Half-PPR Fantasy Football Rankings for 2021 and 2023
Standard scoring formats dwindle down the pool of fantasy-relevant players and make finding value difficult. Half PPR opens up more ways to score points at each position, notably allowing elite running backs and wide receivers to gain additional value.
Here are my week 1 fantasy football rankings in half PPR scoring.
Running Backs
In the not-so-distant past, running backs were considered one of the hottest fantasy positions to draft for. Now, however, the zero-RB draft strategy has exploded in popularity and many of the position’s stars are slipping on the draft boards.
Fortunately, PPR scoring has opened up the fantasy value of certain players and expanded their usefulness across different leagues. It also reduces the impact of touchdowns, which can vary drastically each week.
Nick Chubb could be the best pure runner in the NFL, but his RB2 finish last season was the result of an enormous workload (378 rushing attempts). If he can handle a similar role, he has top-tier upside as a PPR RB1.
Wide Receivers
The value of receiving yards and touchdowns in PPR leagues boosts the ceilings of wide receivers. Even players with below-average touchdown production (see: Jerry Jeudy in 2022) can still produce high-end fantasy WR2 production with strong reception counts and a consistent role in the team’s pass attack.
Similarly, running backs with a good amount of receiving yards can still be high-end fantasy RB2s in PPR formats. Alvin Kamara, for example, finished 14th in rushing yards last season but was the highest-scoring non-QB in PPR leagues.
Pass-catching tight ends like Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, Delanie Walker, Greg Olsen and Evan Engram also see a boost in their fantasy points per game with PPR scoring. This brings them closer to the scoring of top pass-catching wide receivers like Rob Gronkowski.
Tight Ends
The position is top-heavy in 2021, with Darren Waller and George Kittle expected to go off the board early in drafts. However, there is some value in the next tier as well.
Thomas is a solid TE1 who could see his target share rise even further with the addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has a good floor and ceiling in PPR formats.
Kittle should inherit some of the departed Kendrick Bourne’s targets and has a high fantasy ceiling. He’s worth a late-round pick for his upside.
Firkser is another TE who deserves a late round look due to his skillset. He’s an intriguing play if he sees close to 70-80 targets in Downing’s offense this season.
Quarterbacks
There are a lot of questions around the quarterback position heading into 2023. Reigning Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes is the top-ranked quarterback, but many believe he will have competition from Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen. These three are true dual-threat quarterbacks that can move the ball both through the air and on the ground.
PPR scoring has become a popular way to weight fantasy statistics. Every reception a player makes adds one point to their total, which helps to offset the volatility of touchdowns.
Using this format allows us to see how these players stack up against each other more clearly and make informed decisions when streaming. Especially for owners of teams that have a stable running game, a high-quality quarterback play can be just as important as a good wide receiver or tight end. This is why evaluating these players and their matchups is so critical. This will help you determine whether to start or stream them on a weekly basis.