Fantasy Football Return Yards: How Return Yards Work in Fantasy Football Scoring
Return yards scoring: leagues that include return yards typically award 1 point per 25 return yards (both kickoff and punt return yards combined). Some leagues award return touchdowns separately (typically 6 points per return touchdown, same as any other TD). The specific scoring structure varies by league — managers in leagues with return yard scoring should check both the per-yard rate and whether return TDs have a separate point value from regular offensive TDs.
Return Yards Quick Reference
| Return yards scenario | Fantasy relevance | Which leagues care | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff return yards | Relevant only if league scores return yards (1 pt/25 yds typical) | Custom scoring leagues; leagues with full special teams scoring | Drafting a kick returner for return yards in a standard ESPN/Yahoo league — default settings do not award kickoff return yards |
| Punt return yards | Slightly more consistent than kickoff returns — punting frequency is more uniform | Same leagues that award kickoff returns | Treating punt returners as a separate draft pick — the same player usually handles both kickoff and punt returns |
| Return touchdown (6 pts) | High impact when it occurs — same value as an offensive TD | Any league that awards special teams TDs | Drafting a returner specifically for TD upside — return TDs are extremely rare (0–2 per season per team); not a reliable scoring source |
| WR who doubles as primary returner | Additive bonus — same offensive production + return yard scoring | Leagues with return scoring; the WR is more valuable here than in standard leagues | Ignoring the return role in leagues that score returns — two identical WRs have meaningfully different value if one is the team’s primary returner |
| Most major platform defaults | ESPN, Yahoo, Sleeper standard settings do NOT award return yards | Standard leagues — return yards are irrelevant | Assuming your league scores return yards without checking — verify the exact scoring settings for your specific league |
| Leagues that award return yards | Old-school scoring systems, full-player-contribution leagues | Specialized league designs — not the majority of fantasy leagues | Applying return-yard valuation to any league without confirmation — always verify the scoring settings before drafting based on return role |
Who Benefits From Return Yard Scoring
Primary returners. NFL teams typically designate one player per team as their primary kick returner and one as their primary punt returner — these may be the same player or different players. The primary returner for a team that kicks off frequently (in games where they score many touchdowns) will have more kickoff return opportunities than the returner on a team that rarely scores. Punt returners are more consistent in opportunity because punting frequency is more uniform across games.
Wide receivers who return. Most NFL returners are wide receivers or running backs who also play offensive positions. A WR who doubles as a primary returner accumulates return yards on top of their offensive production — in leagues with return yard scoring, this WR is more valuable than a WR with identical offensive production who does not return kicks. Identifying WRs with return roles adds roster value in leagues where return yards count.
Standard vs. Return-Inclusive Leagues
Most leagues do not score return yards. The vast majority of fantasy football leagues — especially those on major platforms like ESPN, Yahoo, and Sleeper using default settings — do not award points for return yards. Return yards scoring is more common in old-school, highly-customized scoring systems or in leagues that want to reward full roster contributions. Managers should confirm whether their specific league awards return yards before valuing returners.
For how special teams scoring fits into broader fantasy football scoring formats, see: Fantasy Football Scoring Formats: How Different Fantasy Football Scoring Formats Work.