not sure what your question is but i think you want to consider prestige teams - i have 2 teams at 1500 and 1200cp (i'd swap 1500 for 1400 cp in hindsight). oddish/bellsprout/hoppip are great presigers so it's worth hoarding 'mons that will evolve to those levels from the grass triples, water & ice and ofc wigglytuffs plus a raichu/jolteon.
nidos and zubat are certainly trash but abra and machop are worth hoarding candy for max level - they are terrible prestigers, dratini/larvitar ofc you want to level your best. fire and water starters suck at everything, ditto ghastly.