fantasy football PPR scoring – Syndication Server

Finding fantasy football PPR value buys: Tight ends

Low-cost PPR tight ends to the rescue.

With the tremendous popularity of point-per-reception leagues, fantasy footballers find themselves with different strategic decisions to ponder before draft day.

One of the most common scenarios is not necessarily a strategic move but a situational problem every gamer eventually will encounter: Not every player you will covet is ideal for PPR scoring, of course, so it forces gamers to feel like they need to chase receptions elsewhere, almost as some players do with certain categories in roto scoring in baseball.

Recognizing roles

Situational football, quarterback comfort, offensive philosophy, and personnel types at running back and wide receiver play the most significant factors in determining which tight ends are likely to accumulate an abundance of receptions.

A lack of proven receivers in Las Vegas last year fueled a monster season for the ultra-talented Darren Waller.

In Green Bay, the perfect storm of an elite WR1, no clear No. 2, a backfield that can catch with the best of them, and a shrewd decision-maker at quarterback helped Robert Tonyan snare 11 scores on only 59 receptions.

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Tight end is a volatile place to look for volume gems relative to the positional averages, but it’s also the least likely to routinely produce inverted stats like Tonyan generated. Too many factors come into play and impact the target share to have a great deal of certainty outside of the few elite products the position has to offer.

Most targeted in 2020

Identifying which teams utilize their tight ends the most in the passing game is a fine place to start. In 2020, the top target shares at the position belonged to:

Rk	Team	TE Targ	Targ %
1	Las Vegas Raiders	172	33.0
2	Philadelphia Eagles*	169	30.2
3	Cleveland Browns	139	29.9
4	Tennessee Titans**	138	29.6
5	Denver Broncos	148	27.8
6	Baltimore Ravens	109	27.8
7	Kansas City Chiefs	167	27.4
8	New York Giants	136	27.3
9	Miami Dolphins	136	24.9
10	San Francisco 49ers**	137	24.7

*denotes change in offensive system
**denotes change in OC but system remains in place

Note: All ADP figures are courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com and use 12-team, PPR scoring, unless noted otherwise. The figures are based on redraft-only leagues conducted after June 1.

Even with an expected uptick in targets sent to running backs and receivers for the Raiders, this passing game flows through Waller. The Las Vegas tight ends may see a smaller share of the looks relative to the overall body of attempts, yet it would come as a total shock if the Waller wasn’t among the most involved players among his positional mates in 2021.
There’s little reason to expect dramatic swings in utilization shares among tight ends from Cleveland, Denver, Baltimore, Kansas City, and San Francisco.
The Giants brought in veteran Kyle Rudolph to complement Evan Engram and provide insurance for the oft-injured talent. Rudolph also is a much better blocker, which limits his receiving chances. The offense also sees a serious upgrade at wide receiver with the free-agent addition of Kenny Golladay, a vertical threat with WR1 traits in the red zone. More explosiveness was added in first-round receiver Kadarius Toney. Engram snagged 63 passes last year and scored just once. Look for fewer grabs and more scores; unfortunately, there’s just not a bargain to be found here.

Least targeted

Rk	Team	TE Targ	Targ %
1	Carolina Panthers	41	7.8
2	New England Patriots	33	7.9
3	Buffalo Bills	66	11.6
4	Arizona Cardinals	68	12.5
5	Cincinnati Bengals	72	12.7
6	New York Jets*	62	13.4
7	Dallas Cowboys	105	17.1
8	Pittsburgh Steelers**	112	17.2
9	Atlanta Falcons*	104	17.2
10	New Orleans Saints**	86	17.3

*denotes change in offensive system
**denotes change in OC but system remains in place

New England invested mega bucks in two tight ends this offseason, signalling the admission of two failed picks spent on the position in 2020’s NFL Draft. This offense should be the most drastic to swing from the bottom to top in target share sent toward tight ends.
Expect little to no movement from Buffalo, Arizona, Cincinnati, Dallas and Pittsburgh. These teams are too talented at wide receiver and no so much at tight end to make a difference in share percentage.

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Atlanta should follow the Patriots in leaving this grouping and ascending into the top 10. The trading of Julio Jones will thrust rookie TE Kyle Pitts into the primary target share, likely finishing second behind wide receiver Calvin Ridley. However, the fantasy football community is fully on top of things, and Pitts is going arguably too soon in drafts (early 4th round).

Best value buys

Tennessee WR Julio Jones comes over from Atlanta to replace (drastically upgrade) Corey Davis as the No. 2 man, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see Jones out-target presumed WR1 A.J. Brown over the course of a healthy season. The TE-friendly offensive coordinator from the past two years, Arthur Smith, became Atlanta’s new head coach, and he was replaced by a promotion of tight ends coach Todd Downing — a one-year flop in the OC role with the 2017 Raiders. Expect continuity, and hope for improved in-game decisions from Downing. A silver lining for fantasy: Jared Cook was third in targets (86) during that ’17 season in an offense with two capable wideouts. Similar roles could play out for Jonnu Smith’s 2021 replacement, Anthony Firkser (ADP: 14:01), as the primary tight end in the Music City.
The Eagles are a team to watch with respect to tight end utilization. An inexperienced quarterback and a young cast of receivers should create a wealth of opportunities for the tight ends, although there remains an elephant in the room: Where will veteran Zach Ertz be playing in the upcoming season? It appears anywhere but Philly, and his current ADP of the late 13th round is awesome, even if it requires a leap of faith that he ends up in an ideal setting (Indy, anyone?).
New Orleans tight end Adam Trautman should be on everyone’s radar after Jared Cook left in the offseason. The second-year tight end brings size and speed to a passing game that is clamoring for someone other than Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara to step up in the passing game.
The Jets will be interesting, and tight end Chris Herndon has a tremendous opportunity to finally live up to expectations. He has struggled with injuries and off-field issues thus far. The new system will emphasize the position, and the inexperience of rookie quarterback Zach Wilson should help send extra looks Herndon’s direction. The latter is on the bubble, though, and an upgraded receiving corps will keep his ceiling rather limited.

Honorable mention

Jack Doyle currently is the top tight end in the Colts offense. However, he could be unseated via trade (Zach Ertz), and the Indy receiving corps has the potential to move forward with a pair of second-round drafts choices invested in 2019 and ’20. In the event the receiving corps fails to deliver, Doyle could see a ridiculous target share in comparison to current draft expectations (ADP: 20th round).

Finding fantasy football PPR value buys: Wide receivers

Look at these players for cheap help in PPR scoring formats.

With the tremendous popularity of point-per-reception leagues, fantasy footballers find themselves with different strategic decisions to ponder before draft day.

Recognizing roles

Myriad factors go into determining target share for wide receivers, and it’s especially important to look at the bigger picture of which running backs and tight ends will overtake secondary receiving options in the pecking order. It’s also imperative to understand which receivers profile as target hogs vs. the ones who are primarily utilized in low-volume roles.

Miami’s Will Fuller or Los Angeles Chargers receiver Mike Williams certainly can help fantasy football rosters, but neither guy is bound to rack up huge reception counts as deep threats. On the other hand, the only reason Buffalo’s Cole Beasley or Cleveland Browns WR Jarvis Landry have weekly utility is due to roles as safety blankets for their respective quarterbacks.

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System designs are particularly important, too, because the more three-wide sets a team employs, the greater chance fantasy owners can find a value on a wideout whose playing time may exceed comparably skilled players with lesser roles due to more “12” personnel base sets. Examples of this would be best found in 2020 formation frequencies deployed by Tennessee (35 percent), Philadelphia (35 percent), Arizona (30 percent), the Los Angeles Rams (29 percent) and Houston (28 percent) as the five teams with the highest frequency of two-wide receiver sets. Interestingly, only Arizona has the same playcaller in 2021.

It should go without saying, PPR scoring inherently inflates the stock of receivers, and particularly those catching a bunch of balls, regardless of what they accomplish after said receptions. Thus, values are tougher to come by.

Most targeted in 2020

Identifying which teams utilize their wide receivers the most in the passing game is a fine place to start. In 2020, the top target shares at the position belonged to:

Rk	Team	WR Targ	Targ %
1	Buffalo Bills	427	74.9
2	New York Jets*	327	70.5
3	Carolina Panthers	371	70.5
4	Pittsburgh Steelers**	459	70.4
5	Cincinnati Bengals	391	69.2
6	Arizona Cardinals	376	69.1
7	Atlanta Falcons*	395	65.3
8	Los Angeles Rams**	365	64.9
9	Dallas Cowboys	398	64.8
10	Houston Texans*	335	63.8

*denotes change in offensive system
**denotes change in OC but system remains in place

Note: All ADP figures are courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com and use 12-team, PPR scoring, unless noted otherwise. The figures are based on redraft-only leagues conducted after June 1.

The Jets will rely on former San Francisco assistant Mike LaFleur to call plays in 2021, and he comes from a system that targeted its receivers the second-fewest times in 2020. Some of that is due to injuries and woeful quarterback play. The Jets bolstered its receiving corps in the offseason, which will cut into WR Jamison Crowder‘s involvement, and a rookie quarterback could impede his success, too. There’s still reasonable late-round value to be found in the veteran slot receiver.
Carolina lost Curtis Samuel in free agency but gained David Moore (Seattle’s WR3 last year) via the market and rookie Terrace Marshall Jr. via the draft. Sam Darnold enters as the starting quarterback and had considerable chemistry with Robby Anderson while together in New York. Their reunion comes on the heels of the veteran receiver snagging a career-high 95 passes and showing he can be more than a deep threat. With no prominent tight end but the return of RB Christian McCaffrey to rack up catches, it’s still safe to believe Anderson will remain a heavily targeted outlet.
The Steelers have a new coordinator in Matt Canada, but he’s going to run mostly the 2020 system and should defer to plays Ben Roethlisberger enjoys running. There will be a ton of targets for the receivers but not a lot of late-round value to be found in fantasy.
Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp has shown an array of skills in during his career. The past two years, volume was on his side, securing 92-plus receptions in each season, but he scored only three touchdowns in 2020 after housing it 10 times the prior campaign. A year after finishing WR4 in PPR, an ADP in the middle of Round 6 makes for a safe bargain with Matthew Stafford under center.

Least targeted

Rk	Team	WR Targ	Targ %
1	Las Vegas Raiders	237	45.5
2	San Francisco 49ers**	281	50.7
3	Indianapolis Colts**	271	51.5
4	Washington Football Team	296	51.7
5	Philadelphia Eagles*	294	52.5
6	Cleveland Browns	247	53.1
7	Los Angeles Chargers*	325	53.2
8	New Orleans Saints**	267	53.8
9	Kansas City Chiefs	331	54.4
10	New York Giants	280	56.1

*denotes change in offensive system
**denotes change in OC but system remains in place

While the Raiders may not finish 2021’s season with the lowest percentage of targets sent toward receivers, Las Vegas should remain in the bottom 10 once more. That said, Henry Ruggs is going in Round 11, on average, and he’s bound to have a substantial uptick in targets in his sophomore season. Hunter Renfrow profiles as a fantastic slot weapon, but if he couldn’t get it done last year as Ruggs struggled to find his footing, it’s hard to expect much improvement in 2021.
Washington should divert a sizeable number of targets from the backfield and tight ends to newcomer Curtis Samuel. He’s not going to come super cheap, of course, going in late Round 9 in ADP tracking. Samuel represents a sound value here, especially given his past experience in OC Scott Turner’s system.
As previously mentioned, Jarvis Landry‘s value is totally dependent on his volume. The Browns have an elite pass-catching running back in Kareem Hunt, two capable tight ends, a (former?) superstar WR1 in Odell Beckham Jr., and the returning Rashard Higgins as a third wideout. Donovan Peoples-Jones could be an emerging asset, too, so it’s tough to find a true value buy here beyond Landry’s appropriate Round 9 ADP.

Best value buys

Going in Round 15, on average, Detroit Lions rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is primed to be a sly fantasy choice. The probable top targets should be running back D’Andre Swift and tight end T.J. Hockenson, although there is an opening for the promising rookie to dominate his positional looks. Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams profile as deep threats and have battled injuries of late, adding to St. Brown’s appeal.
Cole Beasley, as mentioned above, typically is going in Round 11. There’s risk here, since the Bills have wide receiver Gabriel Davis ready for a step forward, and recent news has Beasley saying he’d rather retire than be vaccinated. It’s difficult to envision him walking away from his career, however. Expect a small step backward in targets and receptions while still maintaining flex utility.
Indy’s Michael Pittman Jr. missed time last year due to injury and was slow to get going as a rookie. His immediate future is bright, and there’s a decent chance he leads the team in catches. Take a late-round stab at him in reception-rewarding systems.
The loss of Julio Jones by way of trade from the Falcons to the Tennessee Titans opens the door for a tremendous volume of targets to be dispersed among several players, including wide receiver Russell Gage. He has sneaky value in PPR (Round 11 ADP), although a serious portion of these looks will go toward the backfield and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. Atlanta’s new system will lean on its TEs before emphasizing as third receiver.
On average, gamers have opted to invest a Round 13 pick in Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Marvin Jones Jr. He has proven to be adept at assimilating into any offensive system thrown his way to date, and he has a knack for scoring touchdowns, which will help offset a modest target total. Other receivers will cut into his work, but Jacksonville doesn’t have a tight end to speak of, and this defense will force rookie Trevor Lawrence to chuck the rock with regularity.

Honorable mention

Denver’s Jerry Jeudy is going as WR34 at the moment, in Round 8. He’s a reasonable bet for a serious step forward. Unfortunately, the Broncos have an improved defense to limit the need to throw, an upgraded rushing attack, and several capable receivers … oh, plus there’s that whole sketchy quarterback situation. If pretty much everything goes perfectly, Jeudy could catch 80 balls.

Finding fantasy football PPR value buys: Running backs

Where can gamers turn to make up ground from PPR RBs?

With the tremendous popularity of point-per-reception leagues, fantasy footballers find themselves with different strategic decisions to ponder before draft day.

This scenario tends to be most commonly found at the running back position. Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb immediately come to mind as the types to compel investment in reception-friendly counterparts. This also happens at wide receiver, where low-volume players tend to make fantasy owners look for make-up points elsewhere. We’ll examine WRs and tight ends in an upcoming release.

Most targeted in 2020

Identifying which teams utilize their running backs the most in the passing game is a fine place to start. In 2020, the top target shares at the position belonged to:

Rk	Team	RB Targ	Targ %
1	New England Patriots	122	29.2
2	New Orleans Saints**	143	28.8
3	Washington Football Team	161	28.1
4	Indianapolis Colts	135	25.7
5	Los Angeles Chargers*	156	25.5
6	San Francisco 49ers*	136	24.5
7	Green Bay Packers	115	23.0
8	Carolina Panthers	114	21.7
9	Las Vegas Raiders	112	21.5
10	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	119	19.6

*denotes change in offensive system
**denotes change in OC but system remains in place

Note: All ADP figures are courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com and use 12-team, PPR scoring, unless noted otherwise. The figures are based on redraft-only leagues conducted after June 1.

No team targeted its backfield more on a percentage basis than the Patriots, despite the return of pass-catching back James White, whose 2020 per-game target count was the lowest since his rookie season of 2014. Expect the target share of New England backs to depreciate in 2021 after an upgrade to the receiving outlets, but White shouldn’t be too far off from his ’20 averages (4.4 targets and 3.5 receptions). There’s very little upside to drafting White, even at a discount.
Alvin Kamara should be heavily targeted once again, even though offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi took a lateral career move with the LA Chargers.
Austin Ekeler will have a new offensive coordinator in Lombardi, a Sean Payton understudy, whose system should frequently target the backfield. There’s potential for another massive target share for Ekeler, provided he remains healthy, after LA arguably regressed at tight end and doesn’t have a clear-cut WR3 to ascend. The Payton system hasn’t been known for using three-wide base sets, anyway.
Mike McDaniel became the official OC in the offseason, but it’s still Kyle Shanahan’s system. The 38-year-old McDaniel has followed Shanahan along the way since Washington in 2013 and was the running game coordinator the past four years for the Niners. Quarterback issues as well as injuries at wide receiver and tight end last year are mostly responsible for the backfield seeing such a high share of the overall targets. Jerick McKinnon’s 46 looks led the team’s position. He left for KC and hasn’t been replaced with as capable of a receiver. This team is destined to fall out of the top 10 slots for 2021.
Aaron Jones returns to the Packers, and the system is the same. Jamaal Williams walked in free agency and takes 35 targets with him. While Jones will remain involved in the dump-off designs, the draft addition of WR Amari Rodgers and the promotion of A.J. Dillon as RB2 likely won’t keep this backfield in the top dozen or so teams for targeting backs.
Josh Jacobs‘ 45 targets represented 40 percent of this backfield’s 112 looks. There should be gains at receiver with Henry Ruggs III improving in Year 2, and running back Kenyan Drake comes along to help complement Jacobs, including in the passing plans. Great for real football … not so much for fantasy.

Least targeted

Rk	Team	RB Targ	Targ %
1	Pittsburgh Steelers*	81	12.4
2	Tennessee Titans**	58	12.4
3	Los Angeles Rams*	71	12.6
4	Buffalo Bills	77	13.5
5	Denver Broncos	72	13.5
6	Chicago Bears	88	14.8
7	Baltimore Ravens	62	15.8
8	New York Jets*	75	16.2
9	New York Giants	83	16.6
10	Cleveland Browns	79	17.0

The team with the fewest RB looks in relation to overall targets was Pittsburgh, and a fair amount has changed. James Conner is out, and rookie Najee Harris is in as the primary ball carrier. Matt Canada takes over as the OC, although the system really shouldn’t change too much. With a talented stable of pass-grabbing weapons, don’t expect serious gains for fantasy purposes, despite a collegiate link between Canada and running back Anthony McFarland Jr.
Similarly, a new coordinator in Tennessee won’t make much of a difference in how plays are called. WRs A.J. Brown and Julio Jones will gobble up a ton of a looks, and there should be a relatively smooth transition from tight end Jonnu Smith to Anthony Firkser. Unless something unexpected occurs and second-year back Darrynton Evans surprises, there’s nothing to see here for PPR leagues.
The Giants drastically upgraded at wide receiver and tight end. Saquon Barkley‘s knee is still going through the rehab phase, and he could be limited in 2021’s first month or so if the coaching staff is nervous about throwing him right into the fire. There may be a small window for Devontae Booker to carve out a notable third-down role, yet he remains undraftable.
Chicago added Damien Williams, a capable receiver in his own right, and Tarik Cohen is coming back from knee reconstruction. In addition, a possible move from Andy Dalton to a rookie quarterback makes this situation shaky, at best, for finding reliable value in fantasy football drafts.
Cleveland could go either way. The tight end position is loaded with underperforming talent, and Odell Beckham Jr. returns from a torn ACL. Rashard Higgins comes back as the third wideout, but the system is what mostly will limit Kareem Hunt from seeing an overwhelming volume after garnering a modest 51 looks in 2020.

Best value buys

The combination of necessity, system design, and personnel talent almost exclusively control what manufactures a running back-heavy share of receiving work. The following running backs should help owners up their PPR game.

Washington’s J.D. McKissic will see a slight drop in involvement with Curtis Samuel joining the short-area passing game, though the third-down back remains a strong RB3 in PPR scoring and can be had on the cheap after his stellar campaign.
Indy gets Marlon Mack (Achilles) back this year, but he isn’t a factor in the passing game. The offensive system shouldn’t change much under Marcus Brady after 2020 OC Nick Sirianni became Philadelphia’s head coach. Pass-catching back Nyheim Hines may take a minor hit if WR Michael Pittman Jr. steps up in Year 2 and Parris Campbell finally lives up to his potential. Hines’ safe projected outlook is around 50-55 catches, and a 12th-round ADP makes for a respectable value.
Leonard Fournette saw 47 targets in 2020, leading the backfield and helping the group sneak into the top 10. Also helping: Chris Godwin fighting injuries, Antonio Brown missing the first eight games, Tom Brady still learning the offense midway through the year, and Rob Gronkowski needing time to shake off the rust. Former Cincy back Giovani Bernard joins the team this year, likely robbing Fournette of significant worth. Bernard’s 18th-round ADP makes for a worthwhile stab, but the ceiling is extremely low. He’s much better suited for best-ball formats.
Detroit will almost certainly vault into the top 10 for share of targets sent toward the backfield. Jamaal Williams comes over from Green Bay to complement D’Andre Swift. Aside from tight end T.J. Hockenson, this is among the weakest corps of pass-catching options in the league right now, which greatly improves the odds of Swift and Williams seeing consistent looks. The former is a borderline first-rounder, so target Williams if you are desperate for cheap receptions later on.
A parallel can be found in the Atlanta backfield. Mike Davis comes over from the Panthers and has a clear path to being one of the most targeted players at his position in 2021. Rookie Javian Hawkins could be one of the slyest draft selections for PPR gamers. He reminds of a Darren Sproles-type running back, and the loss of Julio via trade will clear the way for a serious number of targets to be available.
Presuming Christian McCaffrey remains healthy, he should be among the top few backs in the league for targets. The aforementioned Davis saw 70 looks last year with CMC battling multiple injuries, and the loss of Samuel will open more targets from Sam Darnold. McCaffrey obviously isn’t a value at ADP No. 1 overall. Look to spend a late-round pick on rookie Chuba Hubbard, who could emerge as a spell on third downs and also offers RB1 touches if McCaffrey gets hurt again.

Honorable mentions

Arizona’s Chase Edmonds won’t be a fantasy monster, largely due to a potentially lethal receiving corps and the addition of Conner, but his value will be enhanced in PPR.
Philly’s Boston Scott was a strong contributor down the stretch in 2019, showing potential for “what could be” prior to a lackluster 2020 season. Scott now has Sirianni and OC Shane Steichen on his side — both adept at involving RBs in the play designs. With so many running backs in this stable, it’s a risky bet but not one to immediate write off.
Todd Gurley remains homeless, but a potential suitor could sign him to be a third-down back as a method to avoid the wear and tear on his balky knee. Keep tabs on his situation.

Fantasy football’s most interesting PPR specialists

Look at these players for cheap help in PPR scoring formats.

With the popularity of point-per-reception leagues, fantasy footballers find themselves with different strategic decisions to ponder before draft day.

This scenario tends to be most commonly found at the running back position. Derrick Henry and Marlon Mack immediately come to mind as the types whose selection compels investment in reception-friendly counterparts. This also happens at wide receiver, where low-volume players tend to make fantasy owners look for make-up points elsewhere.

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Naturally, gamers will gravitate toward reception hogs. Michael Thomas saw more than 34 percent of New Orleans’ total targets in 2019 — the largest share of any wideout. There’s only one of him to go around, so we’ll focus on players who will come cheaper than the Thomases of the world. Everyone knows about slot receivers in New England’s system, for example. Not everyone can draft a 150-target asset, leading some gamers to look to running back for help.

Running backs

Identifying which teams utilize their running backs the most in the passing game is a fine place to start. In 2019, the top target shares at the position belonged to:

1) Los Angeles Chargers (31.7 percent)
2T) New Orleans Saints (28.6 percent)
2T) Minnesota Vikings (28.6 percent)*
4) New England Patriots (28.3 percent)
5) Chicago Bears (26.0 percent)

*The only team to leave the top five from last year was the New York Giants, falling from fourth in 2018 to 25th in 2019, in part due to losing Saquon Barkley for several games.

Of the teams that shuffled around a little last year inside of the top five, the Chargers made a change at offensive coordinator during the year, and Minnesota made one after the 2019 season. Expect little change in philosophy. Bill Lazor replaces Mark Helfrich as offensive coordinator in Chicago, which is more or less a game-planning helper role to head coach/play-caller Matt Nagy. Lazor’s 2017-18 run as Cincinnati’s OC resulted in a pair of midrange finishes for target share to RBs.

One thing to look for is an offense with suspect receivers, making the incorporation of running backs into the aerial game a must. This was quite apparent last year when examining the order of the next 10 teams.

6) Carolina Panthers (25.6 percent)*
7) Green Bay Packers (24.5 percent)
8) Las Vegas Raiders (23.8 percent)
9) Denver Broncos (23.3 percent)*
10) Jacksonville Jaguars (22.9 percent)*
11) Pittsburgh Steelers (22.7 percent)
12) Washington Redskins (22.4 percent)*
13) Cleveland Browns (22.3 percent)*
14) San Francisco 49ers (22.1 percent)
15) New York Jets (21.7 percent)

*denotes change in offensive system

Carolina has the best pass-catching back in the business, so a change to Joe Brady — the architect of last year’s most prolific offense in college football — shouldn’t interfere with Christian McCaffrey’s dominance.
Denver will go with Pat Shurmur as the offensive coordinator, and just two years ago his system generated a top-five target share.
Jacksonville will roll with Jay Gruden, whose offense has produced encouraging results that have been dampened by injuries to his primary pass-catching running back (who now happens to be a Jaguar).
Washington’s offense will be run by Scott Turner, and it’s pretty obvious what went on with McCaffrey in Carolina’s passing game during his limited stint calling plays.
The Browns will run a West Coast design that helped generate the second-highest share (tied) of targets for backs in Minnesota last year, which figures to have similar effects given the talent in the Cleveland backfield.

Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns: Supremely talented as receiver, Hunt enters an offense that offered a wealth of receiving work out of the backfield in Minnesota last year. The Vikings sent 75 passes to the team’s top pair of running backs. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota’s No. 2, is not even in the same galaxy as a receiver in comparison to Hunt. There are a lot of weapons in this offense; Hunt may fall victim to losing targets because of certain matchups and No. 1 back Nick Chubb some weeks, but there’s plenty to like for PPR purposes. And a bonus is if Chubb were to get hurt, Hunt is a top-five fantasy back in an instant.

Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears: Only two backs had more targets come their way in 2019. The overall passing attack in Chicago hasn’t improved over the offseason, so look for more Cohen out of the backfield. Only Reggie Bush in 2007 caught more passes for fewer yards per reception than Cohen’s 5.77 last year. Drops plagued him, as well, but Cohen is working on improving, and the coaching staff will look to deploy him in more creative ways. Utilize this to your advantage.

James White, New England Patriots: No Tom Brady may scare off some gamers who feel White’s prowess was elevated by the methodical approach of TB12. The expected move to Jarrett Stidham actually could have a similar — and possibly increased — effect, especially since the receiving corps isn’t particularly skillful. White could better his 95 targets from a year ago.

Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles: Many casual gamers won’t even recognize the name. Scott turned it on down the stretch in 2019, mostly due to necessity, but the coaching staff took notice and will deploy him often in 2020. Scott faces competition for receiving work from Miles Sanders, however, so expectations for a monster effort must remain in check.

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Chris Thompson, Jacksonville Jaguars: Thompson’s biggest enemy always has been staying on the field, and it remains a priority concern for gaming purposes. That said, his chief advocate has been Gruden, Jacksonville’s incoming OC. Leonard Fournette caught 76 of his 100 targets (4th most) in 2019, and that is bound to regress — the passing game will be more balanced as wideouts mature, and no one on this coaching staff’s ideal scenario should be to have their bruising back see 100 receiving looks again.

Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions: D’Andre Swift’s second-round selection could relegate Johnson to a change-up role, which most likely would focus on utilizing his receiving skills. The system has been kind to producing work for sure-handed RBs throughout the years, but there is some concern this could turn into a hot-hand scenario in favor of the versatile Swift. And Johnson’s injury history is impossible to ignore.

Matt Breida, Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins traded for the explosive former 49er in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he’ll pair with a classic two-downer in Jordan Howard. While the former Bear and Eagle isn’t a poor pass-catching back, Miami is better off utilizing his talents on the ground and giving Breida more work in the aerial department. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s primary skill throughout the years has been the keen sense of molding his system around the team’s personnel, and it would be awfully surprising to see Breida get neglected in the passing attack.

Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts: Hines went from 81 targets in 2018 to only 58 last year, which still was good for 16th among running backs. The move to Philip Rivers will help get Hines back on track, as the veteran quarterback’s arm isn’t what it used to be, and he’s more than comfortable throwing to RBs. There is concern here after Indy drafted versatile running back Jonathan Taylor, however. A young and mostly unproven cast of receiving weapons should help solidify Hines’ role in the offense.

Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ke’Shawn Vaughn was drafted and profiles as a two-down back, for the most part. The addition of Tom Brady — a checkdown master — bodes well for Jones to see increased action in the aerial game. The unretirement of Rob Gronkowski, in cooperation with two star receivers, suggests the Bucs will keep defenses guessing all day. Much like with Hunt, Jones may find himself lost in a sea of talent some weeks.

Jalen Richard, Las Vegas Raiders: This one is a little on the cloudy side. The Raiders drafted RB/WR Lynn Bowden Jr. as a do-all player, and veteran Devontae Booker was signed to bolster the depth after rusher DeAndre Washington and his 41 targets didn’t return. Richard knows the system and saw two more looks than Washington in 2019. Oakland’s receiving corps improved through the draft, too, and one has to think significant gains are in store for second-year receiver Hunter Renfrow. At any rate, Richard is worthy of attention in desperate scenarios.

Receivers and tight ends

Not every PPR league draft allows gamers to build the proper roster of explosive talent and reception-boosting balance. Therefore, all have to be mindful of where we can build adequate depth or fringe starting value catered to the scoring system. The following receivers will give you a chance to improve your point-earning potential without breaking the bank.

Jamison Crowder, New York Jets: The WR1 in New York’s offense caught 78 of his 122 targets. The utilization volume ranked as the 16th-highest figure in 2019, and he finished as a No. 2 in PPR without going over 833 yard and six touchdowns. Volume absolutely matters, and the price tag for a situation like this only increases the allure of Crowder. Despite adding two new receivers this offseason, Crowder’s role remains unchanged, and his percentage of the team’s passing work (40 percent of all 2019 NYJ WR looks), should buoy his value relative to his mostly pedestrian counting stats.

Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers: One of my favorite sleeper targets for 2020, the second-year wideout saw 92 targets (37th among WRs) in 2019 with a hodgepodge of quarterbacks. He offers many of the same skills that helped Antonio Brown ascend to greatness in a similar version of this offense, and the Steelers absolutely need someone to help take the pressure off of JuJu Smith-Schuster. Getting Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) back healthy is a welcomed sight, as well, and the overall maturation for Johnson in Year 2 cannot be ignored.

Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders: Another second-year sleeper target, Renfrow is poised to ascend in an offense starving for reliable receivers. Henry Ruggs was drafted in Round 1 this year, and while he’s a phenomenal talent, the rookie’s game is built around speed and not necessarily possession traits. In 13 games last year, he saved the best for last, returning from a punctured lung (yikes!) to author consecutive 100-yard games and score a TD in each contest. The Clemson product is heady and dedicated — two aspects that will serve him well during this pandemic-affected offseason.

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Kelvin Harmon, Washington Redskins: Harmon’s spot on this list takes a leap of faith that we’ll see meaningful maturation from his quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, as well as from the second-year receiver himself. He’s a big-bodied target with a chain-moving skill set, and the Redskins need to incorporate someone other than Terry McLaurin into their regular designs. Washington’s talent pool is suspect, and it appears Harmon will be given every opportunity to seize the No. 2 role. McLaurin has praised Harmon this offseason, and Haskins has worked with the North Carolina State product to further develop chemistry.

Danny Amendola, Detroit Lions: The veteran journeyman’s inclusion should be viewed through the prism of late-round desperation. He was all over the map in terms of utilization while Matthew Stafford was healthy a year ago, but a closer look reveals after No. 9 went down, Amendola actually saw slightly fewer targets per game. This also coincided with injuries to T.J. Hockenson, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay. This offenses has a defined role for slot receivers, and as long as the well-aged Amendola stays healthy, he’s a sneaky play for potential flex stats.

Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins: A year after being more or less a ghost, Gesicki emerged as the seventh-most targeted tight end in football in 2019. He developed chemistry, especially down the stretch run, with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Granted, we have no idea when we’ll see Tua Tagovailoa under center, but inexperienced quarterbacks tend to overly rely on tight ends. Gesicki was lauded coming out of Penn State in 2018 and should dramatic improvement as sophomore. Despite a new system, he’s an intriguing risk-reward decision for owners trying to make up some ground. It’s not like Miami added enough talent at wide receiver to imply Gesicki is poised to regress due to competition for touches, so trust in that aspect to help keep his role intact or better.

Tyler Eifert, Jacksonville Jaguars: Injuries are always a worry when considering Eifert for a fantasy roster. The silver lining is found in him staying on the field for 16 games last year. Now he is reunited with a former coach in Jags’ new offensive coordinator, and the system has been known to breed quality results for fantasy football purposes. As QB Gardner Minshew continues to find his way, look for more targets to head to the position, especially now that he has a tight end with serious receiving chops. Eifert isn’t likely to be an every-week starter, but finding a morsel of value at the tail end of a draft can be a viable consolation for avoiding the position early.

Blake Jarwin, Dallas Cowboys: This one really could go either way, and much of Jarwin’s role can be directly tied to what we expect from rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb. The lack of an organized, on-field offseason is bound to hurt the rookie’s progression, whereas Jarwin enters his second year in this offense. The Cowboys threw 83 passes at Jason Witten a year ago, and only nine other tight ends saw more looks in 2019. There should be some skepticism over Jarwin’s readiness to ascend, but what late-round upside buy doesn’t come with notable risk?