PPR running back rankings for 2021 fantasy football leagues

UPDATED 8/22

As we approach the 2021 fantasy football season, we’re all taking diligent notes and over-analyzing each and every bit of information we can gather from beat reporters, statements from coaches, and the limited snaps we see from starters in the preseason. We’ve taken all of that information and more to project these players for your 2021 fantasy football leagues to present our 2021 PPR fantasy football running back rankings.

2021 PPR Fantasy Football rankings: Running backs

We kick off our 2021 PPR running back rankings with some less-than-surprising names. At No. 1 sits Christian McCaffrey, set to bounce back in a big way after injuries kept him off the field for most of the 2020 season. He’s averaged 27 fantasy points per game in PPR scoring formats since 2018. Alvin Kamara has the second-highest average in fantasy points per game in the same span — 22 points per game in PPR formats. Both are undoubtedly set to, yet again, be featured receivers in their respective offenses giving them a high ceiling in PPR formats.

Each of the running backs in our top-12 are projected for heavy workloads, even if we’re presuming a small target share, as is the case with RBs Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb. Together, these two have combined for just 169 targets since the 2018 season. If you’re looking to compare that to some other top-end backs, Alvin Kamara has had 309 targets in that same time span, James White has seen 280 targets, and Tarik Cohen has seen 204 targets despite missing most of the 2020 season with a torn ACL.

Here’s a look at our PPR running back rankings as you draft in your 2021 fantasy football leagues. Keep in mind as you’re drafting that to capitalize on value in this scoring format, it can be helpful to draft running backs who are on teams with a less-than-ideal receiving corps.