Standard or PPR scoring? When you get down to the nitty gritty, past the number of bench spots, flex positions, and league size, scoring type is the most important element of the league in which you’re playing. In PPR leagues, running backs who can catch are highly prized and even more valuable than in standard formats. Guys who might not otherwise be drafted (remember Danny Woodhead and Duke Johnson?) suddenly have weekly value. Which guys meet this criteria and get a bump in PPR leagues? Well, I’m glad you asked…
Rankings provided using FantasyPros Experts Consensus Rankings for PPR formats.
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Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC): RB7, No. 8 Overall
If you looked up players who fit the topic of this article in the dictionary, you’d find Ekeler’s picture. Actually, you probably wouldn’t find anything, because a dictionary doesn’t define entire sentences or topics, but I digress. Ekeler is a PPR phenom who looks poised for another big season in 2021. Despite missing six games in 2020, Ekeler still grabbed 54 receptions, which would have been good for 86.4 had he played the entire season. That’s just a step below the 92 passes he hauled in the season prior.
How important are receptions to Ekeler’s fantasy value? In standard leagues, Ekeler finished as RB35 in 2020 and RB7 in 2019. In PPR, those finishes were RB26 and RB4 respectively. Ekeler’s percentage of PPR points across the last two seasons from receptions comes in at a whopping 30.5. As long as he can stay on the field, he’s in a great situation to absorb plenty of passes from the ascending Justin Herbert.
Tarik Cohen (RB – CHI): RB50, No. 137 Overall
Though Cohen missed most of last season due to an ACL tear, his value in PPR leagues shouldn’t be forgotten. Over the last two healthy seasons that Cohen played, he averaged a robust 75/591/4 receiving line, grabbing at least 70 balls in both seasons. While Cohen was out last year, David Montgomery picked up receiving duties out of the backfield and filled in admirably, though Cohen should be ready to resume his usual role in Chicago’s offense. Without significant competition for targets other than Allen Robinson, expect Cohen to emerge as a favorite receiver for yet another season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR – PIT): WR26, No. 61 Overall
If you’re reading this article, there’s a great chance you’re doing mental somersaults about which Steelers WR is the most valuable headed into 2021. Trust me – you’re not alone. I happen to favor JuJu Smith-Schuster, especially in PPR leagues where his role as a high-volume slot receiver is more valuable. Last season, JJSS competed with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool for targets, finished second to Johnson, but led the trio in receptions. His production was good for a WR22 finish in standard leagues and a WR16 finish in PPR leagues – a difference of six spots.
Smith-Schuster went for 97 receptions, and in the two seasons in which he’s played all 16 games, he’s averaged 104 receptions. Pittsburgh invested a first-round pick into Alabama standout Najee Harris, likely to bring some balance to the pass-happy Steelers offense from a season ago. That could prove highly beneficial for the high-volume slot receiver.
Allen Robinson (WR – CHI): WR10, No. 24 Overall
Robinson has averaged a robust 100 receptions across the last two seasons, doing so on over 150 targets in each campaign and not dropping a single pass in the process. He’ll likely get the best quarterback play he’s ever had, and the Bears still feature a receiving corps in which A-Rob is comfortably the lead target. He’s established himself as a true target hog in recent seasons and gets an enormous boost in PPR leagues because of it.
T.J. Hockenson (TE – DET): TE4, No. 48 Overall
Who will lead the Lions in receptions in 2021? Picking from this newly formed group of misfits, your guess is as good as mine, but I’ll hazard a selection – Hockenson. The second-year man finished fourth in TE receptions in 2020 behind Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and Logan Thomas (yes, one of these is not like the other). Hockenson should be in line for an expanded workload in his third year. With Jared Goff under center, Hockenson gets a quarterback with a penchant for targeting TEs.
In a receiving corps featuring journeyman Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams fresh off a season-ending injury, Hockenson has a real chance to lead this team in receiving a la Darren Waller. Let’s not forget what Waller did with his role in 2020. He only led all TEs in receptions (107) and totaled 1,196 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. No big deal.
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
