Fantasy scoring was down across the board last season, but especially in the passing game, with NFL teams combining to throw just 741 TD passes, the lowest total since 2009. WR1s, in particular, continued to feel the pinch, as the total targets for the 12 highest-scoring players at the position have fallen sharply since 2015.
Reasons for that range from greater use of three-receiver sets, leading to an increase in targets for receivers lower in the pecking order, to an emphasis on running backs who can threaten defenses with pass-catching skills. The result is that stud, three-down backs are flying off the board early in drafts this year — Zero-RB strategies be darned.