You Got Through Round 1 . . . Now What? How to Navigate Your 2025 Redraft League From an Early Draft Slot
Image Credit: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire. Pictured: Bucky Irving.

Kevin Szafraniec details the strategies that fantasy managers who draw an early draft slot in their redraft leagues should implement in order to bring home championships in 2025.

Each passing year brings fantasy managers a new ADP landscape to navigate in their redraft leagues. While there are generally some tactics that carry over year-over-year, an ever-evolving player pool guarantees that no two seasons will ever be the same.

It can also be said that the strategies that fantasy managers deploy largely depend on the draft slot they draw. How we attack the early rounds can send ripple effects throughout the rest of our drafts. With this in mind, let’s look at the optimal redraft strategy for someone who is drafting from an early (picks 1-4), middle (picks 5-8), and late (9-12) draft slot.

While the early round strategies will feature some specific player targets, ADP variance as the draft progresses leads me to include more general statements as I work deeper through the draft landscape. If you are looking for specific player targets, Shawn Siegele has you covered with his updated breakdown of the FFPC’s Big Gorilla. Additionally, I have recently put out my 2025 Do Not Draft List, as well as my favorite final-round targets to help along the way.

For this exercise, I am using ADP data from the FFPC’s Main Event and Big Gorilla, as well as the roster and scoring settings from both contests, to populate the Win the Flex tool. For those who are not familiar, these contests use TE-premium scoring with starting lineups consisting of: 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 2 Flex, 1 K, and 1 D. While the TE-premium aspect may throw some fantasy managers for a loop, I would argue that it is a worthwhile addition for those who are looking to kick their league up a notch.

When looking at the charts from the Win the Flex tool, all images use data from 2020-2024 unless otherwise noted.

The FFPC offers fantasy managers two separate chances to bring home a $1 million grand prize in the Main Event and Big Gorilla! New users can save $25 off their first team with the code 25ROTOVIZ or by following this link!

Round 1: Hitting on High-End Outcomes

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Kevin Szafraniec

Full-time Cat Dad, Sneakerhead, Record Collector, LOTR Fanboy, and Jeopardy Enthusiast. Fantasy football writer and beatmaker in my free time. Follow me on X and Bluesky @thecatdadff

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Kevin Szafraniec breaks down the debut of one of the NFL’s hottest young rookies from 2025 and debates whether the growing hype will lead to fantasy championships in 2026. Jalen Hurts was considered a raw prospect when he entered the NFL, yet he found himself thrust into the Eagles’ starting role before his rookie year was over. During his four games as a starter in…...

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Kevin Szafraniec highlights a running back who displayed explosive upside as a rookie but will still have to play to the top of his potential if he plans on becoming a fantasy star in Year 2.  Kenneth Walker was positioned to become a fantasy star in his second season after putting his dynamic athleticism on full display during his strong rookie year. Sadly, the Seattle…...

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