The new BATSBYSports.com offers a look at the annual PPR Draft Spectacular (longtime readers from SI.com, FOX Sports, Bleacher Report, etc. swear by this document), breaking down certain targets-driven initiatives for fantasy playmakers at wide receiver, tight end and running back.
FUN FACT #1
Let’s start with a mind-blowing stat: Of his last 31 games, including the playoffs, Texans wideout DeAndre Hopkins (115 catches, 1,572 yards, 11 TDs last season) has collected double-digit targets and/or one touchdown 29 times.
This feat holds even greater value, when factoring in this:
Covering the last two seasons, Hopkins caught balls from four different Houston quarterbacks (Brock Osweiler, Deshaun Watson, Tom Savage, T.J. Yates)—and only one of actual substance.
WIDE RECEIVERS
TOP 75 PPR WIDEOUTS
- Davante Adams, Packers
- DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
- Julio Jones, Falcons
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers
- Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
- Michael Thomas, Saints
- Odell Beckham Jr., Browns
- Keenan Allen, Chargers
- Antonio Brown, Raiders
- Adam Thielen, Vikings
- Amari Cooper, Cowboys
- Mike Evans, Buccaneers
- Kenny Golladay, Lions
- Brandin Cooks, Rams
- Stefon Diggs, Vikings
- T.Y. Hilton, Colts
- Julian Edelman, Patriots
- Tyler Boyd, Bengals
- Alshon Jeffery, Eagles
- Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
- Calvin Ridley, Falcons
- Robert Woods, Rams
- A.J. Green, Bengals
- Mike Williams, Chargers
- Jarvis Landry, Browns
- Allen Robinson, Bears
- Cooper Kupp, Rams
- Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
- Robbie Anderson, Jets
- Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
- DJ Moore, Panthers
- Christian Kirk, Cardinals
- Will Fuller, Texans
- Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos
- Corey Davis, Titans
- Sterling Shepard, Giants
- Zay Jones, Bills
- Chris Godwin, Buccaneers
- Courtland Sutton, Broncos
- James Washington, Steelers
- Marvin Jones Jr., Lions
- Michael Gallup, Cowboys
- Robert Foster, Bills
- Anthony Miller, Bears
- Josh Gordon, Patriots
- Curtis Samuel, Panthers
- Dante Pettis, 49ers
- Geronimo Allison, Packers
- Jamison Crowder, Jets
- Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
- DeVante Parker, Dolphins
- Adam Humphries, Titans
- Devin Funchess, Colts
- Cole Beasley, Bills
- Keke Coutee, Texans
- Marques Valdes-Scantling, Packers
- Tre’Quan Smith, Saints
- Nelson Agholor, Eagles
- John Ross, Bengals
- John Brown, Bills
- Phillip Dorsett, Patriots
- Mecole Hardman, Chiefs
- Terry McLaurin, Redskins
- Parris Campbell, Colts
- DaeSean Hamilton, Broncos
- Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
- Golden Tate, Giants (four-week suspension)
- Danny Amendola, Lions
- Marquise Brown, Ravens
- Willie Snead, Ravens
- Albert Wilson, Dolphins
- Donte Moncrief, Steelers
- DK Metcalf, Seahawks
- Tyrell Williams, Raiders
- Mohamed Sanu, Falcons
75b. Chris Conley, Jaguars
FUN FACT #2
In 2019, Davante Adams’ four games against the Vikings and Bears could have great consequences in fantasyland.
Green Bay opens the season against Chicago (road) and Minnesota (home) … and then faces the Bears and Vikings again for Weeks 15 and 16—universally the semifinal and final rounds of the fantasy playoffs.
Which brings us to this: Charting his last eight outings against Chicago and Minnesota, Adams was a perfect 8 for 8 in amassing 100 yards receiving and/or scoring one touchdown.
TARGETS ACQUIRED
Here’s one method assessment for quantifying elite-level consistency with seasonal and daily PPR leagues. These 20 wideouts notched at least eight games of eight-plus targets during the 2018 regular season:
14 games—Julio Jones
13 games—Davante Adams, JuJu Smith-Schuster
12—DeAndre Hopkins
11—Antonio Brown, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr.
10—Adam Thielen, Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, Brandin Cooks
9—Stefon Diggs, Robert Woods, T.Y. Hilton, Kenny Golladay, Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman
8—Tyreek Hill, Amari Cooper
FUN FACT #3
Indy’s T.Y. Hilton led all wideouts in receiving yards (560) for Weeks 13-17 last year, while posting a robust catch-to-target rate of 66 percent.
Here’s what’s quirky, though: During that five-game run, Hilton merely topped 100 yards receiving twice; and the Week 17 showdown with the Titans yielded only two catches and 61 yards.
Here’s another stat worth mentioning: For the 2017 season, without now-retired Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, Hilton registered four touchdowns and four outings of 100-plus yards in games started by Jacoby Brissett.
When cracking triple-digit yardage that year, Hilton owned robust averages of 6.3 catches, 10 targets, 166 yards and 0.7 TDs. So, at the very least, in the Colts’ new Luck-free era, there’s a boom-or-bust history with Hilton and Brissett.
THE CREAM ALWAYS RISES
Charting last season, 27 wideouts crossed the PPR-elite threshold of seven catches, 95 yards and/or one touchdown at least seven times:
15 games—Davante Adams
14 games—DeAndre Hopkins, Antonio Brown
13—Julio Jones
12—Adam Thielen, JuJu Smith-Schuster
11—Stefon Diggs
10—Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, Julian Edelman, Tyler Lockett
9—Keenan Allen, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., T.Y. Hilton
8—Robert Woods, Jarvis Landry, Brandin Cooks, Tyler Boyd
7—Kenny Golladay, Larry Fitzgerald, Dede Westbrook, Calvin Ridley, Chris Godwin, Anthony Miller, John Ross, A.J. Green
TIGHT ENDS
PRESEASON: TOP 35 PPR TIGHT ENDS
- Travis Kelce, Chiefs
- George Kittle, 49ers
- Zach Ertz, Eagles
- Evan Engram, Giants
- O.J. Howard, Buccaneers
- Jared Cook, Saints
- David Njoku, Browns
- Eric Ebron, Colts
- Hunter Henry, Chargers
- Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
- Vance McDonald, Steelers
- Jimmy Graham, Packers
- Delanie Walker, Titans
- Jordan Reed, Redskins
- Chris Herndon, Jets
- T.J. Hockenson, Lions
- Austin Hooper, Falcons
- Trey Burton, Bears
- Mark Andrews, Ravens
- Jesse James, Lions
- Jack Doyle, Colts
- Greg Olsen, Panthers
- Gerald Everett, Rams
- Dallas Goedert, Eagles
- Noah Fant, Broncos
- Ricky Seals-Jones, Cardinals
- Mike Gesicki, Dolphins
- Tyler Eifert, Bengals
- Jason Witten, Cowboys
- Will Dissly, Seahawks
- Andrew Beck/Benjamin Watson, Patriots
- Blake Jarwin, Cowboys
- Dawson Knox, Bills
- Cameron Brate, Buccaneers
- Hayden Hurst, Ravens
TARGETS ACQUIRED, PART II
These eight tight ends notched at least seven games of six-plus targets last season.
By comparison, 10 tight ends crossed the same threshold in 2017.
15 games—Travis Kelce
14 games—Zach Ertz, George Kittle
13 games—None
12—None
11—None
10—None
9—Eric Ebron
8—Jared Cook, David Njoku, Jordan Reed
7—Jimmy Graham
TIERS OF A CLOWN: DRAFT NIGHT
TIER I — Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, George Kittle
TIER II — Evan Engram, David Njoku, O.J. Howard
TIER III — ErIc Ebron, Jared Cook, Hunter Henry, Vance McDonald
TIER IV — Jimmy Graham, Kyle Rudolph, TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant, Dallas Goedert, Delanie Walker, Mark Andrews, Jordan Reed, Chris Herndon, Jesse James
TIER V — Jack Doyle, Tyler Eifert, C.J. Uzomah, Will Dissly, Ricky Seals-Jones, Mike Gesicki, Jason Witten, Tyler Eifert,
TIER VI — Hayden Hurst, Cameron Brate, Blake Jarwin, Dawson Knox, Andrew Beck, Benjamin Watson, Cameron Brate
THE CREAM ALWAYS RISES, PART II
Charting last season, only five tight ends crossed the PPR-elite threshold of six catches, 80 yards and/or one touchdown at least seven times:
12 games—Travis Kelce
11 games—George Kittle, Eric Ebron
10—Zach Ertz
9—None
8—None
7—Jared Cook
RUNNING BACKS
PRESEASON: TOP 70 PPR TAILBACKS
- Saquon Barkley, Giants
- Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
- Alvin Kamara, Saints
- Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
- Le’Veon Bell, Jets
- David Johnson, Cardinals
- James Conner, Steelers
- Joe Mixon, Bengals
- Todd Gurley, Rams
- Nick Chubb, Browns
- Leonard Fournette, Jaguars
- Kerryon Johnson, Lions
- Dalvin Cook, Vikings
- Melvin Gordon, Chargers
- Aaron Jones, Packers
- Sony Michel, Patriots
- Marlon Mack, Colts
- Chris Carson, Seahawks
- Phillip Lindsay, Broncos
- Damien Williams, Chiefs
- Devonta Freeman, Falcons
- James White, Patriots
- Derrick Henry, Titans
- Mark Ingram, Ravens
- Tevin Coleman, 49ers
- Josh Jacobs, Raiders
- Kenyan Drake, Dolphins
- David Montgomery, Bears
- Miles Sanders, Eagles
- Duke Johnson, Texans
- Austin Ekeler, Chargers
- Derrius Guice, Redskins
- Tarik Cohen, Bears
- Devin Singletary, Bills
- Darrell Henderson, Rams
- LeSean McCoy, Chiefs
- Peyton Barber, Buccaneers
- Nyheim Hines, Colts
- Jordan Howard, Eagles
- Matt Breida, 49ers
- Dion Lewis, Titans
- Adrian Peterson, Redskins
- Rashaad Penny, Seahawks
- Latavius Murray, Saints
- Jalen Richard, Raiders
- Jaylen Samuels, Steelers
- Ronald Jones, Buccaneers
- Justin Jackson, Chargers
- T.J. Yeldon, Bills
- Kallen Ballage, Dolphins
- Chris Thompson, Redskins
- Gus Edwards, Ravens
- Giovani Bernard, Bengals
- Darwin Thompson, Chiefs
- Ito Smith, Falcons
- Justice Hill, Ravens
- Corey Clement, Eagles
- Carlos Hyde, Texans
- Kareem Hunt, Brown (eight-game suspension)
- Alexander Mattison, Vikings
- Chase Edmonds, Cardinals
- C.J. Anderson, Lions
- Jamaal Williams, Packers
- Mike Davis, Bears
- Damien Harris, Patriots
- Cameron Artis-Payne, Panthers
- Ty Montgomery, Jets
- Frank Gore, Bills
- Benny Snell Jr., Steelers
- Ryquell Armstead, Jaguars
FUN FACT #4
Charting his last 25 complete games with the Steelers (including the playoffs), new Jets tailback Le’Veon Bell had reached the elite-level threshold of 100 total yards and/or one touchdown 22 times.
The three so-called clunkers can be easily rationalized, as well:
a) In 2017, Bell needed the first two games last year to get in football shape, after missing all of training camp (contract dispute).
b) For the October 2017 loss to the Jaguars, Bell accounted for 93 total yards and 10 receptions—or the equivalent of 19.3 PPR points.
c) Also for that Week 5 outing, a touchdown-free Bell still finished fifth among PPR backs.
OPPOSING FORCES AT WORK
There are two ways to characterize David Johnson’s candidacy as a top-five tailback — ahead of Le’Veon Bell, Melvin Gordon and maybe even James Conner:
a) The optimist would say: From Thanksgiving weekend 2015 to Week 16 of the 2016 campaign, spanning 21 regular-season outings … Johnson notched 100 total yards and/or one touchdown 20 times.
b) The negative person would counter: Since incurring significant injuries for his last games of 2016 and 2017, Johnson has eclipsed 100 rushing yards just once in that subsequent span.
Plus, of his final six games last season, Johnson owned painfully mediocre averages of 75 total yards and 0.3 touchdowns.
50-AND-OVER CLUB
Here’s a look at the 21 running backs who collected a minimum of 50 receiving targets last season:
- Christian McCaffrey—124 targets
- James White—123
- Saquon Barkley—121
- Alvin Kamara—105
- Ezekiel Elliott—95
- Tarik Cohen—91
- Todd Gurley—81
- Nyheim Hines—81
- Jalen Richard—81
- T.J. Yeldon—78
- David Johnson—76
- Theo Riddick—75
- Kenyan Drake—73
- James Conner—71
- Dion Lewis—67
- Melvin Gordon—66
- Duke Johnson—62
- Joe Mixon—55
- Chris Thompson—53
- Austin Ekeler—51
- Devontae Booker—51
Jay Clemons, the 2008 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and 2015 Cynopsis Media award winner for “Sports Blog Of The Year,” has previously served as the lead fantasy analyst for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports South, Bleacher Report and Fanball.com.