In modern fantasy football, the ability to accumulate points often hinges on a back’s involvement in the passing game as much as on ground‑gainage.
Derrick Henry exemplifies a dominant rusher whose fantasy ceiling has been throttled by a striking lack of targets; despite a career that includes more than 10,000 rushing yards, he has amassed only 189 receptions, leaving him typically ranked between fifth and tenth among running backs in standard PPR formats.
The Reception Gap
Josh Jacobs, another workhorse who has never been viewed as a primary receiving option, managed just 36 catches in 2024, yet his 90.0 PFF receiving grade that season underscores a surprising reliability when called upon by Jordan Love.
Kenneth Walker III presents a contrasting narrative; after a 2024 season that saw a career‑high 52 targets, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive scheme under Andy Reid promises a larger share of the pie, though his PFF receiving grade slipped to 66.8 in 2025 from a peak of 72.9 the year before.
Christian McCaffrey offers a counterpoint: his 2025 receiving workload alone generated 236.4 standard PPR points, enough to secure the RB14 spot, even as his rushing grade of 66.3 was the lowest among backs with at least 175 carries, illustrating how pass‑catching can offset other declines.
The pattern suggests that teams may continue to diversify usage, but the ceiling for pure ground‑gainers remains capped unless they carve out a meaningful role in the passing attack.