How important is the fantasy football scoring format when choosing players?
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when picking out your fantasy football players is your scoring format. Do you get extra points for receptions? Do you have bonuses for rushing yards? What about passing? How many points is a touchdown? Tight end premium? Change up your rankings depending on how your league is set up rather than relying on a generic list.
The scoring settings you choose for your league may impact nearly every player in it. If you play in a point-per-reception league, for example, players will earn additional points for catching the ball, so players with high target totals will be more valuable than others. Players who are also used as receivers in the passing game, such as running backs and wide receivers, may now have more value than those who mainly get points for rushing yards or touchdowns.
In a non-PPR league, receiving yards and touchdowns are worth more than receptions. Someone who makes a few catches but gets lots of yards could be more attractive, while a slot receiver who makes many catches could lose some of his value.
The quarterback rules also influence the rankings. You have to consider how much passing touchdowns, interceptions, long plays, and rushing production are worth. A quarterback who's racking up rushing yards may be particularly important if your league emphasizes rushing production, or at least values it equally with passing production.
How you should draft is also dictated by your roster requirements. If your league starts three wide receivers and a flex, then you'll need more receiver depth than if you started only two wide receivers. Superflex leagues allow you to start a quarterback in a flex spot, which means there's even more demand for quarterbacks since quality ones are a little harder to find.
A tight-end premium rewards additional points for receptions by tight ends. This can boost the value of tight ends who receive a disproportionate share of their team's targets. Keeper and dynasty leagues add another consideration because age, contract status, and future opportunity factor in alongside current production.
First, before you make your draft, write down the scoring rules and roster requirements. Then, adjust your projections or rankings to fit that league. Compare players based on expected points and position scarcity. Rankings that were created for a different format shouldn't be used unmodified. The weirder your settings, the more valuable it is to make your own rankings, or very carefully tweak someone else's projections you already trust.