C2C Startup ADP Breakdown: Values, Reaches, and Sleepers
Matty identifies values, avoids traps, and finds an edge in every round
Every year in C2C startup season, I see the same thing happen. People don’t actually draft players; they draft their teams based on ADP. But once you start doing that, you’re no longer building your own team; you’re just building what the room tells you is acceptable. That’s not how I approach startups, and neither should you.
I’m not trying to “win value” or stay perfectly balanced on every pick. I’m trying to find where the market is wrong, where I can lean into real player outcomes, and where I can gain an edge that will show up on your team in season. I went through the first 20 rounds of C2C startup ADP, and these are the players that stood out to me the most.
Reach: Bo Jackson (1.06)
I know this is going to be unpopular, but Bo Jackson at 1.06 is way too high for me. I understand the upside potential, and of course, he’s an Ohio State running back, so he’s bound to be league-bound, right? But my concern is the production standpoint in college. He’s going to give you boom weeks, but there is also going to be down weeks. You are taking him in the 1st to build your team, and that scares me. I’d rather take an established commodity and go from there. RBs in the 1st round just don’t seem like a valuable pick to me. Round 1 is about reducing risk, not maximizing highlight potential. I like the player a lot, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t like the cost. It feels like a reach that you can find value very similar later in the draft.
Sleeper: LaNorris Sellers (4.09)
This is one of my favorite values in the entire early startup range. Lanorris wasn’t as bad as the stats looked last year, as he still averaged roughly 18 fantasy points per game. I’ve mentioned it before but he’s got a new offensive coordinator that has made some average QBs look good. Now you get a player who has elite traits paired with him. I’m really high on South Carolina’s offense and Sellers overall. I wouldn’t doubt if he doesn’t finish top 10 in fantasy points for 2026 for QBs. This just seems low on a QB who has legit NFL Draft stock with a good year, and I’m getting him in the 4th, sign me up.
