Of the wide receivers that played at least 10 games in 2025, four averaged at least 15 half-PPR points and 24 total averaged at least 10 half-PPR points. The first number is in line with what we’ve seen previously — no fewer than four and no more than five wideouts averaged more than 15 half-PPR points in each of the past two seasons. But in 2024 and 2023, using the same 10-game minimum qualifier, at least 34 wide receivers averaged at least 10 half-PPR points. It’s not because teams are passing less — the overall NFL pass play rate was 56.2% in 2025, about in line with where it’s been since 2021. It’s where the ball is going. Receivers didn’t score as much. In fact, the 470 total touchdowns caught by wide receivers in 2025 were the second-fewest since 2017. Meanwhile, tight ends caught 231 touchdowns, the most in a season since 2013 (233), and running backs caught over 100 scores for the first time since 2021.
Receivers also saw their lowest combined target share since 2017. The 57.9% was more than two percentage points behind where receivers were in 2024; usually, they’ve been around 59.5%. And while receivers lost targets, tight ends gained in a big way — a 23.8% combined target share, the highest mark ever recorded. And teams have preferred to use multiple receivers and spread the ball around when they don’t have that undisputable alpha (or in the case of a few teams, two alphas). Nineteen qualifying wide receivers averaged at least seven targets per game, while 18 averaged between 6.0 and 6.9 targets per game. The seven-plus target number was 29 in 2024 and 2023! It might make you want to put a premium on those receivers who you know will see a ton of targets — and do your due diligence on others after the early rounds who could see a ton of targets.
Lastly, the more catches are worth, the more you should chase high-volume receivers. In half-PPR, that edge only goes so far — the 10th-best receiver in half-PPR last year on a per-game basis would have ranked 18th among the running backs last year. So the premium you might put on stud receivers in half-PPR might not be as good in full PPR. Some positional notes: Ten of the top-12 qualifying wide receivers (played 10-plus games) averaged at least 8.0 targets per game. The wide receiver with the longest active streak of consecutive seasons with 15-plus half-PPR points per game is Amon-Ra St. Brown (three seasons). Justin Jefferson would have held that record if he had not stumbled last year.Between five and six of the top 12 wide receivers in 2024 and 2025 were on playoff teams. That’s a big drop from 2021-23, when at least eight of the top 12 wideouts were on playoff teams. Between seven and eight of the top 12 wide receivers in 2023-25 were also in the top 12 the previous year. That’s fairly good consistency. Tier 1 Round 1
