Fantasy Football: 5 Players to Target in Standard Leagues

Standard fantasy football leagues have always had a soft spot in my heart.

Back in my day, leagues that didn't reward points based on receptions were all the rage. Though point per reception (PPR) has become the dominant fantasy football scoring format over the past decade, standard leagues are still alive and well.

Roster composition and positional scarcity changes somewhat in standard leagues, with running backs serving as the premier flex position. Still, you can't totally ignore wide receivers, and a lack of PPR can put an added premium on the top pass-catchers.

But, regardless of position, some players benefit from PPR more than others. That impacts who you target in drafts.

Let's dive into who benefits most when you take away PPR and identify five players to target in standard fantasy football leagues.

Statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats or Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.

Players to Target in Standard Leagues

Below are two tables of running backs and wide receivers in our NFL projections, sorted by the difference between their standard and PPR projection. A lower percent difference suggests a player is less impacted by leagues that award points per reception, and vice versa.

Running backs inherently have a smaller percent difference -- something that will be reflected in your league's pre-draft rankings and FantasyPros' consensus average draft positions (ADP).

While you shouldn't entirely ignore receptions in standard leagues, it's important to identify which players are hurt the least by not awarding a point per reception.

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Now let's check out some of the top players to target in standard leagues.

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

ADP: 20.5 (RB9)

Our fantasy football projections project Derrick Henry for only 23 receptions in 2024, but he's projected to score the fifth-most fantasy points in standard scoring formats.

As the RB9 in consensus ADP, that makes him a clear target in the Baltimore Ravens' offense.

Last year, the Ravens fed Gus Edwards the most rush attempts inside the 5-yard line in the NFL (19). He ended the year with the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (13), and it's not hard to envision Henry stepping right into that role. He's scored double-digit touchdowns in five straight seasons and his season-long touchdowns prop is set at 10.5, according to the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Henry has long thrived in standard leagues, finishing as a top-five back each of the past four seasons that he played at least 15 games.

Among running backs in our projections, Henry sees the third-smallest difference between his PPR and standard scoring projection.

Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

ADP: 25.5 (WR13)

Deebo Samuel has led the wide receiver position in rush attempts and rushing touchdowns each of the past three seasons, finishing as the WR2 and WR7 in standard scoring formats the two years he played at least 15 games. As long as he can stay healthy, Deebo will again be a strong standard league target in 2024.

Samuel's multi-faceted role for the San Francisco 49ers is well-suited for standard scoring formats. San Francisco averaged the second-most points (28.6) in 2023, and they're projected to lead the league in scoring this season, according to Jim Sannes' model. Samuel scored 12 total touchdowns last season, and we project him for 6.9 receiving scores in 2024.

Samuel was second on the 49ers with a 21.4% target share last season -- a mark that could grow even further if Brandon Aiyuk were to be traded.

But even if Aiyuk is back, Deebo's strong second half last season suggests he could still be a force in 2024. From Week 12 onward, Samuel led the team in target share (24%) and was second in red zone opportunity share (21.1%), per NFL Next Gen Stats. He was the WR2 in standard formats and averaged 16.3 fantasy points per game over that stretch.

Among wide receivers in our projections, Samuel sees the second-smallest difference between his PPR and standard scoring projection.

Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks

ADP: 41.0 (RB15)

There's been talk at Seattle Seahawks camp of Kenneth Walker III taking on a bigger role as a pass-catcher this season, but even if he repeats the 7.7% target share he saw last season, Walker is someone to target in standard leagues.

The third-year back has finished as the RB15 and RB16 in standard scoring formats his first two seasons as a pro. He saw the 11th-most red zone rush attempts and seventh-most rush attempts inside the 5-yard line among running backs last season, resulting in eight rushing touchdowns (11th among running backs).

Walker's tendency for explosive plays gives him matchup-winning upside every week, and that was on full display last season. He finished as a top-12 back in five of 15 games last season after hitting that benchmark five times in 15 games as a rookie.

Among qualified backs, K9 ranked 14th in PFF's breakaway run rate and tied for 10th in runs of 10+ yards.

That's the kind of big-play potential we're looking for in standard leagues, and it makes him a viable mid-round running back to target.

David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

ADP: 64.5 (RB22)

David Montgomery saw just a 5.3% target share with the Detroit Lions last season, but he finished third among running backs with 13 rushing touchdowns. He averaged the third-most red zone rush attempts at the position, propelling him to a RB9 finish in standard leagues.

His RB22 ADP likely reflects how high the industry is on second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs, but Monty proved more than capable of producing even after Gibbs took off.

With both backs healthy after their Week 9 bye, Montgomery scored the ninth-most fantasy points at the position. His red zone rush attempts dropped to 2.9 per game over that stretch, but that still led to seven touchdowns in nine games -- a 13-TD pace over a full 17-game season.

So even if Gibbs takes on a bigger workload, Montgomery's red zone role should keep him plenty relevant in standard leagues. The Lions are projected to score the third-most points per game this season, and our standard scoring projections peg him as the 19th-highest scoring running back.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers

ADP: 97.5 (WR41)

Talent has never been the question with Christian Watson. He was the WR22 in fantasy points per game as a rookie, and the WR33 in points per game last season.

But Watson has been limited to just 23 games in his first two seasons, including just nine last year. That hasn't stopped the speedster from averaging nearly 45 yards per game and scoring 12 touchdowns in his career. That would put him on pace for over 763 yards over a full 17-game season. We project him for 781 yards in 2024.

Watson is attached to a rising star in quarterback Jordan Love -- someone who was fourth in touchdown rate and seventh in passing yards in his first season as a starter.

The Green Bay Packers have a crowded receiver room, but Watson led them in snap rate and was second in route rate when active last year.

While health remains a question mark, the upside is clearly there. He may not post gaudy target numbers, but his team-leading 33.6% air yard share last season could make him a difference-maker in standard leagues where yards and touchdowns reign supreme.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.