10 PPR Running Backs to Target in Your 2017 Fantasy Football Draft
Bilal Powell, New York Jets
Standard Running Back Rank: 23
PPR Running Back Rank: 22
Average Draft Position (PPR): 6.04 (RB27)
Bilal Powell is by no means a sleeper. His value in any fantasy football format is fairly well advertised. Despite sharing running back duties with Matt Forte in New York, Powell racked up 1,110 total yards last season and set a career-high in receptions with 58 (fourth-most among NFL running backs in 2016).
Here's a look at how Powell is trending up over the last three seasons:
| Year | Games | Targets | Market Share | PPR PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 15 | 15 | 3.01% | 2.69 |
| 2015 | 11 | 63 | 10.43% | 12.28 |
| 2016 | 16 | 74 | 13.45% | 12.31 |
And, given how Powell exploded when Forte went down with an injury over the last four weeks of the 2016 season (finishing at RB16 in PPR formats) it seems he's earned his shot to be the man in the Jets' backfield.
After running a spread offense last season, the Jets are implementing a West Coast style offense in 2017 that promises to pick up the tempo. That, combined with a putrid quarterback situation that could lead to a lot more leaning on dump-offs in the backfield, would hint at an increase in touches for Powell, which makes him an even more attractive PPR play than his ranking suggests.
