Over the last few years, we’ve seen many fantasy football enthusiasts shift their league to some variety of PPR, though some are still stuck in the stone age of standard scoring. Still, every year that passes, there are more and more leagues trying out the more predictable format (PPR).
We’ve even seen Yahoo and NFL.com shift to half PPR as a default option, while ESPN and CBS have moved to a full PPR default option. If that doesn’t signal a time for change, nothing will.
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If you’re someone transitioning to the old standard format to PPR, we’re here to help your transition easier. We posted an article on players who gain value earlier this week (read it here). Today, we’ll be talking about the players who lose the most value in PPR formats. There’s a lot more volatility in standard formats, as it relies heavily on touchdowns, whereas PPR formats benefit those who move the chains. It obviously helps scoring touchdowns, but PPR will make your league less touchdown-dependent than ever. Let’s look back at the 2019 season and talk about which players were less valuable in PPR formats.
Running Backs
Carlos Hyde (SEA) -7 spots
Now going to the Seahawks, it’s not going to change the fate for someone like Hyde, who’s much less valuable in a PPR format. Despite racking up 245 carries last year, Hyde finished as the No. 30 running back in PPR. He’s caught more than 27 passes just once in his career, and knowing he turned 88 targets into just 350 yards (3.98 yards per target) and no touchdowns that year, he won’t get the targets needed to do well in the format.
Josh Jacobs (LV) -7 spots
This one is crazy, but you must devalue Jacobs in PPR formats. Despite it being one of his best attributes, the Raiders gave him just 27 targets while targeting their other running backs 89 times. Now you add a few pass-catchers who are much better, and it’s hard to see that changing very much. Jacobs is likely going to get more than 27 targets this year, but like Joe Mixon, coaching can hold him back in PPR.
Sony Michel (NE) -7 spots
While at Georgia, Michel was a running back who could get it done on all three downs. That has not been the case in the NFL, as the Patriots refuse to use him in the passing game. He has just 31 targets over his first 29 games, and he’s done nothing with those targets that suggests he should get more. Michel is worth much less in PPR formats than he is in standard ones, like roughly two to three rounds less.
Tevin Coleman (SF) -7 spots
In his first year back with Kyle Shanahan, Coleman was a non-factor in the passing game, catching just 21 passes in the 14 games he played. Despite being rather efficient throughout his career, Coleman has never tallied more than 32 receptions. You’d think that some might come with the exit of Matt Breida, but it appears the 49ers have plans for Jerick McKinnon in that role.
Raheem Mostert (SF) -6 spots
The second 49ers running back on this list. The crazy part? The 49ers targeted their running backs on 20.7 percent of their pass attempts, which ranked as the seventh-highest percentage in the league. The lack of volume is what hurts, as the 99 targets they combined for ranked 18th in the league. Mostert has now been in the league for five years, totaling just 29 targets, which is not what you want to see when entering a PPR format. Some like Mostert as a breakout candidate, and that’s fine, but you need to lower him at least one round in your PPR rankings.
Notable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (WAS), Jordan Howard (MIA), Marlon Mack (IND)
Wide Receivers
A.J. Brown (TEN) -12 spots
The fact that Brown finished 12 spots lower in PPR highlights the issues I have with drafting him as a mid-to-high-end WR2 in 2020. He’s a rock-solid football player, but big plays and touchdowns were what carried him his rookie year. He finished as the No. 21 wide receiver in PPR with just 52 receptions. No other receiver in the top-36 finished with less than 54 receptions. No other player inside the top-28 finished with less than 62 receptions. He’ll need more volume in 2020.
Breshad Perriman (NYJ) -9 spots
This makes sense considering Perriman averaged a ridiculous 17.9 yards per receptions and scored a touchdown every 6.0 receptions. He’s not someone who’ll catch 60-plus passes, especially going to the Jets offense. With Jamison Crowder entrenched in the slot, you won’t see Perriman’s role change, and Sam Darnold isn’t as good of a deep-ball passer as Jameis Winston.
Mike Evans (TB) -7 spots
The second Bucs receiver on the list. We all know that Jameis Winston loved to take shots deep to Evans, but will Tom Brady do the same? Evans has scored at least eight touchdowns in 4-of-6 seasons, which also helps his cause in standard leagues. Knowing that Chris Godwin‘s role will continue to grow, Evans should be valued a bit less in PPR formats, though he’s still one of the more proven assets in the low-end WR1 range.
Kenny Golladay (DET) -6 spots
There were just five wide receivers who finished as top-24 PPR receivers with less than 72 receptions. Golladay (WR9), Mike Evans (WR15), A.J. Brown (WR21), Michael Gallup (WR22), and Stefon Diggs (WR24). Do you notice a trend where most of them are at? It’s tough to finish that high in PPR without continually racking up the catches. The big plays will come back down to earth, but Golladay will still see a dip when in a PPR format.
Stefon Diggs (BUF) -6 spots
It’s been a weird career to this point for Diggs. He’s seen more than 95 targets just twice in five years, caught more than 64 passes twice, yet has finished as a top-24 PPR receiver in each of the last three seasons. He has been highly efficient with his targets and somehow turning in 23 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Now going to play with Josh Allen, it’s difficult to see him breaking these trends. He’s not worth as much in PPR formats.
Notable Mentions: DeVante Parker (MIA), Golden Tate (NYG), Deebo Samuel (SF), Terry McLaurin (WAS)
Tight Ends
Will Dissly (SEA) -7 spots
This is a massive fall for a tight end, but to be fair, Dissly played just six games, and that’ll impact his finish. He’s caught six touchdowns on just 31 career receptions to this point, which will surely make him worth more in standard formats. The addition of Greg Olsen to the offense won’t make receptions easier to come by, either.
Mark Andrews (BAL) -3 spots
He went from the No. 2 tight end in standard formats, to the No. 5 tight end in PPR leagues. Each of the top four tight ends caught at least 85 passes in 2019, while Andrews came in with a measly 64 of them, hurting him in the format. The Ravens offense simply doesn’t provide enough pass attempts for him to get to the Travis Kelce/George Kittle/Zach Ertz territory, but his efficiency has been ridiculous through the first two years of his career. You have to dock him a bit in PPR formats.
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
