We as fantasy football managers love benefiting from big-time, historical performances. We crave dominating victories, crushing our opponents. And we've seen a lot of them recently: Two of the 10 best single-game, individual PPR fantasy performances occurred during the 2020 season.
With that in mind, and with the 2021 NFL schedule expanding by an additional game, granting us even more chances for historical performances, let's answer the question: Which players had the best days in fantasy football history?
For this list, all fantasy point totals below are for point-per-reception (PPR) scoring formats, and include only seasons since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. All statistics come from my historical research of all NFL games since the 1950 season. You can also scroll to end of the column if you're curious about similarly big games from before the merger.
From Brady to Rice: The greatest fantasy football seasons since the merger
1. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers (65.50 fantasy points)
1990 at Atlanta Falcons (Week 6)
Stats: 13 receptions, 225 yards, 5 TDs
Rice's five receiving touchdowns matched an NFL record; Bob Shaw (1950) and Kellen Winslow (1981) previously shared the mark. Oddly, Rice wouldn't characterize it as one of his better games. "I had a decent game today," he told the Associated Press. "But I don't compare games. I don't think I made two mistakes in the Super Bowl. Today, I made four or five."
2. Jimmy Smith, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (62.10 fantasy points)
2000 at Baltimore Ravens (Week 2)
Stats: 15 receptions, 291 yards, 3 TDs
Smith, one of the best at his craft for a 10-year span from 1996-2005, became only the second receiver in history to manage at least 15 receptions, 250 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions in a game, joining Steve Largent (1987). But what made this performance so unexpected was the opponent, as the 2000 Ravens set the NFL record for fewest points allowed per game (10.3), recorded four shutouts and ultimately won Super Bowl XXXV.
3. Jerry Butler, WR, Buffalo Bills (60.70 fantasy points)
1979 vs. New York Jets (Week 4)
Stats: 10 receptions, 255 yards, 4 TDs; 1 rush, 12 yards
Butler's total remains the rookie record, a game in which he caught two touchdowns of greater than 70 yards to help his Bills rally from a 24-12 deficit to defeat the Jets 46-31. "What happened was too wild to dream about," he told Sports Illustrated.
4. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers (59.90 fantasy points)
1995 vs. Minnesota Vikings (Week 16)
Stats: 14 receptions, 289 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rush, 10 yards, 1 lost fumble
Rice set a Monday Night Football record for receiving yards and tied one for catches and receiving touchdowns. He dominated on the big stage during the 1995 season, totaling 123.90 fantasy points in his three Monday Night Football appearances. In classic Rice fashion, he was ever the critic of his performance a quarter-century later, saying, "It was a good night. But still, that one fumble."
5. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (59.50 fantasy points)
2013 at Oakland Raiders (Week 15)
Stats: 8 rushes, 20 yards, 1 TD; 8 receptions, 195 yards, 4 TDs
Charles' four receiving touchdowns set a running back record, in a game particularly meaningful to fantasy. Week 15 is typically the semifinal week of most leagues' playoffs, in an era where the game had become highly popular. It remains the running back standard, and the second-best performance by any player during the "fantasy playoffs," behind only Rice's previous entry.
6. Steve Largent, WR, Seattle Seahawks (59.10 fantasy points)
1987 at Detroit Lions (Week 6)
Stats: 15 receptions, 261 yards, 3 TDs
This huge performance from Largent came days after he crossed the picket line during the 1987 players' strike, in the final week involving replacement players that season. It would have been even bigger had he not exited with 9:26 remaining in the third quarter.
7. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (57.90 fantasy points)
2020 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 12)
Stats: 13 receptions, 269 yards, 3 TDs
In this matchup between defending and soon-to-be Super Bowl champions, and ultimately a preview of Super Bowl LV, Hill was the game's star and sealed the Chiefs' 27-24 win with his 8-yard catch on third-and-7 in the final minute. Hill managed a remarkable 203 of his 269 yards in the first quarter, making him one of three receivers since 1980 with at least 200 receiving yards in a single quarter (Qadry Ismail, 1999; Lee Evans, 2006).
8 (tie). Clinton Portis, RB, Denver Broncos (57.40 fantasy points)
2003 vs. Chiefs (Week 14)
Stats: 22 rushes, 218 yards, 5 TDs; 2 receptions, 36 yards
Portis' performance marked only the second time in history -- and first excluding AFL competition -- anyone had managed at least 200 yards and five touchdowns rushing in a game (Cookie Gilchrist, 1963). For fantasy managers, it came during our playoffs, and it came in an upset of the 11-1, powerhouse Chiefs, a win critical to the Broncos ultimately qualifying for the playoffs.
8 (tie). Kellen Winslow, TE, San Diego Chargers (57.40 fantasy points)
1981 at Raiders (Week 12)
Stats: 13 receptions, 144 yards, 5 TDs
Winslow's five receiving touchdowns set a still-standing tight end record, in a Chargers victory that spawned a 4-1 finish to their season, which vaulted them from third place to a division title.
10. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints (56.20 PPR fantasy points)
2020 vs. Vikings (Week 16)
Stats: 22 rushes, 155 yards, 6 TDs; 3 receptions, 17 yards
Sing it: He wished you a Merry Christmas, he wished you a Merry Christmas, he wished you a Merry Christmas, with a record-tying six scores! Kamara's Christmas Day outburst matched Ernie Nevers' 91-year-old, single-game rushing touchdown record, and it came in what was traditionally most fantasy leagues' championship week. Sure enough, Kamara found himself on the rosters of 23% of ESPN's championship teams in 2020, third most among any player.
11 (tie). Shaun Alexander, RB, Seattle Seahawks (56.10 fantasy points)
2002 vs. Vikings (Week 4)
Stats: 24 rushes, 139 yards, 4 TDs; 3 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD
In this Sunday Night Football classic, and also only the second game at Lumen Field (then Seahawks Stadium), Alexander set an NFL record with five touchdowns in the first half, establishing his reputation as a premier prime-time performer. In 11 games on Sunday or Monday night from 2000-06, he averaged 25.05 points.
11 (tie). LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers (56.10 fantasy points)
2002 vs. Broncos (Week 13)
Stats: 37 rushes, 220 yards, 3 TDs; 11 receptions, 51 yards
Tomlinson's point total is the largest in any overtime game in history, and while he benefited from a record-tying 48 total touches (James Wilder, 1983), he still managed an impressive 50.4 of his points in regulation. Following the exhausting 30-27 Chargers victory, Tomlinson told the Associated Press, "I was too tired to celebrate."
Best single-game PPR fantasy point totals by a quarterback (since 1970)
Since QBs stand little chance at reaching the higher thresholds above in PPR scoring, here are the position's top five single-game performers:
1. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (49.32 fantasy points), 2010 at Washington (Week 10)
2. Mark Rypien, Washington (48.08 fantasy points), 1991 vs. Falcons (Week 11)
3. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (46.28 fantasy points), 2013 vs. Ravens (Week 1)
4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (45.92 fantasy points), 2011 vs. Broncos (Week 4).
5. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (45.24 fantasy points), 2013 at Raiders (Week 9)
Best single-game PPR fantasy point totals by a tight end (since 1970)
Similarly, tight ends typically don't see the volume required to place in the above list, with one notable exception. Here are the position's top five:
1. Kellen Winslow, San Diego Chargers (57.40 fantasy points), 1981 at Raiders (Week 12)
2. Kellen Winslow, San Diego Chargers (48.20 fantasy points), 1983 vs. Chiefs (Week 15)
3. Shannon Sharpe, Denver Broncos (46.30 fantasy points), 1996 vs. Chargers (Week 6)
4. Shannon Sharpe, Denver Broncos (45.40 fantasy points), 2002 at Chiefs (Week 7)
5. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders (45.00 fantasy points), 2020 at Jets (Week 13)
Best single-game PPR fantasy point totals (since 1950)
There is plenty of evidence of the existence of fantasy football leagues pre-1970, though it was obviously not at the level of popularity we see today. Additionally, the "what if" of historical NFL performances, in fantasy terms, is always a fun exercise.
Including AFL games, as well as the NFL's history since (and including) the 1950 season -- the earliest for which I've collected and verified game statistics -- here are the top five individual, single-game performances.
1 (tie). Billy Cannon, RB, Houston Oilers (66.20 fantasy points), 1961 at New York Titans (Week 14)
1 (tie). Cloyce Box, WR, Detroit Lions (66.20 fantasy points), 1950 at Baltimore Colts (Week 12)
3. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers (65.50 fantasy points), 1990 at Falcons (Week 6)
4. Jimmy Smith, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (62.10 fantasy points), 2000 at Ravens (Week 2)
5. Jerry Butler, WR, Buffalo Bills (60.70 fantasy points), 1979 vs. Jets (Week 4)