One of the more popular scoring systems in fantasy football places an added emphasis on the act of the catch. Read on to learn all you need to know about PPR leagues and how to strategize as a manager in one of them.

When deciding to play fantasy football, managers have plenty to contemplate. From draft formats to league sizes, each choice has an impact on how a team is going to be run. Scoring settings are also part of the calculus, and when it comes to choosing leagues, one such setting that has a significant influence on team makeup and roster calls is whether a league is a PPR league — point per reception — or not.

If you’re new to fantasy football or to the concept of PPR, read on to get a better understanding of the landscape, as it’ll help you become more confident in your player and league selections going forward.

All Things PPR and Fantasy Football

PPR stands for point per reception, and its implementation in fantasy football is quite literal and straightforward to understand.

Each catch a player makes in a PPR league, whether that player is a running back, wide receiver or tight end, is worth a point.

How does PPR scoring work?

PPR scoring adds the act of the catch to the yards and potential touchdown that comes on the end of the reception. 

Say you’re in a PPR league where the scoring system is 10 receiving yards per point and six points for a receiving touchdown. If you have, for example, Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb on your team, and he hauls in a 60-yard touchdown pass, that becomes a 13-point play — six points for the yards, six for the touchdown and one more for the catch itself.

Players who haul in receptions by the handful are extremely valuable in PPR leagues, as they’ll offer a safer floor, even if their ceilings may not necessarily be the highest. If you’re in a PPR league, you’ll want to have a sharp focus on target hogs and pass-catching running backs to help maximize your team’s weekly output.

PPR Scoring vs. Standard Scoring vs. Half-PPR

There are three core scoring systems across the fantasy football landscape: PPR, half-PPR and standard scoring (otherwise known as non-PPR).

In standard scoring, all that matters are yards and scoring plays. A player can have 10 catches in a game, but if those grabs amount to 55 scoreless yards, that player is posting a paltry 5.5 points.

Half-PPR is a baby step in the more evolved direction. In half-PPR leagues, catches are worth .5 points, so it’s not as drastic of a tilt in the pass-catchers’ favor, but it still places a value on the act of the reception. In that example from above, 10 catches for 55 yards would amount to 10.5 points in half-PPR — five points for the 10 catches and 5.5 for the 55 yards.

In full PPR, it’s a pass-catchers’ world. A game of 10 catches for 55 yards would turn into a 15.5-point output — 10 for the catches and 5.5 for the yards. 

For running backs who gobble up check-down throws from their quarterback, PPR gives them a value boost that they likely wouldn’t have under any other scoring system. 

Three Tips for Playing in PPR Leagues

1. Adjust your draft strategy to players’ value

In PPR leagues, players who don’t typically catch balls at a high volume — for example, early-down running backs, boom-or-bust receivers — won’t be as valuable to managers as they might be in a non-PPR league. 

That’s not to say you should completely turn your back on stud running backs who don’t happen to catch a lot of passes but still manage to rack up the fantasy points, but just consider how much more successful you can be with a squad full of pass-catchers under those scoring parameters.

2. Choose high-volume pass catchers 

One stat to assess when you’re either drafting your team or scouring the waiver wire for options is targets. That is: how often is a player getting the ball thrown his way? 

Targets don't always translate directly into catches, but they are an indicator of how likely a player is to draw his quarterback’s attention, and ultimately all you can ask for as a fantasy manager is a player who is consistently given a chance to get the ball.

3. You can likely wait to draft your QB 

QB depth differs from year to year, and if you’re in a league where passing touchdowns are worth six points or if you’re in a superflex league where you can start two QBs, then perhaps consider this advice differently. But if you’re in a more typical PPR league, you should be focused on loading up on the pass-catchers and can afford to wait on the pass-throwers. 

Considering you’ll be filling multiple skill-position slots (RB, WR, TE) on your squad, you’ll want to be as well stocked as you can on that front with all of the points up for grabs on receptions alone. You may already be mulling over waiting until rounds five or six to pick your QB if you’re in a redraft league (or setting a $15 maximum QB budget for yourself if you’re in a salary cap/auction league), but if PPR is a factor, then you certainly should.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does PPR count for running backs? 

Yes! PPR counts for every player that catches a pass, regardless of position. Even if a QB catches his own batted-down pass, he’ll get credited for a point. It’s rare, but it happens.

Are QBs important in PPR?

QBs are always important, but considering the depth at the position from a fantasy perspective and how the elite pass-catchers are few and far in between, you’ll likely want to hold off on rostering a QB — unless QB value is exceptionally high due to your roster and scoring settings — and build out your skill positions first.

That said, it helps to attach yourself to a top QB’s options in PPR leagues. If that QB is prolific, then his completions will need to go somewhere, and if you can land his top target, that’s even better.

What's better, PPR or half-PPR?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder on that one. If you don’t want to fully slant the emphasis to the pass-catchers, then half-PPR is the one for you. It’s a happy compromise that still values receptions, just not as much.

Play PPR Leagues on Sleeper

Sleeper offers season-long fantasy football leagues of all sizes, formats and types, and PPR is front and center among them. Sign up for a PPR or half-PPR league either on the website or by downloading the app, to put your new-found PPR knowledge to the test and enjoy all the benefits and special features that only Sleeper offers.

If daily fantasy sports is more your pace, check out Sleeper Picks, a paid-entry contest where you’ll select whether you think players will score more or less than their projected stats in an effort to win cash prizes.