The early goings of Week 10 have already shown fantasy football owners what rankings and a critical spot such as the flex position can do for a lineup.
As a brief example, those owners who took a gamble in the flex position with Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football received a smooth 10 points.
Williams is the perfect example, too, because he scored most of those points thanks to a touchdown reception, meaning he scored even higher in points-per-reception (PPR) leagues.
Below, let’s run down player rankings for the flex spot in PPR leagues, although they apply quite well to standard leagues, too.
Running Backs
The usual pass-catching backs rule the day in PPR formats, including New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram.
In fact, Ingram’s done so well with his chances through the air that it has spelled doom to a former PPR star, C.J. Spiller. Not only does Ingram have a minimum of 12 carries in every game dating back to Week 2, he’s caught three or more passes seven times.
Ingram has an incredible floor, although a matchup against Washington this week doesn’t hurt. That particular defense has allowed four consecutive backfields to rush for at least 155 yards. Sprinkle in Ingram’s receptions and it’s not hard to see why he’s one of the top plays.
Be on the lookout for James Starks of the Green Bay Packers, too. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, the backup has stolen the job from Eddie Lacy.
“I would say James is our No. 1 back right now, going into Detroit,” McCarthy said, per Mike Spofford of Packers.com. “He has played very well and he earned that opportunity. But I’m not a big believer in just riding one running back the whole season, so we’ll stay with the one-two punch.”
The word “backup” shouldn’t concern owners. Over the course of his last three games in random usage rates, Starks has one 100-yard rushing performance, a touchdown and nine total catches.
Against a woeful Detroit Lions defense, Starks will do damage in all facets en route to a big day.
Wide Receivers
Some names at the top of PPR rankings when it comes to wideouts can be difficult to project.
One of the most difficult would be A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, which makes sense considering he’s stuck in a spread-it-out quagmire. He only has six or more catches in four games this year, with three outings at three or fewer.
On this week’s edition of Monday Night Football, though, Green should be the focal point of the team’s attack against the Houston Texans, who will be without starting corner Kareem Jackson.
Over the unit’s last six games, Houston has allowed at least 10 catches to wideouts and eight touchdowns, so Green should have a massive performance.
A wideout who isn’t so hard to figure out? Oakland Raiders wideout Michael Crabtree, who has undergone a career turnaround of sorts as one of Derek Carr’s favorite targets.
Crabtree exploded for two touchdowns last week, but PPR players knew all about him going into the contest. He now has five or more catches in six games and sits as one of the league’s most-targeted players.
Next up for Crabtree is the Minnesota Vikings, a defense that has allowed 10 or more catches to wideouts six times this season and three touchdowns over its last four games.
Tight Ends
It’s wildly unnecessary to talk about some of the biggest names at tight end, a top-heavy position with erratic outbursts everywhere else.
Pinning down those outbursts would be the key to survival in PPR leagues. Take Washington’s Jordan Reed for example. Last week he caught just three passes, but scored. In Week 1 he caught seven and added a score.
So what’s the deal? Matchups and chances. Reed has five or more catches in five outings this year, with a two-touchdown outburst in Week 7 on 11 grabs. It’s not silly to expect Reed to post another massive line against the New Orleans Saints considering that unit just gave up 12 catches and three scores to the position last weekend.
The guy who did the scoring against the Saints? Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans, who is like Crabtree in that PPR owners already knew quite a bit about before his two-touchdown explosion.
Last week’s contest made it five games with six or more catches for Walker, who has rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota under center hunting for a safety net. Walker is just that and acts the same for owners in leagues where hauling in passes rewards points.
Walker’s a lock for another big day in any format, really, but especially from a PPR standpoint with a visit from the Carolina Panthers on deck. Luke Kuechly’s unit has coughed up five or more receptions to tight ends five times this year, as well as three touchdowns over their past two games.
After an explosive week, Walker isn’t one to avoid going into this one.
All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats as of November 13. Atlanta, Indianapolis, San Diego, San Francisco on bye.
Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com
