We love Bateman at DS, especially in the 5th round. Make sure to read why Bateman is our 2022 Breakout Player.

I am continuing to be patient on TE (If I don’t have one yet) and QB as we roll into round 6.

Round 6

Ok nowwwww we can look at TE and QB.

A DS favorite is TE Dallas Goedert. He’s a smash pick here in the 6th round and could finish top 4 at the position. I don’t mind taking Goedert even with an elite TE already on the team. 2 TEs in the first 6 rounds can make your roster unique in this tournament. In 2019 when I placed top 5 overall in the Main Event, I started Goedert, Zach Ertz and Mike Gesicki at the TE and flex spots the last 2 weeks. They all smashed and I flew up the rankings because my roster was unique.

Kyler Murray is my personal QB1 and I often take him in the 6th round. His ADP is the early 7th, so I don't mind taking a stand here. He has a really nice fantasy playoff schedule with a shootout against the Bucs and a probable blowout against the Falcons.

I wouldn't blame anyone for taking Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes or Jalen Hurts here either. The time is right for an elite QB.

If you want to continue to wait on the position and want another WR to smash the flex, then I like a bunch of the WRs here. Chris Godwin is a steal if he plays Week 1. Michael Thomas is also a steal if he is back to 100%.

That covers the first 6 rounds of how I’m attacking FFPC Main Event Drafts. The overall theme is you can never have too many WRs. If you take a RB or 2 early that’s ok, just make sure you start on WR no later than Round 4. Add an elite TE or QB and you are well on your way!

Check out Part 3 of the FFPC Main Event Strategy Guide: Winning the 'onesie' positions.

Kevin English, Senior Analyst

Kevin brings 15 years of experience as a fantasy analyst and mid-stakes competitor across various formats (redraft, best ball, dynasty, DFS). His work has been featured on The Mercury News, Rotoworld, and FantasyPros.