Fantasy Football 2016: 10 Players You Should Target In Your PPR League
Playing in a PPR (point-per-reception) fantasy football league requires different player evaluation and drafting strategies than those employed in traditional fantasy leagues.
Because every catch counts, wide receivers are far more valuable when playing under PPR rules, as are running backs who tend to rack up higher receiving totals.
With that in mind, here are 10 players you definitely should target in your PPR draft.
Antonio Brown, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers
Every list of PPR targets begins with Brown, who tied Julio Jones for the NFL lead in catches last season with 136 and should play an even more prominent role this season with teammate Martavis Bryant suspended for all 16 games.
Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver, New York Giants
You can bank on Eli Manning trying to get his top wideout the ball as much as possible. Beckham was targeted nine or more times in 11 of the Giants’ 16 games last season, and just three players had more receiving touchdowns than his 13.
Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Atlanta Falcons
Jones was the most productive receiver in the NFL last season, tying Brown for the league lead in receptions and leading all pass-catchers with 1,871 receiving yards. The sixth-year pro has surpassed his career high in both categories in each of the last two seasons.
DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
Brock Osweiler is an unproven quarterback, but Hopkins was a top-three receiver last season (111 receptions on 192 targets) with Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden throwing him the ball. He’ll be just fine.
David Johnson, Running Back, Arizona Cardinals
He’s not yet a marquee name, but Johnson is your best running back option when it comes to PPR production. He had 36 receptions on 57 targets for 457 yards and four touchdowns.
Todd Gurley, Running Back, Los Angeles Rams
The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year is the star of the show in L.A. and should play a role in all facets of the Rams’ offense. He caught 80.8 percent of the passes thrown his way last season.
A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
Always a safe pick, Green has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his five NFL seasons and hauled in more than 85 passes in three of them.
Lamar Miller, Running Back, Houston Texans
A former Miami Dolphin, Miller now takes over for Arian Foster as the new feature back in Houston. He saw his rushing numbers dip last season but turned in his best campaign as a pass-catcher, finishing with career highs in receptions (47), receiving yards (397) and receiving touchdowns (two).
Dez Bryant, Wide Receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Now fully healthy, Bryant once again should be Tony Romo’s top target. He was targeted 138, 159 and 136 times in the three seasons he played all 16 games.
Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys
The highest-drafted running back since Trent Richardson has the potential to be an immediate star for the Cowboys as a rookie. He had 300-plus touches in his last two seasons at Ohio State, so he’s accustomed to a heavy workload.
Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images
