If you are playing fantasy football this NFL season, you are hoping for a huge game from your top players each week. That gets you thinking about the record for most fantasy points in a game. What is the most fantasy points scored by a single player? Let’s take a look at what NFL player has scored the most fantasy points in a single game for standard and PPR leagues. Also, don’t forget to visit 4for4 for all things fantasy football!
Most Fantasy Points By A Player – Standard Scoring
When it comes to standard scoring, players can earn points for passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Here’s a quick look at the top performances of players in a standard-scoring league. The top three performances belong to running backs.
Read More: Fantasy Football Scoring Systems Explained
Clinton Portis (RB): 55.4 Fantasy Points
Portis had a monster game with 218 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a dominant performance vs the Kansas City Chiefs back in December 2003. He also added 36 receiving yards to earn the most fantasy points ever in a standard-scoring fantasy football league.
Alvin Kamara (RB): 53.2 Fantasy Points
Alvin Kamara had one of the greatest Christmas Days in sports history as the running back had six rushing touchdowns and 155 yards vs the Vikings in 2020. He added 17 receiving yards and turned in one of the best non-PPR performances ever.
Shaun Alexander (RB): 53.1 Fantasy Points
On September 29, 2022, Shaun Alexander scored five touchdowns in the first half vs the Vikings. Alexander had an incredible game with 139 rushing yards, 92 receiving yards, four rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown.
Here are some more of the top NFL fantasy performances in leagues with standard scoring. The list is dominated by wide receivers and running backs who were able to rack up plenty of total yards and touchdowns.
- Jerry Rice (WR) 1990: 52.5 Fantasy Points
- Ja’Marr Chase (WR) 2023: 52.2 Fantasy Points
- Corey Dillon (RB) 1997: 51.6 Fantasy Points
- Jamaal Charles (RB) 2013: 51.5 Fantasy Points
- Amari Cooper (WR) 2023: 51.5 Fantasy Points
- De’Von Achane (RB) 2023: 51.3 Fantasy Points
- Doug Martin (RB) 2012: 51.2 Fantasy Points
- Joe Mixon (RB) 2022: 51.1 Fantasy Points
- Jerry Butler (WR) 1979: 50.7 Fantasy Points
- Jonathan Taylor (RB) 2021: 50.4 Fantasy Points
Most Fantasy Points in a Game at Quarterback
At quarterback, Josh Allen has the single-game record for the most fantasy points with 51.88. Allen had an insane performance in a 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on December 8, 2024. Allen threw for 342 yards with 3 touchdowns. He added 82 rushing yards with 3 rushing touchdowns.
Before Allen, Michael Vick held the single-game record for fantasy points. On November 15, 2010, Vick had 49.32 fantasy points vs Washington. Vick had six total touchdowns in the game in one of the best performances by an NFL player.
Vick finished the game throwing for 333 yards with four touchdowns and ran for 80 yards with two rushing touchdowns for the best QB single-game fantasy football performance ever.
Other great performances by QBs in NFL games include Mark Rypien in 1991 with 48.08 points and Peyton Manning in 2013 with 46.28 points. Manning is near the top of the most points scored in a single game thanks to seven passing touchdowns. That’s tied for an NFL record for one game.
Most Fantasy Points By A Player – PPR Scoring
In a PPR scoring league, players earn standard scoring points for yards and touchdowns as well as one point per reception. Let’s look at some of the top PPR performances ever. It’s no surprise to see the greatest receiver ever, Jerry Rice, at the top of this list for NFL players (Billy Cannon tops if you include the AFL). Rice scored the most fantasy points in the 1990 and 1995 seasons in a single game.
- Billy Cannon (RB) 1961: 68 Fantasy Points (AFL)
- Jerry Rice (WR) 1990: 65.5 Fantasy Points
- Jimmy Smith (WR) 2000: 62.1 Fantasy Points
- Jerry Rice (WR) 1995: 61.9 Fantasy Points
- Jerry Butler (WR) 1979: 60.7 Fantasy Points
- Jamaal Charles (RB) 2013: 59.5 Fantasy Points
- Steve Largent (WR) 1987: 59.1 Fantasy Points
- Tyreek Hill (WR) 2020: 57.9 Fantasy Points
- Clinton Portis (RB) 2003: 56.2 Fantasy Points
Jerry Rice had one of the greatest fantasy football performances ever on October 14, 1990. Rice had 65.5 points due to 225 yards receiving and five touchdowns. The five touchdowns were an NFL record for receivers. Rice ended up leading all wide receivers in yards and touchdowns in the 1990 season.
Rice had 299 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns in his 61.9-point game which was another of the top performances in NFL history.
Read More: What is PPR Fantasy Football Scoring?
Who Scored the Most Fantasy Football Points on Defense?
Kickers and defense can come in handy in your fantasy football matchups. Usually, your offensive players can be the main factor in your winning each week but there have been insane defensive performances that have carried teams.
One of the best fantasy games ever for a defense was back in 1989 as the Cleveland Browns dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the matchup, the Browns had five fumble recoveries, three interceptions, six sacks, and three defensive touchdowns. That totaled up to 50 points in a single game for the defense.