FFPC Main Event Draft Strategy: Building a Championship Fantasy Roster From Pick 11

After researching the NFL player pool for three months and developing the projections for all 32 teams, it’s time for me to bet my opinion on some players while also working through some draft decisions on the clock to hopefully develop some winning fantasy rosters.

My first step into the high-stakes area this summer is drafting a main event team ($2,200 entry fee - $1,600 for a second team) in the Fantasy Football Players Championship, where the overall winner takes home one million dollars.

FFPC Scoring

This format uses PPR scoring, with quarterback scoring four points for passing touchdowns. The wild card in developing teams in the FFPC is that tight ends score 1.5 yards per catch, compared to 1.0 for running backs and wide receivers. Some drafters don’t like it, but it does bring more variance to drafts. Understanding the value of tight ends is critical, especially for the teams that decide to cheat the position.

FFPC Roster Requirements

The FFPC also used two flex positions with two RB and WR roster slots, instead of the traditional two RBs, three WRs, and one TE feature in the high-stakes market. Offering two flex positions is a much better format, as it allows a team to take advantage of their running back depth better, which is often necessary after a key wide receiver injury. In addition, the second flex allows for different team builds centered on the higher value of tight ends.

I selected 11th in this draft, with a slow clock (six hours). I wanted to have more time to get in tune with this format's player flow and put more thought into my decisions each round. Here’s the draft board over the first six rounds:

FFPC Pick 11 Draft Breakdown

1.11 Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR), Detroit Lions

In the first round of this draft, I wanted to start my team with St. Brown based on his success over the past three seasons and the quality of the Lions’ offense. I have Puka Nacua rated first overall, but I can’t dismiss the current status of Matthew Stafford’s back. If he slid to me in the second round, I would have drafted him. In addition, Brian Thomas had a higher projection rating than Brown, but I chose resume/team over 2025 potential, knowing one player had a reasonable chance of sliding to me.

2.2 Ashton Jeanty (RB), Las Vegas Raiders

After Team 12 quickly snapped up Puka Nacua and Brian Thomas (great combo), I was excited to get a share of Jeanty at a slight discount. I shared my breakout thoughts on him on Fantasy On SI, and I expect him to be a big fantasy win this year.

People trying to trash Ashton Jeanty for his -1 yards on 3 carries, while ignoring that fact that he has a pop warner o-line…

pic.twitter.com/MrL8xmILl2
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) August 8, 2025

3.11 Breece Hall (RB), New York Jets

I had an open mind in the third round with no expectations of someone sliding to me. Last year, I had Hall on many teams, but he left me with an empty feeling due to unmet expectations. His expected pass-catching opportunity grades well, but Justin Fields will snipe some touchdowns. The Jets will rotate in a second back, which steals more value from Hall. In the end, I preferred his overall package and opportunity to those of Kenneth Walker and Chuba Hubbard, who were drafted after him.

4.2 Davante Adams (WR), Los Angeles Rams

As the 17th-ranked wide receiver in August in this format, Adams appears to be an overlooked asset. He ranked 12th in fantasy points (PPR) last season (241.30) despite sitting out three games with a possible phantom hamstring issue (wanted to get traded). In 2022 (third) and 2023 (tenth), he also ranked highly at wide receiver while also being a beast over the two previous years (115/1,374/18 and 123/1,553/11).

Last season, the Rams’ wide receivers led the NFL in catches (268), receiving yards (3,357), and targets (404). They accounted for 73.0% of LA’s completions and 81.8% of their receiving yards. Los Angeles barely throws to their running backs, and they don’t have a standout third receiving option. The only negative about Adams is his age (32).

5.11 Joe Burrow (QB), Cincinnati Bengals

In this format, Borrow has an ADP around 50, putting him in range of the team’s starting with Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins. Based on his expected options on the 5/6 turn in this format, I viewed him as a clear edge while also eliminating a week-to-week decision at quarterback that can lead to roster mistakes.

After the Chase team didn’t draft him, I thought Burrow had a reasonable chance of sliding to me due to teams 6, 7, 8, and 9 already having a quarterback. Team 10 added Calvin Ridley, and I was excited to catch a draft flow break by selecting Mr. Burrow.

6.2 Travis Kelce (TE), Kansas City Chiefs

If Joe Burrow didn’t walk down to me, my first debate was going to be between Kelce and T.J. Hockenson based on this format. There are late tight ends I expect to play well in this format, but other drafters will be aggressive filling in their tight ends, with some teams swooping in and rostering two to three options.

For the easy math, if Kelce catches 80 passes for 800 yards and five scores at age 36, he would score 230.00 fantasy points. Is that outcome higher than what should be expected from Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Ricky Pearsall, Jaylen Waddle, and Rice Rashee Rice, who get drafted around the sixth round?

Last season, only 17 wide receivers scored more than 220.0 fantasy points in PPR formats (23 in 2023 and 19 in 2022). The wideouts drafted above had a draft ranking in this league of 29 through 33. As for the running back position, 18 players scored more than 220.00 fantasy points (20 in 2023 and 19 in 2022).

Here’s a potentially surprising stat line to keep an eye on…

Travis Kelce’s season total O/U on receiving yards is 700.5 and touchdowns is only 4.5 😳 pic.twitter.com/QzIjPEQv86
— ClutchPoints Betting (@CPBetting) August 12, 2025

In essence, drafting Kelce and him reaching the floor stats I laid out would add a potentially top 40 scoring skill player (RB, WR, and TE) in this format at pick 62 (five were QBs), assuming the other four tight ends drafted in front of him deliver on their expectations.

Now, the debate between Kelce and Hockenson came down to this for me. Two years ago, Hockenson (95/960/5 – 268.50 fantasy points in this format), with Kirk Cousins throwing him the ball, and Justin Jefferson missing seven games. I like JJ McCarthy, and Hockenson gets a slight bump because Jordan Jefferson will miss three games.

I still have to treat Kelce as the number one option for Patrick Mahomes, but that role should be in the hands of Rashee Rice if he didn’t have a lingering suspension looming over his head. Based on this, I chose the fading player, knowing that Hockenson has a reasonable chance to beat Kelce this year. I will be interested to see if Kansas City can squeeze one more good season out of its star tight end.