Contents
PPR (point per reception) scoring is as self-explanatory as it sounds.
You take ESPN’s yardage-and-touchdown-angled fantasy football scoring and add an award of one point per player reception.
PPR scoring is identical to non-PPR scoring with one addition: a point is awarded for each reception that a player accrues.
This helps elevate running back, wide receiver, and tight end scoring within a closer range to that of quarterbacks, who routinely dominate non-PPR scoring systems. [1]
As a fantasy football player, all you want is a well-balanced scoring system that rewards every position with points commensurate with that position.
The PPR scoring system keeps quarterbacks as the top scorers and keeps running backs and wide receivers close enough to quarterbacks in scoring that there’s a good competitive balance. [2]
I’m Tracy, and I’ve been an NFL and fantasy football student for years. So I know the rules and available options regarding ESPN fantasy football.
In this post, I’ll explain how non-PPR scoring is a relic that has outlived its usefulness. Next, I’ll examine that while PPR scoring is a much better option than non-PPR, a few modifications are necessary to hit that sweet spot.
Before diving into this article, check out this piece for a quick refresher on PPR and non-PPR scoring.
Let’s get smarter!
Key Takeaways
- Non-PPR scoring overvalues QBs and RBs while undervaluing WRs.
- PPR-scoring equally values RBs, QBs, and WRs, but undervalues TEs.
- TE Premium Scoring hits the sweet spot: all non-TE receivers receive one point for a reception, but TEs receive an additional 0.5 points per reception.
The Disaster That is Non-PPR Scoring
Non-PPR scoring needs to be eliminated, as it represents an NFL that no longer exists.
The chart above delineates important information regarding non-PPR scoring for the 2022 ESPN fantasy football season.
In non-PPR scoring, the top QB scored 416.4 pts, while no other player broke 280 points.
In addition, the top WR netted 240.7 points, while the top running back scored 275.3 points.
In fact, five running backs accrued more fantasy points than the top wide receiver.
In a pass-centric NFL, this is absurd.
Running backs and wide receivers must be closer in point totals.
Also note that of the fifty highest-scoring fantasy players in non-PPR leagues, QBs and RBs accounted for 41 of the players.
WRs and TEs only represented 9 of those fifty players.
Proving the Case for PPR – Numbers Don’t Lie
The chart above delineates essential information regarding the 2022 ESPN fantasy football PPR leagues.
This chart indicates appropriate point totals where every position is fantasy football-relevant.
Notice the much smaller gap between QBs and other skill players.
In addition, running backs and WRs are closer in point totals to QBs and each other.
And this more well-rounded scoring provides almost equal numbers of QBs, RBs, and WRs in the top fifty scoring fantasy players.
As a fantasy football player, this scoring model is far more appropriate.
I said far more appropriate because, while PPR scoring is far better than non-PPR scoring, the tight end position is somewhat diminished.
How Do We Help the TEs?
As denoted in the previous section, PPR scoring is terrific for normalizing the values of all positions – except TE.
The above chart shows the top five scoring TEs in all 2022 ESPN PPR leagues.
TEs are essential to any offense, although the numbers above bring this into question.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs outscored every other TE by at least 100 fantasy points.
Kelce’s production placed him eighth among all RBs, WRs, and TEs.
However, no other NFL TE earned a spot in the top 50 of this class.
We must alter the fantasy football scoring to assist and maintain the relevance of the TE.
The Best Fantasy Football Scoring System
Clearly, the PPR System is the best.
However, to assist the TEs, we should make one slight alteration.
- Add 0.5 points for every reception made by a TE.
This new method of scoring is called TE Premium Scoring:
- 4 points per passing TD
- 6 points per rushing or receiving TD
- 6 points for a player returning a kick/punt for TD
- 6 points for a player returning or recovering a fumble for TD
- 2 points per rushing or receiving 2 pt conversion
- 2 points per passing, 2 pt conversion
- 1 point per 10 yards rushing or receiving
- 1 point per 25 yards passing
- 1 point per reception
- 0.5 points per TE reception
So, if your RB or WR had one reception for 10 yards, that is 1 point for the reception and one point for 10 yards—for a total of 2 points.
If your TE had one reception for 10 yards, that’s one point per reception, another 0.5 points because it’s a TE reception, and one point for 10 yards—for a total of 2.5 points.
In other words, in TE Premium Scoring, all your non-TE receivers receive one point for a reception, and your TEs receive 1.5 points per reception.
It’s a beautiful system. [3]
Read more:
- CAN YOU DO ESPN FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT ON IPHONE AND HOW?
- DOES OVERTIME COUNT FOR ESPN FANTASY FOOTBALL?
- HOW DO PLAYOFFS WORK IN FANTASY FOOTBALL ESPN?
Closing Thoughts
As with all scoring format changes, PPR or otherwise, the primary goal is to create a balanced fantasy league where one position is equally valued compared to another.
That way, as a fantasy manager, you can find value at multiple positions at any point of the draft when on the clock. [4]
In addition, PPR scoring minimizes the luck involved in fantasy scores, as touchdowns are somewhat random.
We’ve all been victims of luck; the less chance involved in fantasy football, the better.
The PPR model also elevates the value of all positions relative to the Quarterback and each other.
The PPR model fails us to quantify the TE’s value.
And we solve this by increasing the value of TE receptions.
Let me know your thoughts on TE Premium Scoring.
Have you ever used it in fantasy football, and if so, what are your thoughts?
References
- https://www.espn.com/fantasy/football/story/_/id/19732883/fantasy-football-strategy-points-per-reception-ppr-fantasy-football-leagues-which-players-see-value-increases-decreases
- https://www.si.com/fantasy/2022/07/21/whats-the-best-fantasy-football-scoring-system
- https://www.si.com/fantasy/2022/07/21/whats-the-best-fantasy-football-scoring-system
- https://www.profootballnetwork.com/what-is-ppr-scoring-system-fantasy-football/
