Fantasy football doesn't actually end when the confetti falls on your league championship. If you're playing in playoff challenges, looking at dynasty trades, or already obsessing over 2026 value, the "season" is a year-round grind. Honestly, the way most people look at rest of season fantasy rankings ppr in January is kind of broken because they're stuck looking at what happened in October.
The 2025 season just wrapped up, and it was weird. Christian McCaffrey reminded everyone why he's the king, finishing with over 404 PPR points, but we also saw the rise of a new guard. If you aren't adjusting for the massive shifts in usage we saw in December, you're drafting or trading with old data.
The PPR Power Shifts You Probably Missed
The biggest mistake is ignoring how "boring" high-volume guys become league-winners late in the year. Look at someone like Jaxon Smith-Njigba. For the first half of the season, he was just a "wait and see" guy in Seattle. By the time the fantasy playoffs hit, he was basically a locked-in WR1. According to recent performance metrics, JSN finished the year as the WR2 in many formats, cementing himself as a top-10 overall asset for the foreseeable future.
Then you have the rookies.
Luther Burden III in Chicago completely took over the WR1 role when Rome Odunze was sidelined. He led all rookie receivers in catches (34) and yards after catch from Week 10 through the end of the season. If your rest of season fantasy rankings ppr don't reflect that he's now Caleb Williams' favorite target, you're missing the boat. He isn't just a "prospect" anymore; he’s a volume monster.
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Running Backs: Volume vs. Efficiency
The running back landscape is a total mess right now, but in a good way for PPR. Christian McCaffrey is obviously the 1.01. He outscored the QB1 (Josh Allen) by 40 points this year. That almost never happens. But behind him, the gap is closing.
- Bijan Robinson: He finally got the "workhorse" usage everyone screamed for. He’s the consensus RB1 for many heading into the 2026 cycle because he combines a massive floor with a 15% target share.
- Ashton Jeanty: The Raiders rookie was fascinating. He had nearly 1,000 yards after contact. Think about that. Even with a bad offensive line in Las Vegas, he was a PPR machine because he caught 55 balls.
- Jahmyr Gibbs: He’s basically a wide receiver who happens to line up in the backfield. In Detroit’s offense, his PPR ceiling is higher than almost anyone not named McCaffrey.
Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor are still elite, obviously. But Taylor's health is always a "check the report" situation, and Saquon is getting to that age where every touch feels like a gamble. I'd still take them in the first round, but the young guys have the momentum.
The Tight End "Changing of the Guard"
Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews aren't the locks they used to be. It’s sad, but it’s reality.
Trey McBride is the new gold standard. He averaged 3.5 points per game more than the next closest tight end in 2025. That’s a massive positional advantage. If you don't have McBride, you're looking at Colston Loveland in Chicago or Harold Fannin Jr. in Cleveland. Loveland had a monster postseason debut and finished the second half of the year trailing only McBride in receiving yards among TEs.
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Why Rest of Season Fantasy Rankings PPR Still Matter Now
You might think rankings are useless once the regular season is over. You'd be wrong.
January is "Dynasty Buy-Low Season."
Right now, managers are frustrated with Patrick Mahomes. He’s coming off a knee surgery (ACL/LCL) and says he’ll be ready for Week 1 of 2026. Because he didn't finish as the QB1, his price has never been lower. If you’re looking at rest of season fantasy rankings ppr through a long-term lens, you’re buying the dip on elite talent that had a "down" year.
The "Travis Hunter" Factor
Jacksonville's Travis Hunter is the ultimate wildcard. Before his knee injury in November, he was playing over 100 snaps on both sides of the ball. He’s a WR3 with WR1 upside if the Jaguars keep him heavily involved in the passing game. His recovery is "on track" according to GM James Gladstone, meaning he should be a focal point of your 2026 draft prep starting today.
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Practical Next Steps for Managers
If you want to stay ahead of your league mates, stop looking at the total points from last year and start looking at "weighted opportunity."
- Analyze Targets Per Route Run (TPRR): This tells you who the QBs actually want to throw to. Guys like Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown remain elite because their TPRR is consistently over 25%.
- Monitor the Coaching Carousel: A new offensive coordinator in Las Vegas could turn Ashton Jeanty from a "frustrating RB2" into a "top-3 PPR overall" player.
- Audit Your Roster for "Empty Calories": If you have veterans who scored points based on touchdowns rather than volume (like some of the older WRs in Buffalo or Miami), trade them now while the "total points" still look good on their profile.
The 2026 landscape is already forming. While players like Ja'Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson lead the way, the real value is found in the December surges that the casual players have already forgotten. Keep your rankings updated based on target share and health, not just name recognition.
Actionable Insight: Focus your trade inquiries on "Sophomore Leap" candidates like Luther Burden III and Tetairoa McMillan. History shows that high-volume rookie receivers who finish strong (as both did in 2025) almost always see a 15-20% jump in PPR production in their second year.