X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Couldn’t Catch a Cold - Players to Be Wary of in PPR Leagues

One of most simple, yet undervalued pieces of fantasy advice is always “play and draft to your league settings”. Players should take this to heart especially when it comes to league scoring settings. The difference between PPR (points per reception), half PPR and standard can really go a long way in determining a team’s chances for success after and during the league draft or auction.

Players drafting in PPR leagues especially need to be aware of the impact of receptions in overall scoring at the running back, wide receiver positions especially. There was only one running back in the top ten of PPR scorers with fewer than ten receptions in 2016 and that was LeGarrette Blount who scored 18 touchdowns. The need for receptions is even more drastic at wide receiver with no top ten finishers catching lower than 75 passes.

There are players that will be taken in every draft regardless of format that have the upside to be league winners, but fantasy owners may want to think twice about selecting the following players at their current ADP (average draft position) in PPR leagues due to their lack of upside they bring in the passing game.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Early Round PPR Fades

Marshawn Lynch, Oakland Raiders (2.09)

If Lynch’s ADP in a standard league was 2.09 that would certainly be acceptable (he’s currently going 2.05 in standard according to Fantasy Football Calculator for those that are wondering), but in a PPR league that’s a bit of a stretch. Even in one of his most productive years, in 2014 where Lynch finished as the number four running back on the season, he only saw 48 targets. He did see 67 targets in one season, but that was in Buffalo in 2008 as a 22 year old, not as a 31 year old coming out of retirement.

The combination of Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington will also limit Lynch’s potential targets and receptions as the two totaled 62 targets of their own in their rookie seasons in 2016. Lynch does have the potentially to score double digit touchdowns behind on the number seven offensive line heading into 2017 according to Pro Football Focus, but in PPR leagues players like Leonard Fournette (pick 2.11) should be going ahead of him due to the lack of clarity in his passing game role.

 

Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (3.10)

One of the fantasy breakouts from 2015, Allen Robinson plummeted back to earth in the 2016 season after totaling 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015. A large contributor to his 2016 regression (883 yards and 6 touchdowns) was the lack of “garbage time” production (Robinson had 436 yards and five touchdowns in 2015 vs. 229 yards and just one touchdown in games where his team was losing by seven or more points).

We certainly cannot predict how all games will finish in the NFL this season, but the Jaguars do stand to be in tighter games with an improved defense yet again and re-emphasis on the running game behind rookie Leonard Fournette. Robinson will also have to be more efficient with his targets in 2017 as he’s only caught 50.3% of his total targets in the last two seasons. His lack of efficiency in hauling in passes and inconsistent production are reasons why drafting Alshon Jeffery or Sammy Watkins two picks later at 3.12 over Robinson would certainly be better options in PPR leagues.

 

Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Pirates (4.09)

There is certainly no question about the talent of Martavis Bryant, when he is on the field; he’s as dynamic of a wide receiver as there is in the NFL. The big issue standing in the way of Bryant’s PPR success will be the ever-present Antonio Brown. Brown has seen no lower than 154 targets in any season since 2013 (his 154 targets were fifth in 2016 after only playing 15 games). That being said, the Steelers have averaged nearly 600 pass attempts per season over the last 3 seasons, so in theory there should be targets to go around to the pass catchers not named Antonio Brown.

However, Bryant also faces an uphill climb in becoming the second most targeted player in Pittsburgh due to the presence of Le’Veon Bell. If Bell played 16 games last season, he was on pace for roughly 118 targets out of the 600 pass attempts from the Steelers passing game. With those two players taking up a large chunk of the targets in the Steeler’s passing game (about 273 out of the 600, or 46% on the conservative side), Bryant’s target upside may only be around 110 for the season.

Bryant also has the penchant for big plays, which in a PPR league can hurt his week to week output. His catch rate was second lowest among qualifying receivers in Pittsburgh in 2015 at 54.35%, only beating out Darrius Heyward-Bey, and going back to 2014 it was just 54.17%. Bryant will no doubt make some splash plays, but the week to week consistency needed for a top four round selection in a PPR league leaves a lot to be desired. Selecting Michael Crabtree (4.10) or Golden Tate (5.01) would provide a much more consistent player for your fantasy team.

 

Mid-Round PPR Fades

Adrian Peterson, New Orleans Saints (5.04)

It’s great to have goals in life, it really is, but when Adrian Peterson said his goal for the 2017 season was to have 500 receiving yards, it was met with a ton of skepticism. His career high in receiving yards was set back in the 2009 season with 436, nearly a decade ago. Since that time, Peterson has seen 30 or more receptions in only three of seven seasons.

He also will now be a part of a backfield that has two members (Mark Ingram and Travaris Cadet) that saw forty six and forty receptions a year ago respectively. Ingram should still factor in greatly in the passing game, while Cadet’s passing game load could be either moved to Peterson or rookie Alvin Kamara, not to mention that Cadet is still on the roster. All of the bodies in New Orleans add to the doubts about Peterson’s workload in the passing game, something that is essential to a top scoring PPR running back. Peterson has a penchant for disproving neigh-Sayers, but drafting CJ Anderson (5.10) or Dalvin Cook (6.04) would be wiser moves in a PPR league.

 

LeGarrette Blount, Philadelphia Eagles (6.06)

Talk about the definition of a fantasy cockroach. LeGarrette Blount simply will not die. Coming off a career year in 2016, Blount finds himself behind PFF’s number one offensive line heading into 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles which is certainly a positive. However, Blount is certainly due for some regression. Prior to last season, Blount never scored more than eight touchdowns in a season (as stated before, he scored 18 in 2016). To make matters worse, Blount has never caught more than 15 passes in any season, which would have put him at the number 50 running back last season in total receptions.

Not only is Blount’s pass catching capping his PPR ceiling, but the Eagles have other running backs that are known as pass catchers to limit his upside. Over the last two seasons, Darren Sproles finished ninth and sixth in reception at the running back position, totaling 107 receptions over the time frame. Drafting Paul Perkins (6.11) or Mark Ingram (7.01) would be a better bet than Blount in the sixth round.

 

Late Round PPR Fades

Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans (9.08)

The highly-touted rookie for the Tennessee Titans is coming into the NFL with a ton of fanfare as the number five pick in this year’s NFL Draft. There was no doubt Davis was impressive as a collegiate with three straight years of over 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, as he heads into the NFL, Davis will find much better competition for targets than what he saw at Western Michigan.

Newcomer Eric Decker has been a consistent presence over the last three seasons, especially in the red zone totaling 48 red zone targets over the three seasons (these numbers are even though Decker only played three games in 2016). He will not only potentially see lower target share in the red zone, but elsewhere on the field with a player like Rishard Matthews on the field as well. Matthews led all Titans wide receivers in targets in 2016 with 108 and looks to be a factor again for the Titans in 2017. Davis may burst onto the scene in his rookie season, but especially in PPR leagues where volume is king, drafting Quincy Enunwa (9.11) or Tyrell Williams (10.08) would be a wiser move.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Dario Saric11 mins ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Jonathan Kuminga26 mins ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Lauri Markkanen41 mins ago

Questionable Against Houston
Justin Steele46 mins ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes48 mins ago

Out Versus Pistons
Luka Doncic55 mins ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar56 mins ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Rudy Gobert1 hour ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones1 hour ago

Unavailable For Friday
Jaden Ivey1 hour ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee1 hour ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards1 hour ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani2 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson2 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander2 hours ago

Doubtful For Friday Night
Bill Algeo2 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley2 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Quentin Grimes2 hours ago

Ruled Out Friday
Vicente Luque2 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
LeBron James2 hours ago

Questionable Against Indiana
Taj Gibson2 hours ago

Out Friday Against Wizards
Anthony Davis2 hours ago

Questionable Versus Indiana
Eduardo Rodriguez2 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler3 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel3 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley3 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Dejounte Murray3 hours ago

Available Versus Boston
Xavier Tillman3 hours ago

Sr. Cleared For Thursday Night
Al Horford3 hours ago

Won't Face The Hawks
Jrue Holiday3 hours ago

Available On Thursday
Tarik Skubal4 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes4 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis4 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer6 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw6 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler6 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager6 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz6 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso6 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland6 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell6 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Bryan Reynolds8 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano10 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole10 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz10 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon10 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco10 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad11 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov11 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto11 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin11 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard11 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins11 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist11 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear11 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
TJ Friedl1 day ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More