Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

printable version

Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics



WIDE RECEIVERS 1999

Regular season totals, playoffs not included

Revised as of 8/23/2009

Wide receivers are ranked according to DYAR, or Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement. This gives the value of the performance on plays where this WR caught the ball, compared to replacement level, adjusted for situation and opponent and then translated into yardage. DYAR (and its cousin, YAR, which isn't adjusted based on opponent) is further explained here.

The other statistic given is DVOA, or Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. This number represents value, per play, over an average WR in the same game situations. The more positive the DVOA rating, the better the player's performance. DVOA (and its cousin, VOA, which isn't adjusted based on opponent) is further explained here.

Effective Yards, listed in red, translate DVOA into a yards per attempt figure. This provides an easy comparison: in general, players with more Effective Yards than standard yards played better than standard stats would otherwise indicate, while players with fewer Effective Yards than standard yards played worse than standard stats would otherwise indicate. Effective Yards are not the best way to measure total value because they are more dependent on usage than DYAR.

DYAR and DVOA include all passes intended for the receiver, both complete and incomplete. Catch Rate represents the percentage of passes to this receiver completed. This is a reference to incomplete passes, not dropped passes: dropped passes are not specified in publicly available play-by-play, and unfortunately we cannot yet correct for this.

  • We cannot yet fully separate the performance of a receiver from the performance of his quarterback. Be aware that one will affect the other.
  • These statistics measure only passes thrown to a receiver, not performance on plays when he is not thrown the ball, such as blocking and drawing double teams.
  • All fumbles are considered equal, whether recovered by the offense or defense.

The simple version: DYAR means a wide receiver with more total value. DVOA means a wide receiver with more value per play.

RECEIVING: Minimum 50 passes, 81 players ranked

Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Smith JAC 454 1 464 2 19.5% 11 20.2% 177 1636 1,818 6 66%
C.Carter MIN 436 2 426 3 26.2% 7 25.3% 136 1239 1,557 13 66%
R.Moss MIN 430 3 403 4 26.9% 6 24.5% 138 1413 1,518 11 58%
I.Bruce STL 429 4 485 1 31.5% 4 37.2% 119 1165 1,425 12 65%
T.Brown OAK 389 5 383 5 22.1% 9 21.5% 145 1344 1,485 6 62%
M.Harrison IND 350 6 348 7 10.0% 28 9.8% 193 1663 1,773 12 60%
P.Jeffers CAR 335 7 363 6 30.7% 5 34.3% 101 1082 1,113 12 62%
M.Robinson CHI 329 8 303 9 16.2% 16 13.8% 149 1400 1,414 9 56%
M.Westbrook WAS 326 9 331 8 22.7% 8 23.3% 115 1194 1,232 9 57%
K.Johnson NYJ 272 10 276 11 11.0% 24 11.3% 147 1170 1,339 8 61%
S.Dawkins SEA 268 11 228 20 16.0% 17 11.8% 114 992 1,156 7 51%
T.Martin MIA 260 12 277 10 16.6% 15 18.5% 117 1037 1,108 5 57%
G.Crowell DET 260 13 251 15 10.2% 27 9.4% 147 1333 1,309 7 55%
T.Dwight ATL 251 14 254 14 51.7% 1 52.4% 50 669 688 7 64%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
A.Connell WAS 249 15 262 12 12.8% 20 14.2% 121 1132 1,163 7 51%
T.Glenn NE 238 16 217 23 13.6% 19 11.3% 116 1147 1,088 4 59%
D.Mayes SEA 237 17 227 21 17.3% 14 16.0% 102 829 994 10 61%
J.Morton DET 236 18 229 19 9.6% 29 8.9% 133 1129 1,211 5 60%
A.Hakim STL 235 19 241 16 44.6% 2 46.0% 56 677 682 8 64%
M.Muhammad CAR 235 20 262 13 6.6% 35 8.8% 156 1253 1,339 8 62%
I.Hilliard NYG 232 21 220 22 12.3% 21 11.0% 121 996 1,098 3 60%
E.Moulds BUF 228 22 236 17 11.6% 22 12.5% 117 994 1,100 7 56%
D.Scott CIN 225 23 213 24 10.6% 26 9.4% 123 1022 1,118 7 55%
K.Poole NO 209 24 198 26 18.7% 13 17.0% 85 796 851 6 49%
B.Schroeder GB 207 25 207 25 9.3% 30 9.2% 123 1053 1,074 5 60%
J.Horn KC 206 26 190 28 32.7% 3 29.3% 59 586 673 6 59%
A.Toomer NYG 205 27 232 18 6.0% 36 8.5% 138 1183 1,196 6 57%
S.Jefferson NE 201 28 192 27 19.7% 10 18.1% 78 698 804 6 51%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
E.McCaffrey DEN 197 29 163 31 7.9% 33 4.3% 125 1018 1,074 7 57%
A.Freeman GB 183 30 179 30 4.7% 37 4.3% 134 1074 1,131 6 55%
Y.Thigpen TEN 175 31 180 29 19.3% 12 20.3% 68 648 704 4 56%
R.Smith DEN 170 32 147 33 3.0% 38 0.9% 139 1020 1,137 4 57%
O.Gadsden MIA 164 33 161 32 10.9% 25 10.5% 91 803 807 6 53%
A.Hastings NO 133 34 126 34 14.5% 18 13.0% 64 564 595 1 63%
J.Reed MIN 126 35 114 36 7.2% 34 5.3% 79 643 702 2 56%
J.Graham SD 125 36 117 35 1.7% 40 0.7% 116 968 892 2 49%
T.Wilkins IND 108 37 108 37 7.9% 32 8.0% 68 565 583 4 62%
T.Brown NE 105 38 96 39 11.2% 23 9.2% 55 471 513 1 65%
J.Green TB 95 39 92 41 -0.6% 41 -1.0% 102 806 783 3 56%
K.Lockett KC 91 40 92 42 8.5% 31 8.6% 57 426 484 2 60%
R.Ismail DAL 90 41 90 43 -3.8% 45 -3.8% 132 1097 962 6 61%
T.Owens SF 83 42 104 38 -1.9% 43 0.9% 98 754 751 4 61%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Jett OAK 75 43 76 45 -0.7% 42 -0.5% 79 552 619 2 49%
J.Armour BAL 66 44 56 50 -2.5% 44 -4.0% 87 538 627 4 43%
T.Mathis ATL 61 45 90 44 -7.4% 54 -5.0% 153 1016 1,045 6 53%
T.Holt STL 60 46 94 40 -4.3% 46 0.4% 96 788 678 6 54%
H.Ward PIT 59 47 67 46 -5.2% 49 -4.3% 101 638 734 7 60%
K.Williams BUF 58 48 31 57 1.7% 39 -4.8% 51 381 413 0 61%
C.Bradford GB 54 49 61 48 -5.1% 48 -4.2% 90 637 665 5 41%
D.Alexander KC 52 50 30 59 -6.4% 50 -9.1% 105 832 745 2 51%
W.Chrebet NYJ 47 51 54 51 -5.1% 47 -3.9% 81 631 572 3 59%
K.Dyson TEN 45 52 56 49 -7.1% 52 -5.7% 103 658 721 4 52%
Q.Ismail BAL 41 53 45 53 -9.0% 57 -8.6% 142 1105 972 6 48%
C.Pickens CIN 37 54 33 55 -8.4% 56 -8.9% 108 737 775 6 53%
K.Johnson CLE 33 55 53 52 -9.5% 58 -7.6% 135 986 900 8 49%
O.McDuffie MIA 32 56 30 58 -7.4% 53 -7.8% 79 516 553 2 54%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
T.Edwards PIT 28 57 17 60 -9.6% 59 -10.8% 117 714 789 5 52%
D.Chiaverini CLE 27 58 45 54 -7.9% 55 -4.8% 76 487 511 4 58%
P.Johnson BAL 27 59 64 47 -7.1% 51 0.8% 58 526 428 3 50%
B.Engram CHI 17 60 -19 67 -11.2% 60 -14.3% 148 950 973 4 59%
A.Reed BUF 9 61 0 63 -11.4% 61 -12.7% 92 536 601 1 57%
D.Ward NYJ 1 62 2 62 -12.5% 62 -12.2% 55 325 341 3 40%
J.Rice SF -5 63 33 56 -13.2% 63 -9.4% 124 830 806 5 54%
T.Small PHI -8 64 -5 64 -13.8% 64 -13.4% 100 655 612 4 49%
P.Price BUF -15 65 -23 68 -15.3% 67 -16.8% 69 393 434 3 45%
E.Mills DAL -16 66 -15 65 -16.7% 69 -16.5% 53 325 300 0 57%
E.Kennison NO -17 67 -16 66 -14.4% 66 -14.3% 129 835 773 4 47%
K.McCardell JAC -19 68 6 61 -14.3% 65 -12.2% 147 893 904 5 53%
R.Moore ARI -25 69 -27 70 -15.8% 68 -16.2% 97 621 604 5 38%
W.Jackson CIN -26 70 -24 69 -18.0% 70 -17.6% 64 369 361 2 48%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Galloway SEA -31 71 -43 72 -20.3% 72 -23.2% 53 335 283 1 42%
C.Hawkins PIT -35 72 -28 71 -20.5% 73 -18.9% 55 285 311 0 55%
J.Lewis BAL -52 73 -51 73 -24.0% 76 -23.8% 58 281 297 2 43%
C.Johnson PHI -62 74 -79 78 -23.6% 75 -26.5% 71 414 372 1 48%
C.Conway CHI -63 75 -69 75 -22.9% 74 -24.0% 79 426 405 4 56%
F.Sanders ARI -66 76 -61 74 -18.1% 71 -17.7% 152 955 892 1 52%
B.Emanuel TB -74 77 -72 77 -29.9% 78 -29.4% 52 238 238 1 42%
D.Boston ARI -77 78 -69 76 -24.9% 77 -23.7% 81 473 397 2 49%
R.Anthony TB -93 79 -96 79 -32.8% 79 -33.4% 60 296 239 1 50%
L.Shepherd CLE -109 80 -130 81 -37.5% 81 -42.1% 59 274 197 0 39%
J.Stokes SF -136 81 -101 80 -34.1% 80 -28.6% 79 431 316 3 43%

RECEIVING, OTHERS: 10-49 passes

Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Tucker DAL 102 107 16.1% 17.5% 46 439 438 2 50%
B.Shaw PIT 99 102 17.3% 18.2% 43 387 413 3 65%
M.Pritchard SEA 71 64 6.3% 4.3% 48 375 410 2 54%
R.Proehl STL 69 68 6.0% 5.7% 49 349 403 0 67%
J.German ATL 66 72 34.3% 38.3% 20 219 213 3 60%
M.Irvin DAL 55 63 21.1% 26.0% 20 167 214 3 50%
C.Calloway ATL 53 44 3.8% 0.8% 42 314 342 1 52%
K.Stewart PIT 43 33 28.6% 19.1% 16 113 147 1 56%
T.Simmons NE 42 39 4.1% 2.9% 33 276 267 2 58%
M.Hatchette MIN 42 35 17.0% 12.2% 19 180 177 2 47%
D.Hayes CAR 34 37 1.5% 2.9% 29 270 247 2 38%
V.Brisby NE 29 24 -1.0% -3.3% 34 266 248 0 53%
I.Byrd TEN 29 23 2.8% -0.6% 25 261 195 2 56%
H.Moore DET 27 24 -1.0% -2.2% 31 197 230 2 52%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Jurevicius NYG 27 14 -3.6% -7.8% 38 318 281 1 47%
C.Brazzell DAL 21 22 14.9% 15.8% 11 114 92 0 45%
R.Carruth CAR 18 26 -3.4% 0.6% 26 200 188 0 54%
M.Cody ARI 15 14 3.7% 2.5% 11 60 97 1 55%
E.Baker ATL 9 12 -4.9% -2.6% 14 118 107 0 50%
M.Brooks CHI 3 -4 -11.4% -14.8% 27 160 171 0 52%
C.Penn SD 1 -2 -12.3% -13.3% 38 257 243 1 45%
R.Harris ATL 0 -4 -12.9% -15.9% 19 166 103 0 53%
I.Fryar WAS -1 -2 -13.0% -13.2% 46 254 308 2 57%
M.Booker CHI -1 -13 -13.2% -17.4% 34 219 213 3 56%
D.Jells PHI -5 -7 -14.8% -15.7% 29 180 177 2 34%
E.Green IND -9 -6 -15.4% -14.5% 44 287 262 0 48%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
D.McDonald TB -13 -12 -24.9% -24.1% 15 96 67 1 60%
C.Jordan GB -14 -16 -31.7% -34.3% 10 60 40 0 30%
R.Barlow JAC -14 -15 -19.3% -19.5% 28 202 155 0 57%
B.Davis BAL -15 -8 -25.8% -20.0% 15 121 69 0 40%
D.Douglas PHI -18 -24 -28.0% -32.2% 16 79 71 1 50%
K.Williams TB -21 -20 -21.3% -21.1% 33 176 167 0 64%
A.Cooper DEN -21 -18 -30.5% -27.9% 17 98 66 0 53%
Q.Early NYJ -21 -26 -30.7% -34.1% 17 83 65 0 35%
Y.Green MIA -23 -19 -20.1% -18.7% 40 234 219 0 45%
B.Stablein DET -23 -35 -25.1% -31.4% 26 119 119 1 42%
E.Metcalf CAR -26 -12 -28.5% -20.1% 22 121 94 0 50%
D.Griffin CIN -26 -25 -29.5% -29.1% 21 112 88 0 57%
A.Rison KC -28 -31 -20.9% -21.8% 44 218 237 0 48%
C.Sanders TEN -28 -27 -20.5% -20.3% 48 336 252 1 42%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards EYds TD Catch
Rate
J.Ogden DAL -30 -22 -27.4% -23.8% 27 144 120 0 44%
T.Mickens OAK -30 -31 -22.4% -22.6% 40 261 206 0 50%
N.Brown PHI -32 -31 -23.8% -23.5% 36 188 186 1 50%
M.Harris SF -32 -29 -46.5% -43.6% 14 66 30 0 43%
C.Jones SD -34 -39 -36.9% -41.0% 19 90 63 1 53%
D.Mason TEN -36 -38 -37.9% -38.7% 19 89 64 0 42%
L.Dawsey NO -39 -37 -28.8% -27.9% 33 196 141 1 48%
W.Blackwell PIT -54 -41 -32.5% -27.9% 36 186 142 0 56%
W.McGarity DAL -58 -62 -56.5% -59.3% 19 70 22 0 37%
B.Still ATL -66 -44 -48.4% -36.5% 25 110 53 0 40%
J.Pathon IND -72 -72 -41.6% -41.7% 33 163 97 0 42%
D.Patten NYG -87 -80 -55.5% -52.1% 28 115 37 0 32%

RUSHING BY WIDE RECEIVERS: Minimum 5 carries

Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Rk Runs Yards EYds Rk TD FUM
R.Ismail DAL 58 1 62 1 48.0% 3 54.2% 3 13 110 140 1 1 0
I.Bruce STL 41 2 45 2 103.4% 1 115.8% 1 5 32 98 2 0 0
G.Crowell DET 29 3 31 3 87.4% 2 94.3% 2 5 38 70 3 0 0
T.Dwight ATL 22 4 25 4 37.7% 4 48.1% 4 5 28 54 4 1 0
J.Lewis BAL 3 5 2 5 -27.3% 5 -30.7% 5 5 11 10 5 0 0
M.Westbrook WAS -2 6 -5 6 -44.9% 6 -51.5% 6 7 35 -1 6 0 1
K.Johnson NYJ -7 7 -8 7 -70.1% 7 -75.7% 7 5 6 -13 7 0 0
D.Boston ARI -17 8 -15 8 -110.3% 8 -100.9% 8 5 0 -37 8 0 0