You're probably used to seeing every expert on the planet obsess over "points per reception." It’s everywhere. But honestly, if you're playing in a standard scoring league, those fancy PPR rankings are going to get you killed. Non-PPR is a different beast entirely. It’s a world where a 40-yard dash means more than a three-yard dump-off on 3rd and long.
The math changes everything.
In a standard league, fantasy football rankings non ppr prioritize the guys who actually finish drives. You don't get a "participation trophy" point just because a wideout caught a bubble screen for zero yards. In this format, if a player doesn't gain yards or cross the goal line, he’s basically useless to your roster. This creates a massive shift in player value that many casual managers completely ignore during their drafts. They see a high PPR rank and assume it translates. It doesn't.
The Brutal Reality of Touchdown Dependency
In non-PPR, the touchdown is king. Think about it. A single rushing touchdown is worth 60 yards of receiving or rushing effort. If your wide receiver catches six passes for 50 yards, he’s a hero in PPR with 11 points. In your standard league? That’s 5 points. You're losing.
This is why "workhorse" running backs are still the gold standard here. While PPR enthusiasts are chasing pass-catching backs like Christian McCaffrey (who is still great, obviously), the gap between him and a pure "between the tackles" grinder narrows significantly in standard scoring. You want the guys who get the carries inside the five-yard line. You want the Derrick Henry types—the guys who might only catch 15 passes a season but will handle 300 carries and sniff the end zone 15 times.
Why Yardage-Per-Target Matters More Than Receptions
Efficiency is your best friend. In non-PPR, you should be looking at players who stretch the field. A guy like George Pickens or Gabe Davis (in his prime boom-bust cycles) is significantly more valuable in this format than a "slot machine" like Jakobi Meyers.
If a receiver averages 16 yards per catch, they are a non-PPR goldmine. Why? Because they reach that 100-yard bonus or high yardage total with fewer opportunities. You're betting on the big play. It's high-risk, high-reward, but in a format where points are harder to come by, you need that ceiling.
Deep Dive into the Top Tiers
When you look at fantasy football rankings non ppr, the first round usually looks like a graveyard for wide receivers. Usually, you’ll see five or six running backs go before the first wideout even leaves the board.
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The Elite RBs: We’re talking about the guys who get 20+ touches a game. Breece Hall and Bijan Robinson are obvious, but don't sleep on the "boring" veterans. If Jonathan Taylor is healthy, his value in non-PPR is astronomical because he doesn't need 80 catches to be the RB1.
The Alpha WRs: To be a top-five receiver in standard scoring, you essentially have to be a double-digit touchdown threat. Tyreek Hill and CeeDee Lamb stay at the top because they score from anywhere on the field. But a guy like Justin Jefferson, while still elite, loses a tiny bit of his "safety net" if the Vikings' offense stalls near the red zone.
The TE Landscape: This is where things get really ugly. If your tight end doesn't score a touchdown, he’s probably giving you 3 or 4 points. It makes the elite tier—Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Sam LaPorta—even more valuable because they are legitimate red-zone targets. If you miss the top three, you might as well wait until the last round.
The "Zero RB" Trap in Standard Scoring
Don't do it. Just don't.
Zero RB is a strategy built entirely on the back of PPR volatility. The idea is that you can find cheap points from pass-catching backs on the waiver wire. In non-PPR, those guys—the third-down specialists—are roster clogs. They’ll give you 30 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards. That’s 5 points. You cannot win a league starting a guy who gives you 5 points. You need the starters. You need the volume.
Draft Strategy: The "Hero RB" Modified Approach
I’ve found that the best way to handle a standard draft is to grab one absolute monster at RB in the first round and then lean into high-ceiling wide receivers.
You want receivers who have "X-factor" athleticism. Look for the guys with high ADOT (Average Depth of Target). According to data from Pro Football Focus (PFF), players who rank in the top 10% of ADOT have a much higher correlation with non-PPR success than those who rely on high-volume, low-yardage targets.
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Think about the difference between DK Metcalf and Amon-Ra St. Brown. In PPR, St. Brown is often the preferred pick because of his 100-catch floor. But in a non-PPR setting, Metcalf’s ability to score 10+ touchdowns and rack up yards on deep posts makes it a much closer conversation. Honestly, sometimes Metcalf is the better pick there.
The Quarterback "Konami Code"
Standard scoring also changes how you view Quarterbacks. Since passing yards are usually weighted at 1 point per 25 yards (whereas rushing is 1 per 10), rushing yards are a massive cheat code.
Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts are essentially high-end running backs who also happen to throw for 4,000 yards. In non-PPR, their rushing touchdowns are worth the same 6 points as a Saquon Barkley touchdown. If your QB is running for 600 yards and 10 scores, you have a massive mathematical advantage over the person starting a pure pocket passer like Joe Burrow or Jared Goff.
Middle Round Targets You're Probably Missing
When you get into rounds 5 through 8, everyone starts panicking. This is where you find the "LeGarrette Blount" types (metaphorically speaking). You're looking for the guy who is going to get 12 carries and the goal-line work, even if he doesn't play on third down.
- Raheem Mostert types: People always fade the older backs, but if they are in a high-powered offense and get the goal-line carries, they are non-PPR gold.
- Deep Threat Specialists: Look for the WR3 on a high-scoring offense. A guy who only gets 4 targets but they are all 30 yards downfield.
- The Rookie Bump: Rookies often start slow with pass protection (which keeps them off the field in PPR situations), but they get "gadget" touches and goal-line looks early on.
Managing the Waiver Wire
In a non-PPR league, your waiver wire strategy has to be aggressive toward injuries. If a starting RB goes down, his backup—no matter how "bad" he is at catching passes—instantly becomes a top-24 play because of the projected volume.
In PPR, you might look for the "change of pace" back. In non-PPR, you look for the "next man up" on the depth chart who weighs 220 pounds. You want the guy who can fall forward for three yards. It’s not pretty. It’s not "modern football." But it wins trophies.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistake? Following a "consensus" cheat sheet. Most "consensus" rankings are either PPR or Half-PPR. If you use a Half-PPR list for a non-PPR draft, you are overvaluing receivers by about 15-20%.
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Another mistake is overvaluing "safe" players. In standard scoring, safety is a myth. If a player doesn't have "big play" ability, their floor is actually much lower than you think. A "safe" 5-catch, 50-yard game is a mediocre 5 points. I'd rather take the "risky" guy who might get 2 catches for 80 yards and a score (14 points) or 1 catch for 10 yards (1 point). In non-PPR, you play for the ceiling.
The Kicker and Defense Factor
Yes, we have to talk about them. In non-PPR, these positions actually matter a bit more because the total scores are lower. If your game ends 90-85, a 12-point performance from your kicker is a huge chunk of your production.
- Target kickers on teams that move the ball but struggle in the red zone.
- Target defenses that prioritize sacks and interceptions over "yards allowed." In standard scoring, you want the chaos points.
Actionable Steps for Your Draft
To dominate your league using fantasy football rankings non ppr, you need to stop thinking like a scout and start thinking like an accountant.
- Check your scoring settings twice. Ensure there truly is 0.0 per reception. Some leagues "standard" settings actually include 0.5 PPR.
- Build a "Touchdown-First" board. Rank every player by their projected touchdowns. If a guy isn't projected for at least 6-8 scores, he shouldn't be in your top 4 rounds.
- Prioritize RB-RB or RB-WR. Don't wait until the 4th round to get your first running back. The cliff drops off much faster in non-PPR.
- Ignore "Target Share" to an extent. Focus more on "Red Zone Touches." A player with 100 targets but only 2 red zone looks is a liability.
- Watch the preseason goal-line rotations. Who is the team trusting when they are at the 2-yard line? That is your most valuable piece of information.
The game is won in the trenches and at the goal line. Stop worrying about who is catching the most balls and start worrying about who is holding the ball when the referee raises his arms. That’s the only way to win in non-PPR. Vertically-oriented offenses and heavy-set rushing attacks are your path to a championship.
Stay focused on the yardage totals and the "nose for the end zone." If you do that, while your league-mates are drafting "PPR darlings" who get tackled as soon as they catch the ball, you'll be the one coasting to the playoffs. Efficiency and touchdowns are the only metrics that truly move the needle here. Keep your roster heavy on goal-line threats and deep-ball specialists.
Now, go audit your current rankings and move every "possession receiver" down three spots. Your future self will thank you.
Next Steps for Your Season
- Analyze Red Zone Data: Look at last year's statistics for "carries inside the 5-yard line." This is the single most predictive stat for non-PPR running back success.
- Identify "Air Yard" Leaders: Find the wide receivers who lead the league in "Unrealized Air Yards." These are guys who are being targeted deep but haven't connected yet—they are the ultimate "buy low" candidates in standard formats.
- Mock Draft with Purpose: Run three mock drafts using a "Heavy RB" strategy and compare the projected weekly floor against a "Balanced" approach. You'll see the point disparity immediately.