July 22, 2016

Some players shine in PPR formats, Ben Ruppert will tell you 5 players who see a rise in rankings because of the amount of passes they catch.

There are certain players whose stars shine brighter in Points Per Reception leagues than Standard scoring leagues. In this piece, I will discuss five players who get a boost based on the amount of passes they catch, rather than the final raw stat lines that they produce.

Average Draft Position Data is according to Fantasy Football Calculator PPR ADP on 07/21/2016.

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PPR League Fantasy Value Boosts

Theo Riddick , Lions Running Back, ADP: 8.04 Overall, RB35

Last season, the Detroit Lions used a combination of backs, and plan to use Ameer Abdullah and Zach Zenner this year. No matter who starts for them, Theo Riddick is a solid PPR play. Riddick only had 830 total yards, but he was able to haul in 80 passes on 99 targets last season. With Calvin Johnson retiring and Joique Bell out of the picture, there are going to be plenty of touches to go around in the Lions offense. Riddick has proven to be a reliable pass catching back, and could see even more volume next season. Bell's absence also opens the door for Riddick to get some more carries, which will add to his already increased value.

Darren Sproles, Eagles Running Back, ADP: 11.06 Overall, RB48

Even with DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews in the fold last season, Darren Sproles had his usual role; catching passes out of the backfield, and returning kicks and punts. With Murray gone and Mathews his only competition, Sproles should see his role expand this season. He has the ability to create large mismatches in the passing game, on a level like few other running backs in the league can. Last season, Sproles caught 55 passes, but there’s more than a chance he catches 70-80 this season like he did in his days in New Orleans. He won’t get many rushing yards and only a few scores, making him much more valuable in PPR formats.

Danny Woodhead, Chargers Running Back, ADP: 5.03 Overall, RB21

This running back has value in standard, but his star shines much brighter in PPR leagues. Danny Woodhead had the best season of his career last year, with 1,091 yards from scrimmage and nine scores. More importantly, Woodhead caught 81 passes (most of his career) leading him to be RB4 overall in PPR leagues. With Melvin Gordon disappointing in his rookie season, Woodhead has a great chance to shine again in PPR leagues. He won’t repeat those career numbers, but he is being drafted far too late in leagues this year, going off the board at 21st among running backs.  The Chargers will give Gordon every chance to succeed to justify their selection of him in the 1st round of the 2015 NFL draft, but Woodhead has proven to be far superior in the passing game throughout his career.

Julian Edelman, Patriots Wide Receiver, ADP: 3.07 Overall, WR18

Even with Tom Brady being suspended for the first four games of the season, Julian Edelman is someone to target in drafts, especially in PPR leagues. Edelman isn’t overly big or fast, (5’10” 200 lbs.), but he knows how to catch a pass. He only played nine games last season due to a broken left foot, but he averaged 6.7 receptions 76.9 yards per game last season, catching a career high seven scores in his shortened season. He likely won’t hit that number again, which hurts his standard league value, but when healthy, it is likely he catches 80-90 passes for around 1,000 receiving yards, making him extremely valuable in PPR leagues. He is being drafted as the 18^th receiver according to Fantasy Football Calculator, but has the potential to be a top-10 option in PPR.

Jason Witten, Cowboys Tight End, ADP: 13.09 Overall, TE19

The Tight End position is normally a crap shoot outside of the top few guys, but one thing that remains constant is Jason Witten being a reliable target for Tony Romo to hit. Over the past five seasons, Witten has averaged 80.6 receptions on 114.4 targets, but only 4.8 TD. Last season he had zero drops on 100 catchable passes, per Pro Football Focus. Even as Witten gets older, he still is capable of catching 70-80 passes, keeping his PPR value up. Witten is one of the most stable, safe options you can own at TE with a high floor and a low ceiling. He can be had very late in drafts, so if you option to wait on a TE in a PPR league, look no further than Witten.

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