PPR, half-PPR, and standard are the three common fantasy scoring systems, and the only thing separating them is how much a player earns for catching the ball: standard awards zero points per reception, half-PPR awards half a point, and full PPR awards one point per catch.

That single number changes which players win leagues. Under standard scoring, a running back who only carries the ball outscores a pass-catching back with the same yardage; under full PPR, the receiver who hauls in eight short passes can outscore him without breaking a long run. Half-PPR is the middle ground most leagues have settled on because it narrows the gap without erasing it.

Scoring is the first thing a commissioner locks before a draft, because every player valuation and ranking a manager brings to the table assumes one of these three systems.