In dynasty fantasy football, dominating your startup draft is one of the best ways to gain an early edge over your league mates and build a foundation for long-term success. Since player and positional ADP shifts every year, your draft strategy should evolve accordingly, making it crucial to stay informed and identify the “value pockets” throughout the draft. In this article, I’ll break down my dynasty draft strategy to attacking dynasty startup drafts this offseason, specifically in Superflex, PPR, and Tight End Premium leagues. (This is the most common dynasty format in my experience.) To ensure our analysis reflects current trends, we’re using post-NFL Draft ADP data from DynastyDataLab.com, based on a sample of over 500 Sleeper startup drafts with these exact settings.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
Dynasty Draft Strategy: 2QB/Superflex
Rounds 1-2
In previous years, a popular startup strategy in Superflex formats was to “double tap” quarterback in the first two rounds. Given that you can start up to two quarterbacks each week, QB ADP naturally rises in Superflex leagues, and locking in two reliable starters early often felt like a necessity, especially with quarterbacks typically offering the highest weekly ceiling in fantasy.
However, current dynasty ADP tells a different story. This offseason, there’s a wealth of quarterback value available in Rounds 4-8, which makes the old QB-QB start far less appealing. By taking two quarterbacks early, you’re likely passing up elite options at running back, wide receiver, or tight end. These are players who offer significantly more positional advantage and long-term upside at their respective positions.
That’s not to say QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Caleb Williams, Justin Herbert, or Drake Maye (who often go in the second round) aren’t worth their ADP individually. In fact, I believe they’re appropriately valued in a vacuum. But the gap in projected value over replacement between them and QBs available a few rounds later (like Brock Purdy or Trevor Lawrence) isn’t wide enough to justify passing on the top-tier talent at other positions early on.
Instead, my preferred strategy this offseason is to secure one quarterback in the first two rounds (ideally one with proven rushing ability and long-term upside), then circle back in the mid-rounds to fill the QB2 slot with strong-value options.
Top Mid-Round Quarterback Values
As mentioned earlier, I’m particularly bullish on the value of Brock Purdy (ADP 47) and Trevor Lawrence (ADP 49) in Superflex formats. In previous years, quarterbacks of this caliber were typically drafted in the late second or early third round, so grabbing them around the 4-5 is a clear value. Purdy recently signed a massive contract extension and has delivered back-to-back seasons averaging over 18 fantasy points per game (FPPG). Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence is coming off his worst season since his rookie year, but all signs point to a strong rebound. With rising star Brian Thomas Jr., dynamic playmaker Travis Hunter, and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who helped Baker Mayfield post a 22.5 FPPG finish last year, Lawrence’s upside is undeniable.
Speaking of Mayfield, he’s another intriguing value (ADP 42), though I do expect some touchdown regression in 2025. For those who are more risk tolerant, two promising but unproven options are Cameron Ward (ADP 44) and J.J. McCarthy (ADP 50), both relatively inexpensive and with upside. Finally, I love the value you can find later with Dak Prescott (ADP 64) and Tua Tagovailoa (ADP 86). While their lack of rushing ability somewhat limits their ceilings, both have proven they can finish as a QB1 (top 12) in fantasy and have solid supporting casts. These two make excellent, affordable QB2 options if you prefer to punt the position deeper into your draft.
Tight End Scarcity
If you’ve been playing fantasy football long enough, you know the tight end position can be a barren wasteland at times. This could very well be the case in 2025 as well. Outside of Brock Bowers and Trey McBride, there aren’t any tight end options that provide both elite upside and longevity. You could lean into the unknown of Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland in the fifth and sixth rounds, which I am personally a fan of. If you’re constructing a contending build, George Kittle (ADP 68) is an intriguing option, coming off a TE1 overall season in 2024.
If the guys listed above come off the board and you’re still without a tight end, I wouldn’t stress and reach for someone outside the top six or seven guys. The low-end TE1 values in dynasty (Dalton Kincaid, Mark Andrews, Tucker Kraft, and Kyle Pitts) are some of my least favorite values on the board. The floor is incredibly low, the ceiling is far from exciting, and they are all being drafted within the first nine rounds. I’d rather wait until Rounds 13 or later and grab someone like Cade Otton or Brenton Strange, or even take multiple dart throws on rookie tight ends like Terrance Ferguson, Oronde Gadsden, or Harold Fannin Jr.
Positional Needs Vs. Roster Value
To wrap things up, I wanted to emphasize the value of drafting the “best player available” in dynasty startups rather than zeroing in too early on positional needs. The goal in these drafts is to accumulate as much overall value as possible, since you can always address holes in your roster during the season through trades.
That said, don’t take this strategy to an extreme. Stay mindful of the draft board and your opponents’ tendencies. For example, if everyone is avoiding running backs and clear RB values keep falling each round, loading up on five running backs in the first six rounds will likely backfire. In that scenario, flipping some of those RBs later might be tough, and you’ll be forced to sell them below market value.
Ultimately, assuming your league is active and engaged, focusing on maximizing value and selecting the best player available is your safest bet. You can always trade or adjust your lineup as the season progresses. Your startup draft is about building the strongest foundation possible.
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Thanks for taking the time to read my dynasty strategy article today. If you have any specific dynasty, devy, or startup questions, I can be reached on X @jim_DFF.
