Everything changed when reception points became the default. Suddenly, a five-yard dump-off pass was worth as much as a fifteen-yard strike down the seam. It felt weird then, and for a lot of us, it still feels a bit inflated. If you’re playing in a "non-PPR" or standard league, you know the vibe is different. You aren't looking for the guy who catches eight screen passes for 40 yards. You want the touchdown makers. You want the tackle-breakers.
When you sit down to look at standard scoring fantasy football rankings, you’re essentially looking at a map of raw yardage and scoring efficiency. It’s a purist's game. In this format, the value of a high-volume running back skyrockets while the "satellite" back—the guy who lives on third-down catches—becomes almost unplayable. If he doesn't cross the goal line, his fantasy day is likely a bust.
The math is simple but brutal. 10 yards equals one point. A touchdown is six. That’s it.
The Workhorse Renaissance
In standard leagues, the "Dead Zone" for running backs isn't quite as deadly. While PPR leagues have pivoted toward elite wide receivers in the first round, standard scoring fantasy football rankings almost always demand a heavy RB focus early on. Think about a guy like Derrick Henry. In a points-per-reception world, his lack of targets can sometimes be a headache. But in a standard league? He’s a god. He’s the prototype. You need guys who can carry the ball 20 times because, without the "free" points from catches, volume on the ground is the only way to build a safe floor.
Christian McCaffrey remains the consensus number one because he does everything, but the gap between him and a pure runner like Nick Chubb or Jonathan Taylor shrinks in this format. You're looking for "standard" monsters. These are the players who generate "chunk" plays. If a receiver catches a ball for 9 yards in PPR, he gets 1.9 points. In standard? He gets 0.9. That 1-point difference sounds small until you realize it happens ten times a game. Over a season, that's 170 points vanishing into thin air.
Most people get the RB situation, but they totally mess up their wide receiver evaluations.
Why Your WR Strategy is Probably Wrong
In standard scoring, the "possession receiver" is your worst enemy. You know the type. The guy who finishes the year with 105 catches but only 900 yards and 3 touchdowns. In a PPR league, that's a WR1 or a high-end WR2. In a standard league, that's a guy who leaves you trailing by 20 points every Sunday.
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You have to hunt for the deep threats and the red-zone targets. Mike Evans is the poster child for this. He might have games where he only catches three balls, but if those catches go for 80 yards and a score, he’s given you 14 points. That is gold. You want the guys who average 15+ yards per reception. Players like George Pickens or Jameson Williams—guys who can break a slate with two touches—gain massive relative value in standard scoring fantasy football rankings compared to a slot receiver like Jakobi Meyers.
It’s about volatility. You have to embrace it. You can't "points-per-reception" your way to a win; you have to out-gain and out-score your opponent.
The Quarterback Math Shift
Wait, why does the scoring format change how we look at QBs? It shouldn't, right? Wrong.
Because the total scores in standard leagues are lower (no reception points), the "gap" created by an elite rushing quarterback is actually more significant. If your league's average score is 90 points instead of 120, a quarterback who runs for 60 yards and a touchdown is providing a much larger percentage of your total output. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen aren't just great; they are structural advantages.
In a standard league, a "pocket passer" who throws for 300 yards and 2 TDs gives you 20 points. A running QB who throws for 200 yards and 1 TD but adds 70 rushing yards and a rushing score gives you 25. In a lower-scoring environment, that 5-point edge is massive. It's the difference between a win and a loss more often than not.
Realities of the Tight End Position
Tight end is a wasteland in standard. There, I said it. Honestly, unless you have one of the top three guys, you're basically throwing a dart at a board and hoping for a touchdown.
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In PPR, a tight end can be a "safety valve" who racks up 5 catches for 40 yards. That's 9 points—totally respectable. In standard, that same performance is 4 points. Four! That’s a lineup killer. If your tight end doesn't score a touchdown in a standard league, he likely failed you. This is why many experts suggest waiting even longer on the position in standard drafts unless you can snag a true vertical threat like Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews who functions more like a wide receiver.
Drafting for the Ceiling
Let's talk about the bench. In PPR, you want "floor" players on your bench—guys you can plug in during a bye week to get you a guaranteed 8-10 points.
In standard, throw the floor out the window.
You want "lottery tickets." You want the backup running back who is one injury away from 20 carries. You want the rookie receiver who runs a 4.3 but hasn't learned the full route tree yet. Why? Because in standard scoring, you need "big" plays to win. A boring veteran who gets you 40 yards and 0 TDs is useless. You need the guy who might get you 120 yards and 2 TDs once every three weeks.
Putting the Rankings into Practice
When you're looking at standard scoring fantasy football rankings, don't just follow the list blindly. You have to understand the "why" behind the player's rank.
- Look at Yard Per Carry (YPC): A back who averages 5.0 YPC is significantly more valuable in standard than a back who averages 3.8 but catches more passes.
- Red Zone Touches: This is the holy grail. Check the stats on who gets carries inside the 5-yard line. In standard, these are the most valuable touches in the entire sport.
- Air Yards: For receivers, look at "Air Yards" and "ADOT" (Average Depth of Target). You want guys being targeted downfield.
The transition from PPR back to standard can be jarring. You'll see a player like Diontae Johnson, who is a PPR machine, and realize he’s ranked 15 spots lower in standard. It feels wrong until Sunday afternoon hits and he has 6 catches for 48 yards and you realize you only got 4.8 points for all that work.
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Standard scoring is about the "big boys." It’s about the trench war. It’s about the guys who actually put the ball in the end zone.
Actionable Steps for Your Draft
To actually win your league using these insights, stop drafting receivers in the first two rounds unless it's a true superstar like Justin Jefferson or Tyreek Hill. The drop-off in RB production is too steep. By the time you get to round four, the running backs available are mostly "committee" guys who will split carries and kill your consistency.
Focus on "High-Value Touches." A carry inside the 10-yard line is worth more than three carries at midfield. A target 20 yards downfield is worth more than three targets at the line of scrimmage. Adjust your personal rankings to reflect this reality.
Check the weather. It sounds like a cliché, but in standard leagues, yardage is everything. A rainy, windy game that limits deep passing hurts WRs in standard much more than in PPR, where they might still get short dump-offs.
Finally, stop overvaluing "target share" if those targets aren't resulting in yardage. If a guy is getting 10 targets but only 50 yards, he is a liability in your format. Move him down your board. Build a team of home-run hitters and goal-line bruisers. That’s how you conquer standard scoring.