When considering players in PPR fantasy football leagues, the ideal is a candidate likely to receive a high target volume in 2024. Sure, PPR leagues increase pass-catchers’ value at all positions, but they most benefit those who might not be in line for many red-zone opportunities. For example, Michael Pittman Jr. was the WR13 in PPR, but dropped to WR25 in standard non-PPR because he only scored four touchdowns.
Instead of just listing the best players at every position who saw a lot of targets last year (e.g., CeeDee Lamb, Breece Hall and Travis Kelce), we’ll try to find some early to mid-round values.
Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
This might be cheating, but for whatever reason, fantasy managers won’t give Engram his flowers. After posting career highs across the board in 2023 (114 catches for 963 yards on 143 targets), Engram is the TE8 off the draft board.
Whether it’s because people don’t trust Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars or they aren’t sure Engram can replicate last season, something’s gotta give. Lawrence averages 22.3 completions per game. Where are these passes supposed to go? Few fantasy managers seem willing to buy in on Engram or his teammates.
With an ADP of 63, Engram is available in the sixth round. That gives you plenty of time to stock up on a quarterback and a foursome of running backs and wide receivers. You don’t want to fade the tight end position this year because there isn’t much meat left on the bone after Engram’s name is called on draft day.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
Remember last season when Adam Thielen started red-hot and returned to Earth statistically? In Weeks 3, 5 and 6, he had 11 receptions in each contest plus at least 107 yards and a score. He posted three WR4 or better finishes. Well, he didn’t score another touchdown all year and only had one week finishing better than WR24 for the rest of the season.
What’s that got to do with Johnson? He’s a better PPR receiver than Thielen and is the automatic go-to option in the Carolina Panthers offense. Think back to his 2021 season in Pittsburgh, where he collected 107 receptions on 169 targets for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns.
Look for Bryce Young and Johnson to collect often because the Panthers are sure to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. That translates to lots of garbage time football where the offense will be forced to pass a ton in the fourth quarter.
Johnson can be had at the end of Round 7 or early Round 8. That likely means he’ll be your WR3 or flex play and he provides a safe floor if you chose some riskier options earlier in your draft.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
These are the top-five target leaders among running backs last year: Breece Hall (95), Bijan Robinson (86), Alvin Kamara (86), Christian McCaffrey (83) and Austin Ekeler (74). About what you’d expect, right? Oh wait, Jaylen Warren finished tied for fifth with 74 targets! It’s pretty incredible for a backup in a split backfield to count himself among the game’s best.
Although Warren is working back from a hamstring injury, we can look forward to a big season this year. His offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, is the same guy who got Robinson 86 targets a year ago in what turned out to be a very split backfield. Even if Warren sees fewer carries than Najee Harris, the former Oklahoma State running back is an efficiency monster.
He had an insane 15.3% target share, sixth-best at his position and gained 1.58 yards per route run (ninth). He gained 4.9 True Yards Per Carry (sixth) and 5.5 Yards Per Touch (seventh). His 31.9 Juke Rate was tops among running backs.
If, by chance, Smith gives Warren more touches than Harris, the former could easily finish among fantasy football’s best at running back. Warren’s ADP 85 puts him at the top of Round 8. What an incredible player to have available first off your bench or as a flex play.
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
Given Stefon Diggs’s departure, all those vacated targets are now available. Diggs accounted for 160 targets last year and 154 the year prior. That means about nine targets per game are up for grabs. Fantasy managers’ expectations must go way up for a Buffalo Bills incumbent like James Cook.
Last year, Cook had 44 receptions for 445 yards and four touchdowns on 54 targets. Don’t expect that to double, but that’s the ceiling. About 16% of those catches went for 20+ yards, which shows how explosive Cook can be when given a little wiggle room. PlayerProfiler notes he’s one of the most efficient players, with +22.2 Expected Points Added last year.
Cook has an ADP of 29, putting him in the middle of the third round. I like him at this spot because he’s surrounded by a couple of inefficient, volume running backs like Josh Jacobs and Rashaad White. Give me Cook all day!
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Even before the Jahan Dotson trade, an argument could have been made that Terry McLaurin was in store for a big year. The Commanders are without Curtis Samuel, Dotson, Logan Thomas and Antonio Gibson. That foursome combined for 311 targets last year!
Players like Dyami Brown, Ben Sinnott, Zach Ertz, Luke McCaffrey and Olamide Zaccheaus will all command a piece of the offense, but the cream rises to the top. The 28-year-old hauled in 79 receptions last year but hasn’t popped off for that “big” season many fantasy football managers have expected, given Washington’s struggles over the years.
With Daniels’ big arm, McLaurin’s ability to stretch the field can be a game-changer in 2024. Last year, McLaurin had the ninth-most Unrealized Air Yards (848), 1,500 Air Yards (13th-most) and 28 deep targets (eighth-most). There’s a lot of untapped potential here.
Those deflated expectations have pushed McLaurin to pick No. 73. As an early seventh-round pick, McLaurin can be your team’s WR3. He is another example of a receiver with a safe floor that can shore up the bottom of your roster because of his veteran stability with a dash of upside.
Happy drafting! And be sure to check out some futures bets for all of these players on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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