Allocating draft capital is the most consequential function of fantasy football managers during draft season. Doing so effectively requires awareness of a league’s scoring format, its lineup composition and performance trends at each position. Below are details on positional disparity for fantasy football scoring across the 2022 and 2023 NFL Seasons.
Included is an analysis of quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends along with a snapshot of performance at each position in standard, PPR (point per reception), and half-PPR (half point per reception) scoring formats.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Fantasy Football Positional Disparity & Scoring
Quarterback
Quarterback will be the deepest position in fantasy football regardless of format. The position is even deeper in standard scoring leagues with half of the top 80 scoring players over the last two seasons being quarterbacks. This added depth can be attributed to points for receptions being unavailable to skill players.
Due to a slew of injuries, the 2023 season brought a more significant decline in scoring for the top-10 quarterbacks than it did at other positions relative to 2022. Josh Allen curbed this decline with an outlying performance finishing as the top quarterback scoring over 35 more points than runner-up Jalen Hurts.
While quarterback is deep, it tends to be top-heavy. When managers are drafting, they should consider the top four quarterbacks as outliers and worthy of more draft capital. For example, in 2022, the top four quarterbacks were Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow. These four were separated by no more than 21 points as you move down the list. Geno Smith was fifth-best at the position that year but trailed Burrow by nearly 47 points.
Quarterback Fantasy Football Draft Advice
If managers do not acquire a top-end quarterback, it is best to wait until the later rounds to draft one. FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR) have the top four quarterbacks ahead of 2024 as Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
Running Back
Running backs are cornerstone pieces for fantasy football teams, and for good reason. They are always on the field and have consistent opportunities to acquire fantasy points in two ways, running and receiving.
In standard scoring leagues, running backs are more valuable. Once again, this is due to zero points being awarded on receptions in this format. Managers should prioritize running backs over wide receivers in early rounds if they are in a standard league — 26 of the top 80 scorers over the last two seasons were running backs, while only 13 were wide receivers.
In PPR and half-PPR formats, the value of running backs begins to balance out with that of wide receivers. It is difficult for running backs to keep up with receivers in PPR, as the pass-catchers by trade tally a full point each time they catch the ball. In half PPR, the split in the top 80 scorers from the last two seasons is nearly even with 22 of those players being running backs and 21 being receivers. However, running backs have outscored receivers in this format in the aggregate over the last two seasons.
Running Back Fantasy Football Draft Advice
Running backs are key to having a successful season in fantasy football, but the position fluctuates with depth year over year. Top backs like Christian McCaffrey should be considered as valuable, if not more valuable, than any other player in the draft. Managers should plan accordingly for depth issues by stashing backups who would ascend to a starting role with an injury to their teammate early in the season.
Wide Receiver
As the NFL has become more pass-heavy, the price of wide receivers has increased in most fantasy drafts. Receivers offer an explosive ceiling to fantasy lineups with more big plays on the table.
In PPR formats, the choice is obvious at the top of a draft — lean receiver. Of the top 10 skill players last season, seven were receivers in PPR. In addition, the top 10 receivers in PPR have outscored the top 10 running backs by over 400 points over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
With receivers and running backs holding similar values in half-PPR, looking at trends from the last two seasons can be helpful when determining which position to draft. Receivers have seen steady growth in scoring over the last two years while running backs have experienced more volatility. This is evident even in standard scoring where receivers aren’t incentivized for their receptions. In standard scoring, receivers are up over 50 points year over year while running backs are down more than 130 points.
Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Draft Advice
Once the top-end running backs like Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall and Bijan Robinson are off the board, managers should consider top receivers equal in value. Receivers are less injury-prone than running backs as well and can be taken in their place earlier in drafts as insurance on higher draft capital. FantasyPros’ first overall tier currently includes five receivers and three running backs.
Tight End
Tight end remains the biggest mystery when drafting a fantasy football roster. The position has long been dominated by Travis Kelce, who is the only player at tight end to crack the top 80 scorers over the last two seasons. On the other hand, 2023 did include something the position has not seen for years — depth.
With the breakouts of Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride and Jake Ferguson last season, it appears there is a new crop of talent at tight end in the NFL. Scoring was also up, significantly in PPR and half-PPR formats. This shows tight ends are incorporated into offenses more frequently in today’s NFL.
Still, managers should exercise caution when drafting tight ends with high-end draft capital. Many of the players contributing to this newfound depth at the position are young and yet to prove themselves as reliable year over year in a fantasy lineup. Sam LaPorta may be an exception considering the strength of the Lions’ offense and his monster rookie season.
Tight End Fantasy Football Draft Advice
In conclusion, most leagues require a lineup that includes only one tight end slot. There is no need to draft multiple unless a manager has missed out at receiver or running back and is looking to corner the tight end market. Tight ends do not often have the same value as receivers and running backs out of a Flex slot. Do not reach for a tight end over a running back or receiver early in a draft unless it is for Kelce, LaPorta, or Mark Andrews.
Standard Scoring
Top 80 Scorers 2022 & 2023
- 40/80 QBs
- 26/80 RBs
- 13/80 WRs
- 1/80 TEs
QB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,300.04
- 2023 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,156.58
- Trend: -143.46
RB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,382.72
- 2023 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,247.76
- Trend: -134.96
WR Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 1,992.56
- 2023 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 2,046.90
- Trend: +54.34
TE Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 1,147.30
- 2023 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 1,184.6
- Trend: +37.3
PPR
Top 80 Scorers 2022 & 2023
- 30/80 QBs
- 21/80 RBs
- 28/80 WRs
- 1/80 TEs
QB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,302.04
- 2023 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,157.58
- Trend: -144.46
RB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,911.52
- 2023 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,756.86
- Trend: -154.66
WR Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 2,996.56
- 2023 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 3,085.66
- Trend: +89.1
TE Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 1,831.8
- 2023 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 2,002.0
- Trend: +170.2
Half PPR
Top 80 Scorers 2022 & 2023
- 36/80 QBs
- 22/80 RBs
- 21/80 WRs
- 1/80 TEs
QB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,301.04
- 2023 Top 10 QB Scoring Total: 3,157.08
- Trend: -143.96
RB Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,631.12
- 2023 Top 10 RB Scoring Total: 2,500.86
- Trend: -130.26
WR Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 2,494.56
- 2023 Top 10 WR Scoring Total: 2,553.66
- Trend: +59.1
TE Scoring 2022 & 2023
- 2022 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 1,481.6
- 2023 Top 10 TE Scoring Total: 1,593.6
- Trend: +112
Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Target
- Fitz’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
- Erickson’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
- DBro’s Top Fantasy Football Draft Targets (Premium)
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