Fantasy football players know that the type of scoring makes all the difference in which players they want to draft. In PPR leagues, fantasy players want to start wide receivers in their flex spots. Meanwhile, they want to start running backs in their flex spots in non-PPR leagues.
Furthermore, your league’s scoring type impacts which players you want to target in your fantasy football drafts. Some players are elite regardless of the scoring format, like Ja’Marr Chase, Bijan Robinson, and Saquon Barkley. However, other players can be outstanding in one format and average in another.
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Players to Target in PPR Fantasy Football Leagues
Let’s look at five players I’m targeting in PPR leagues but fading in non-PPR leagues this year.
De’Von Achane (RB – MIA)
- 2024 PPR Finish – RB5 | 17.6 Fantasy Points Per Game
- 2024 Non-PPR Finish – RB9 | 13.1 Fantasy Points Per Game
The only Dolphin fantasy players could count on in 2024 was Achane. While his rushing yards per attempt dropped from 7.8 as a rookie to 4.5 last season, the star running back played in all 17 games and set career highs in rushing yards (907). Furthermore, Achane became the team’s best weapon in the passing game. He went from averaging 2.5 receptions on 3.4 targets for 17.9 receiving yards and 0.27 touchdowns per game as a rookie to 4.6-5.1-34.8-0.35 last year.
Furthermore, Achane was significantly more involved in the passing game with Tua Tagovailoa under center, averaging 6.1 receptions per game with the star quarterback compared to 1.8 per contest without him. More importantly, his development in the passing game provides fantasy players with a safe floor. Unfortunately, Miami has one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Therefore, Achane might struggle on the ground. Yet, his upside in the passing game makes him one of the top running backs in PPR scoring.
Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)
- 2024 PPR Finish – RB9 | 18.9 Fantasy Points Per Game
- 2024 Non-PPR Finish – RB15 | 14.1 Fantasy Points Per Game
De’Von Achane was the only running back in the NFL with more receptions (78) than Kamara (68) last year. Unfortunately, the veteran missed the final three games of the season with an injury. Yet, Kamara led all running backs in receptions per game (4.9). Fantasy players have loved the veteran running back in PPR scoring leagues because of his consistent role in the passing attack, totaling 68 or more receptions in six of eight years in the NFL.
While he will turn 30 years old before the start of the 2025 season, Kamara should see a career-high in receptions and targets this year. The Saints have the worst quarterback unit in the league after Derek Carr’s retirement. Furthermore, their receiving core struggled to stay healthy last season. While his days as an elite runner are over, Kamara’s role in the passing game should keep him in the top-15 running back conversation in PPR leagues despite playing on an awful offense.
Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)
- 2024 PPR Finish – WR26 | 18.8 Fantasy Points Per Game
- 2024 Non-PPR Finish – WR33 | 11.6 Fantasy Points Per Game
Unfortunately, Nacua missed five games last season with a knee injury. Yet, the star wide receiver improved on his outstanding rookie year, seeing an increase in receptions (7.2), targets (9.6), and receiving yards (90) per game despite a decline in touchdown per reception rate (5.7% vs. 3.8%). While fantasy players should love drafting him in PPR or non-PPR leagues, Nacua finished as the WR3 on a points-per-game basis in PPR scoring and the WR8 in non-PPR last season.
More importantly, he would have had 122 receptions over a 17-game pace, only five fewer than Ja’Marr Chase for the league lead. While the swap of Cooper Kupp for Davante Adams is significant, it hurts the third-year star less in PPR than in non-PPR leagues because of his lack of touchdown production. Nacua has averaged 20.4 receptions per touchdown in his career. Yet, he has averaged 2.75 PPR fantasy points per reception in his career, a higher average than Amon-Ra St. Brown (2.66).
Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG)
- 2024 PPR Finish – WR36 | 10.7 Fantasy Points Per Game
- 2024 Non-PPR Finish – WR53 | 5.3 Fantasy Points Per Game
There might not be a player more impacted by PPR vs. non-PPR scoring than Robinson. The former Kentucky star finished 13th in the NFL and 10th among wide receivers in receptions last season (93). Yet, he ranked 44th in receiving yards (699) and 60th in touchdowns among wide receivers (three) despite the Giants having the eighth-most pass attempts in 2024. According to Fantasy Points Data, Robinson’s 5.0 aDOT was the second-lowest among 91 wide receivers, with at least 250 routes run last year.
Thankfully, New York significantly improved their quarterback unit this offseason, adding Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart. More importantly, the team didn’t make any significant additions to their receiving corps, meaning Robinson should remain the No. 2 guy in the passing attack behind Malik Nabers. While the Giants improved their quarterback unit, that won’t impact the veteran’s depth of target role and limitations. Robinson is a capable flex option in PPR scoring while undraftable in non-PPR leagues.
Travis Kelce (TE – KC)
- 2024 PPR Finish – TE5 | 12.2 Fantasy Points Per Game
- 2024 Non-PPR Finish – TE10 | 6.2 Fantasy Points Per Game
Kelce’s days as the top tight end in fantasy football are over. Furthermore, the future Hall of Famer is no longer a must-start every week fantasy tight end. Yet, he is far more appealing in PPR scoring leagues than non-PPR because of his decline in receiving touchdowns. After totaling at least nine receiving touchdowns every year from 2020 through 2022, Kelce has eight scores over the past two seasons combined. Yet, he remains a high-target option for the Chiefs’ offense.
Last year, the veteran had 97 receptions, the third-most among tight ends. Kelce has had at least 92 receptions every season of his career with Patrick Mahomes under center. Furthermore, opposing defenses have focused on stopping Kansas City from making big plays downfield. Therefore, Kelce should continue to see a massive target volume despite the return of Rashee Rice. Because he lacks touchdown upside, the veteran is a streaming option in non-PPR leagues but a solid mid-range TE1 in PPR scoring formats.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
