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Erickson: 2021 Half-PPR Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers

It's time to get ready for your 2021 fantasy football draft!

The first step is to break every position into tiered rankings, which provide a full picture of where value may lie as other drafters begin to stray from the consensus.

Redraft half-PPR rankings will differ somewhat from full-PPR and best ball rankings because the different formats call for slightly altered stances on players. Some players are “better in best ball,” while others see massive boosts in their PPR rankings because of their involvement in the passing game.

The following is my latest collection of top-300 fantasy rankings for 2021 half-PPR fantasy football leagues. Find breakdowns of positional tiers below the overall 300 and more of PFF's fantasy rankings here


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2021 HALF-PPR FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS (last update: Aug. 26)
Rank Name Team Position
1 Christian McCaffrey CAR RB
2 Dalvin Cook MIN RB
3 Ezekiel Elliott DAL RB
4 Alvin Kamara NO RB
5 Derrick Henry TEN RB
6 Aaron Jones GB RB
7 Saquon Barkley NYG RB
8 Davante Adams GB WR
9 Austin Ekeler LAC RB
10 Tyreek Hill KC WR
11 Travis Kelce KC TE
12 Nick Chubb CLE RB
13 Joe Mixon CIN RB
14 Stefon Diggs BUF WR
15 Calvin Ridley ATL WR
16 Najee Harris PIT RB
17 Darren Waller LV TE
18 Jonathan Taylor IND RB
19 DeAndre Hopkins ARI WR
20 Justin Jefferson MIN WR
21 Antonio Gibson WAS RB
22 A.J. Brown TEN WR
23 Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC RB
24 George Kittle SF TE
25 D.K. Metcalf SEA WR
26 Keenan Allen LAC WR
27 Allen Robinson II CHI WR
28 Terry McLaurin WAS WR
29 CeeDee Lamb DAL WR
30 Amari Cooper DAL WR
31 D.J. Moore CAR WR
32 Chris Carson SEA RB
33 Julio Jones TEN WR
34 Chris Godwin TB WR
35 Robert Woods LAR WR
36 Diontae Johnson PIT WR
37 Tyler Lockett SEA WR
38 D'Andre Swift DET RB
39 Cooper Kupp LAR WR
40 J.K. Dobbins BAL RB
41 Mike Evans TB WR
42 Tee Higgins CIN WR
43 Patrick Mahomes II KC QB
44 Brandon Aiyuk SF WR
45 Chase Claypool PIT WR
46 David Montgomery CHI RB
47 T.J. Hockenson DET TE
48 Josh Allen BUF QB
49 Kyler Murray ARI QB
50 Mark Andrews BAL TE
51 Lamar Jackson BAL QB
52 James Robinson JAC RB
53 Miles Sanders PHI RB
54 Jerry Jeudy DEN WR
55 Ja'Marr Chase CIN WR
56 Dak Prescott DAL QB
57 Josh Jacobs LV RB
58 Tyler Boyd CIN WR
59 Kyle Pitts ATL TE
60 Kenny Golladay NYG WR
61 Odell Beckham Jr. CLE WR
62 Courtland Sutton DEN WR
63 Adam Thielen MIN WR
64 Javonte Williams DEN RB
65 Darrell Henderson LAR RB
66 Chase Edmonds ARI RB
67 Raheem Mostert SF RB
68 Russell Wilson SEA QB
69 Justin Herbert LAC QB
70 Trey Sermon SF RB
71 Brandin Cooks HOU WR
72 Mike Davis ATL RB
73 Laviska Shenault Jr. JAC WR
74 Robby Anderson CAR WR
75 DeVonta Smith PHI WR
76 Corey Davis NYJ WR
77 Damien Harris NE RB
78 Michael Gallup DAL WR
79 Mike Williams LAC WR
80 Antonio Brown TB WR
81 D.J. Chark Jr. JAC WR
82 Marvin Jones Jr. JAC WR
83 Jaylen Waddle MIA WR
84 Will Fuller V MIA WR
85 JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT WR
86 Jalen Hurts PHI QB
87 Myles Gaskin MIA RB
88 Kareem Hunt CLE RB
89 Zack Moss BUF RB
90 Noah Fant DEN TE
91 Logan Thomas WAS TE
92 Aaron Rodgers GB QB
93 Ryan Tannehill TEN QB
94 Tom Brady TB QB
95 Joe Burrow CIN QB
96 Deebo Samuel SF WR
97 Curtis Samuel WAS WR
98 Darnell Mooney CHI WR
99 Michael Pittman Jr. IND WR
100 Marquez Callaway NO WR
101 Jamaal Williams DET RB
102 Michael Carter NYJ RB
103 Sterling Shepard NYG WR
104 Michael Thomas NO WR
105 Melvin Gordon III DEN RB
106 AJ Dillon GB RB
107 Trey Lance SF QB
108 Trevor Lawrence JAC QB
109 Ronald Jones II TB RB
110 Gus Edwards BAL RB
111 Leonard Fournette TB RB
112 Devin Singletary BUF RB
113 Kenyan Drake LV RB
114 Marquise Brown BAL WR
115 Matthew Stafford LAR QB
116 Justin Fields CHI QB
117 Elijah Moore NYJ WR
118 Terrace Marshall Jr. CAR WR
119 Mecole Hardman KC WR
120 James Conner ARI RB
121 Tony Pollard DAL RB
122 Mike Gesicki MIA TE
123 Dallas Goedert PHI TE
124 Hunter Henry NE TE
125 Jonnu Smith NE TE
126 Rondale Moore ARI WR
127 Jakobi Meyers NE WR
128 Jarvis Landry CLE WR
129 Emmanuel Sanders BUF WR
130 Robert Tonyan GB TE
131 Nyheim Hines IND RB
132 Sony Michel LAR RB
133 Evan Engram NYG TE
134 Gerald Everett SEA TE
135 Irv Smith Jr. MIN TE
136 Giovani Bernard TB RB
137 David Johnson HOU RB
138 Matt Ryan ATL QB
139 Baker Mayfield CLE QB
140 Bryan Edwards LV WR
141 Cole Beasley BUF WR
142 Randall Cobb GB WR
143 Nelson Agholor NE WR
144 Nico Collins HOU WR
145 DeVante Parker MIA WR
146 Gabriel Davis BUF WR
147 Parris Campbell IND WR
148 Jalen Reagor PHI WR
149 Sammy Watkins BAL WR
150 Tua Tagovailoa MIA QB
151 Ryan Fitzpatrick WAS QB
152 Kirk Cousins MIN QB
153 Zach Wilson NYJ QB
154 Phillip Lindsay HOU RB
155 Rashaad Penny SEA RB
156 Tevin Coleman NYJ RB
157 Austin Hooper CLE TE
158 Tyler Higbee LAR TE
159 Zach Ertz PHI TE
160 Blake Jarwin DAL TE
161 Pittsburgh Steelers PIT DST
162 Cole Kmet CHI TE
163 Los Angeles Rams LAR DST
164 Rashod Bateman BAL WR
165 Russell Gage ATL WR
166 Van Jefferson LAR WR
167 Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE WR
168 Baltimore Ravens BAL DST
169 Daniel Jones NYG QB
170 Hayden Hurst ATL TE
171 Derek Carr LV QB
172 Cam Newton NE QB
173 Josh Palmer LAC WR
174 Dyami Brown WAS WR
175 Tyrell Williams DET WR
176 Alexander Mattison MIN RB
177 Carlos Hyde JAC RB
178 Damien Williams CHI RB
179 Washington Football Team WAS DST
180 O.J. Howard TB TE
181 Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB WR
182 Amon-Ra St. Brown DET WR
183 Ty Johnson NYJ RB
184 Adam Trautman NO TE
185 Anthony Firkser TEN TE
186 Rhamondre Stevenson NE RB
187 Tony Jones Jr. NO RB
188 James White NE RB
189 Denver Broncos DEN DST
190 Indianapolis Colts IND DST
191 Harrison Butker KC K
192 Greg Zuerlein DAL K
193 Christian Kirk ARI WR
194 KJ Hamler DEN WR
195 Henry Ruggs III LV WR
196 Justin Tucker BAL K
197 Jason Sanders MIA K
198 J.D. McKissic WAS RB
199 Hunter Renfrow LV WR
200 Qadree Ollison ATL RB
201 New Orleans Saints NO DST
202 San Francisco 49ers SF DST
203 New England Patriots NE DST
204 Darrel Williams KC RB
205 Salvon Ahmed MIA RB
206 John Brown LV WR
207 Darrynton Evans TEN RB
208 Jared Cook LAC TE
209 Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB
210 Rob Gronkowski TB TE
211 Jameis Winston NO QB
212 Teddy Bridgewater DEN QB
213 Carson Wentz IND QB
214 Jared Goff DET QB
215 Sam Darnold CAR QB
216 Taysom Hill NO QB
217 Mac Jones NE QB
218 Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB DST
219 Jason Myers SEA K
220 Los Angeles Chargers LAC DST
221 Younghoe Koo ATL K
222 Allen Lazard GB WR
223 Olamide Zaccheaus ATL WR
224 Keelan Cole Sr. NYJ WR
225 Malcolm Brown MIA RB
226 Devontae Booker NYG RB
227 Marlon Mack IND RB
228 Jordan Akins HOU TE
229 Dan Arnold CAR TE
230 Mo Alie-Cox IND TE
231 Pat Freiermuth PIT TE
232 Deonte Harris NO WR
233 Justin Jackson LAC RB
234 Chuba Hubbard CAR RB
235 Boston Scott PHI RB
236 Buffalo Bills BUF DST
237 Kansas City Chiefs KC DST
238 Chicago Bears CHI DST
239 Minnesota Vikings MIN DST
240 Miami Dolphins MIA DST
241 Tyler Bass BUF K
242 Matt Prater ARI K
243 Rodrigo Blankenship IND K
244 Philadelphia Eagles PHI DST
245 Deshaun Watson HOU QB
246 Tarik Cohen CHI RB
247 DeSean Jackson LAR WR
248 Quez Watkins PHI WR
249 Tre'Quan Smith NO WR
250 Wil Lutz NO K
251 Ryan Succop TB K
252 Tyron Johnson LAC WR
253 Tim Patrick DEN WR
254 Breshad Perriman DET WR
255 Devin Duvernay BAL WR
256 Amari Rodgers GB WR
257 Collin Johnson JAC WR
258 Jamison Crowder NYJ WR
259 Kadarius Toney NYG WR
260 T.Y. Hilton IND WR
261 Scotty Miller TB WR
262 Josh Reynolds TEN WR
263 Mark Ingram II HOU RB
264 Drew Lock DEN QB
265 Joshua Kelley LAC RB
266 JaMycal Hasty SF RB
267 Larry Rountree III LAC RB
268 Kenneth Gainwell PHI RB
269 Jimmy Graham CHI TE
270 C.J. Uzomah CIN TE
271 Robbie Gould SF K
272 Michael Badgley LAC K
273 Tucker McCann TEN K
274 Latavius Murray NO RB
275 Jaret Patterson WAS RB
276 Tyrod Taylor HOU QB
277 Mason Crosby GB K
278 Brandon McManus DEN K
279 J.J. Taylor NE RB
280 A.J. Green ARI WR
281 Samaje Perine CIN RB
282 D'Wayne Eskridge SEA WR
283 Auden Tate CIN WR
284 Daniel Carlson LV K
285 Seattle Seahawks SEA DST
286 Green Bay Packers GB DST
287 Donald Parham Jr. LAC TE
288 Albert Wilson MIA WR
289 Anthony McFarland Jr. PIT RB
290 Elijah Mitchell SF RB
291 Tylan Wallace BAL WR
292 Zach Pascal IND WR
293 Byron Pringle KC WR
294 Eric Ebron PIT TE
295 Matt Gay LAR K
296 Joey Slye CAR K
297 Graham Gano NYG K
298 Ka'imi Fairbairn HOU K
299 Ihmir Smith-Marsette MIN WR
300 Tennessee Titans TEN DST
301 Cleveland Browns CLE DST
302 Dallas Cowboys DAL DST
303 James Washington PIT WR
304 Jaelon Darden TB WR
305 Wayne Gallman SF RB
306 Khalil Herbert CHI RB
307 Denzel Mims NYJ WR
308 Darius Slayton NYG WR
309 Quintez Cephus DET WR
310 Preston Williams MIA WR
311 Tutu Atwell LAR WR
312 New York Jets NYJ DST
313 Houston Texans HOU DST
314 Jake Elliott PHI K
315 Xavier Jones LAR RB
316 Mike Boone DEN RB
317 Chris Herndon IV NYJ TE
318 Anthony Schwartz CLE WR
319 Tyler Johnson TB WR
320 N'Keal Harry NE WR
321 Mike Strachan IND WR
322 Chris Conley HOU WR
323 Freddie Swain SEA WR
324 Todd Gurley II FA RB
325 Jacksonville Jaguars JAC DST
326 Detroit Lions DET DST
327 Arizona Cardinals ARI DST
328 Ke'Shawn Vaughn TB RB
329 Dawson Knox BUF TE
330 Harrison Bryant CLE TE
331 Cade Johnson SEA WR
332 Travis Fulgham PHI WR
333 Keke Coutee HOU WR
334 Seth Williams DEN WR
335 Benny Snell Jr. PIT RB
336 Anthony Miller HOU WR
337 Jeff Wilson Jr. SF RB
338 Matt Breida BUF RB
339 Alex Collins SEA RB
340 Demetric Felton CLE WR
341 Andy Isabella ARI WR
342 Jimmy Garoppolo SF QB
343 Jake Funk LAR RB
344 Tyler Conklin MIN TE
345 Andy Dalton CHI QB
346 Jacob Eason IND QB
347 Jordan Love GB QB
348 Rashard Higgins CLE WR
349 Austin Watkins Jr. SF WR
350 Shi Smith CAR WR

QUARTERBACKS

TIER 1: THE FANTASTIC FOUR

TIER 2: TOP-TIER UPSIDE

Draft Jalen Hurts, people. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback’s ADP has taken a nosedive over the past several weeks with the fear that Deshaun Watson would find his way to the city of Brotherly Love.  However, Watson is still a member of the Houston Texans, which means there’s still time to hop back on the Hurts bandwagon.

The second-year quarterback arguably offers the most upside because of the fantasy value he adds with his legs. In his four starts last season, he averaged 79.3 rushing yards and 12.6 rushes per game. That translated to 23.9 fantasy points per game, eighth-best among quarterbacks.

The big question mark is whether Hurts can develop as a passer in Year 2. Philadelphia drafted Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith in the first round to bolster the receiver position, so Hurts is already working with much more than he had in 2020. Smith looked as advertised in his first preseason game. Zach Ertz is also returning and Quez Watkins is emerging as a big-play threat on offense. 

But an upgraded supporting cast can only help so much, so it will ultimately be down to Hurts to improve this passing attack. His man/zone passing splits are a tell-tale sign that he can progress, especially now that he has Smith, college football's highest-graded wide receiver versus man coverage in 2020.

Jalen Hurts splits | zone vs. man coverage 2020
Cov. Scheme PFF passing grade Yds. per attempt Adjusted completion % Passer rating
Man 38.8 4.2 53% 65.9
Zone 64.1 8.3 72% 82.7

Hurts' encouraging splits versus zone schemes indicate that he’s at least serviceable reading defenses. His man/zone splits as a rookie are similar to those of first-year seasons from Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, who profile similarly to Hurts as dual-threat quarterbacks. Both took massive leaps against man coverage in their sophomore seasons and went on to produce mega-fantasy seasons.

At the price of a ninth-round pick, Hurts’ upside as a rusher — top-eight quarterback fantasy production from rushing alone last season — makes him worth the risk.

Look for him to start the season fast as well with soft matchups against the Atlanta Falcons (32nd-ranked secondary), San Francisco 49ers (20th-ranked secondary) and Dallas Cowboys (31st-ranked secondary). 

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