Best Ball Scoring Formats: PPR, Half-PPR, and TE Premium in Best Ball Leagues
Scoring format is the most important variable in best ball draft strategy. A best ball draft on Underdog (full PPR) requires fundamentally different roster construction than a best ball league on a custom platform with half-PPR scoring. Study the format before you study the players.
Scoring Format Quick Reference
| Format | Key rule | Biggest winner | Biggest loser | Draft adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full PPR | 1.0 point per reception | Slot WRs (80+ catches), pass-catching RBs, high-volume TEs | Deep threat WRs with 40 catches and big yards — their PPR boost is only 40 pts | Weight route-running, target share, and catch volume; slot WRs jump in value |
| Half-PPR | 0.5 points per reception | WRs with a balance of targets and efficiency | Pure slot WRs who rely on volume with modest yards | Even distribution; deep threats and slot WRs are closer in value than in full PPR |
| TE Premium (0.5 extra per TE catch) | 0.5 additional PPR for TE receptions only | Elite TEs — a TE with 90 catches adds 45 bonus points vs. standard | Replacement-level TEs — the floor/ceiling gap widens dramatically | Draft elite TE in Rounds 2–3 unconditionally; do not punt TE in this format |
| TE Premium (1.0 extra per TE catch) | 1.0 additional PPR for TE receptions only | Elite TEs score like WR1s — 90 catches = 90 bonus points | Any manager who punted TE — they are losing 15+ points per week at the position | Elite TE may be worth a Round 1 pick; take them before the WR you were targeting |
| Standard (no reception points) | 0 reception points; touchdowns and yards only | Goal-line RBs, big-play WRs with high yards-per-target | Slot WRs and pass-catching RBs who rely on catch volume for points | TD equity and efficiency matter more than volume; prioritize goal-line usage |
| 6-pt passing TDs (vs. 4-pt) | QB passing TDs worth 6 instead of 4 | QB — adds 2 pts per passing TD; 35-TD QB gets 70 extra points | Nobody loses, but QB value rises relative to other positions | Take QBs earlier; in 6-pt passing TD formats, elite QBs close the gap with WR1s |
PPR Best Ball (Point Per Reception)
What it is. PPR best ball awards 1 full point for every reception. A player who catches 100 passes adds 100 points from receptions alone before counting yards and touchdowns.
How it changes your draft. Pass catchers — slot WRs, pass-catching RBs, and high-volume TEs — gain significant value in PPR. A WR with 100 catches and 900 yards scores 200 points from that production alone in PPR. In standard scoring, they score 90 points from yards only.
Best positions to target in PPR: slot WRs with high target volume (80+ catches); pass-catching RBs with regular routes out of the backfield; TEs with consistent short-area targets (65+ catches).
Who loses value in PPR. Deep threat WRs who catch fewer passes but average big yards per catch. A WR with 40 catches and 1,000 yards has elite efficiency but limited reception volume — their PPR boost is only 40 points, much less than a slot WR with 80 catches.
Half-PPR Best Ball
What it is. Half-PPR awards 0.5 points per reception instead of 1.0. A player with 100 catches adds 50 points from receptions rather than 100.
How it changes your draft. The gap between high-volume slot WRs and deep threats narrows in half-PPR. Downfield WRs who catch fewer balls but at higher efficiency are more competitive with slot WRs who dominate target volume. Running backs who do not catch many passes close the gap with pass-catching RBs.
TE Premium Best Ball
What it is. TE premium best ball awards an additional 0.5 or 1.0 points per reception for tight ends only. A TE with 80 catches in a 0.5 TE premium format adds an additional 40 points compared to standard PPR scoring. A 1.0 TE premium adds 80 points.
How it changes your draft. Elite TEs become dramatically more valuable in TE premium. In a 1.0 TE premium format, a TE with 90 catches can score more receiving points than most WR1s. The gap between elite TEs and replacement-level TEs widens dramatically.
Draft strategy in TE premium. Never punt TE in a TE premium format. The positional advantage of drafting an elite TE over a replacement-level TE is too large. In rounds 2–3, if an elite TE is available, take them. The premium format rewards this investment more than any other roster decision you can make.
Choosing Your Strategy Based on Format
PPR: Weight slot receivers and pass-catching RBs. Punting TE is more viable because the position premium is smaller.
Half-PPR: Balance between volume and efficiency receivers. Deeper RBs who provide ground production are more valuable.
TE premium: Never punt TE. The elite-to-replacement gap is so large that an elite TE is worth an early pick in most formats.
Worked Example: Same Player, Different Format
A slot receiver with heavy reception volume is much more valuable in full PPR than in standard scoring. A downfield receiver with fewer catches but explosive yardage may close the gap in half-PPR or standard formats. The player did not change; the scoring system changed which production profile matters.
That same logic applies to tight end premium. A tight end with reliable short-area targets becomes a structural advantage when each reception is worth extra. A low-volume touchdown-dependent tight end does not receive the same boost.
Common mistake: importing rankings from one scoring format into another. Best-ball draft strategy starts with the scoring rules, then evaluates players through that lens.
For how scoring format interacts with variance in best ball roster construction, see: Variance in Best Ball: Why High-Upside Players Win Best Ball Leagues.