Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

printable version

Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics



WIDE RECEIVERS 2001

Regular season totals, playoffs not included

Revised as of 8/18/2008

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.

Equivalent Yards (EqYds), listed in red, translate DVOA into a yards per attempt figure. This provides an easy comparison: in general, players with more Equivalent Yards (EqYds) than standard yards played better than standard stats would otherwise indicate, while players with fewer Equivalent Yards (EqYds) than standard yards played worse than standard stats would otherwise indicate. Equivalent Yards (EqYds) 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, 76 players ranked

Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
88-M.Harrison IND 537 1 511 1 28.5% 3 26.4% 164 1524 1,857 17 66%
81-T.Owens SF 423 2 458 2 20.5% 10 23.2% 154 1412 1,664 18 60%
85-D.Mason TEN 370 3 350 5 28.9% 2 26.6% 113 1128 1,272 9 65%
80-J.Rice OAK 369 4 400 3 25.2% 4 28.4% 125 1139 1,337 9 66%
80-R.Smith DEN 359 5 356 4 14.0% 13 13.8% 171 1343 1,627 11 66%
88-T.Holt STL 339 6 348 6 20.6% 9 21.5% 133 1363 1,330 7 61%
82-Ji.Smith JAC 311 7 284 12 10.6% 19 8.5% 176 1375 1,548 9 64%
89-D.Boston ARI 304 8 301 9 9.6% 21 9.4% 175 1600 1,557 8 56%
81-T.Brown OAK 293 9 335 7 13.2% 14 16.9% 140 1165 1,352 9 65%
85-K.Johnson CLE 285 10 280 13 16.1% 11 15.6% 129 1097 1,225 9 65%
87-K.McCardell JAC 280 11 248 16 11.7% 15 9.0% 145 1115 1,346 7 64%
80-T.Brown NE 274 12 304 8 11.7% 16 14.4% 141 1199 1,317 6 72%
84-B.Schroeder GB 273 13 287 10 23.5% 6 25.3% 93 918 1,017 9 57%
87-R.Proehl STL 268 14 271 14 48.2% 1 48.8% 55 563 754 6 73%
80-I.Bruce STL 263 15 285 11 20.6% 8 23.5% 103 1111 1,031 6 62%
84-R.Moss MIN 256 16 260 15 8.2% 22 8.5% 153 1229 1,377 10 54%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
84-C.Chambers MIA 249 17 241 17 22.2% 7 21.0% 90 883 948 8 53%
80-C.Conway SD 229 18 218 18 11.2% 17 10.1% 126 1130 1,119 6 56%
87-J.Morton DET 225 19 209 19 6.7% 26 5.3% 144 1154 1,276 4 53%
87-J.Horn NO 188 20 189 20 2.5% 34 2.5% 156 1265 1,288 9 53%
87-L.Coles NYJ 172 21 183 21 7.9% 23 9.1% 103 868 937 7 57%
87-Q.Ismail BAL 160 22 176 23 2.0% 35 3.4% 134 1059 1,126 7 55%
80-P.Burress PIT 159 23 178 22 4.2% 32 6.2% 120 1008 1,003 6 55%
82-M.Jenkins ARI 155 24 146 25 23.6% 5 21.4% 54 518 577 3 59%
86-D.Scott CIN 153 25 150 24 6.2% 27 5.8% 103 819 887 2 55%
80-W.Chrebet NYJ 138 26 144 27 5.9% 29 6.7% 92 750 808 1 61%
88-W.Jackson NO 137 27 143 28 0.6% 36 1.2% 134 997 1,045 5 60%
86-D.Patten NE 136 28 144 26 5.2% 31 6.2% 93 749 821 5 55%
82-D.Jackson SEA 136 29 134 29 0.3% 38 0.1% 131 1081 1,055 8 53%
84-J.Jurevicius NYG 128 30 119 31 5.3% 30 3.9% 92 706 771 3 55%
88-I.Hilliard NYG 127 31 112 35 6.1% 28 4.0% 87 659 735 6 60%
81-A.Toomer NYG 121 32 83 43 -1.6% 42 -5.1% 140 1043 1,067 5 51%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
84-S.Jefferson ATL 117 33 114 33 10.6% 18 10.0% 65 539 581 2 57%
87-E.Kennison DEN 115 34 115 32 15.5% 12 15.4% 50 490 503 1 62%
86-H.Ward PIT 112 35 121 30 -2.6% 45 -1.7% 144 1006 1,065 4 65%
87-K.Dyson TEN 111 36 110 37 -0.1% 39 -0.2% 112 825 882 7 48%
82-M.Westbrook WAS 110 37 113 34 2.5% 33 3.0% 91 664 749 6 63%
81-P.Price BUF 103 38 97 40 -1.0% 41 -1.7% 111 895 858 8 50%
83-J.Stokes SF 95 39 98 39 0.5% 37 0.8% 90 585 732 7 60%
85-C.Bradford GB 91 40 110 36 6.8% 25 10.8% 58 526 517 3 53%
81-J.Graham SD 91 41 72 44 -2.3% 43 -4.5% 110 811 844 5 47%
86-A.Freeman GB 89 42 84 42 -2.4% 44 -3.0% 108 818 839 6 48%
86-M.Booker CHI 86 43 94 41 -5.8% 50 -5.2% 157 1084 1,151 8 64%
85-T.Dwight SD 85 44 64 45 10.3% 20 4.6% 49 406 427 0 51%
81-R.Ismail DAL 80 45 105 38 -0.9% 40 2.7% 93 834 673 2 57%
84-B.Engram SEA 78 46 63 46 7.7% 24 3.7% 51 400 429 0 57%
80-C.Carter MIN 57 47 47 50 -7.1% 53 -8.2% 130 871 929 7 56%
81-F.Sanders ARI 57 48 47 49 -2.8% 46 -4.6% 76 618 557 2 54%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
86-O.Gadsden MIA 47 49 49 48 -6.3% 51 -6.1% 93 674 672 3 59%
80-T.Martin ATL 43 50 41 52 -5.4% 48 -5.7% 77 548 543 3 48%
80-J.McKnight MIA 41 51 35 53 -6.7% 52 -7.6% 90 684 617 4 61%
81-J.Green TB 41 52 54 47 -3.8% 47 -0.8% 59 402 432 1 61%
81-A.Hakim STL 30 53 29 55 -5.5% 49 -5.7% 53 374 379 3 74%
83-D.Terrell CHI 24 54 16 59 -8.0% 54 -9.5% 63 415 459 4 54%
80-J.Thrash PHI 22 55 34 54 -10.0% 56 -8.5% 107 769 712 6 58%
19-K.Johnson TB 22 56 44 51 -11.2% 60 -9.6% 180 1279 1,195 1 59%
80-T.Wilkins IND 19 57 -10 62 -8.3% 55 -14.9% 56 332 380 0 61%
87-T.Pinkston PHI 17 58 26 56 -10.1% 57 -8.8% 84 586 565 4 50%
81-M.Minnis KC 10 59 25 57 -10.8% 58 -8.0% 67 511 444 1 49%
82-D.Alexander KC 9 60 -4 61 -11.0% 59 -13.4% 67 470 435 3 40%
82-I.Byrd CAR -3 61 19 58 -13.3% 61 -9.5% 71 492 469 1 52%
89-T.Streets SF -7 62 9 60 -14.4% 63 -10.6% 52 345 331 2 54%
80-E.Moulds BUF -11 63 -23 66 -13.7% 62 -14.8% 136 904 861 6 49%
85-C.Johnson CIN -14 64 -23 65 -15.7% 66 -17.6% 60 329 353 1 47%
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
81-K.Robinson SEA -18 65 -31 68 -15.5% 65 -17.6% 77 541 484 1 51%
86-J.Reed MIN -20 66 -26 67 -17.8% 69 -19.3% 53 309 289 1 51%
84-J.Galloway DAL -22 67 -22 64 -15.1% 64 -15.2% 112 696 677 4 46%
89-T.Taylor BAL -28 68 -20 63 -16.4% 67 -15.3% 90 560 567 4 47%
81-T.Mathis ATL -38 69 -52 69 -17.3% 68 -19.0% 104 564 612 2 49%
87-R.Gardner WAS -57 70 -59 70 -19.7% 70 -20.0% 101 741 572 4 46%
80-D.White CHI -69 71 -90 73 -23.7% 73 -27.0% 82 428 406 0 55%
81-D.Hayes CAR -72 72 -62 71 -21.2% 71 -20.1% 105 597 573 4 50%
87-M.Muhammad CAR -75 73 -70 72 -23.1% 72 -22.4% 94 614 476 1 54%
84-S.Dawkins JAC -92 74 -96 74 -37.4% 76 -38.5% 49 234 168 0 41%
81-Q.Morgan CLE -125 75 -117 75 -36.2% 75 -34.7% 72 432 248 2 42%
80-P.Warrick CIN -194 76 -198 76 -31.3% 74 -31.7% 137 667 560 1 51%

RECEIVING, OTHERS: 10-49 passes

Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
86-B.Finneran ATL 134 148 32.6% 37.4% 41 491 439 3 56%
86-J.Pathon IND 126 108 41.5% 33.6% 32 330 376 3 75%
82-B.Shaw PIT 89 80 14.3% 11.4% 44 409 400 2 55%
86-K.Williams TB 57 58 5.6% 5.8% 41 314 339 1 59%
88-J.Williams SEA 55 58 32.9% 34.9% 17 212 181 1 71%
83-D.Farmer CIN 55 51 16.8% 14.7% 23 233 232 1 65%
83-T.Insley IND 52 47 18.8% 15.5% 21 165 213 2 67%
82-G.Crowell DET 51 60 4.4% 7.1% 38 289 321 3 58%
19-D.Bennett TEN 47 51 0.5% 1.5% 46 329 362 1 52%
80-D.Driver GB 46 45 18.1% 17.5% 19 167 190 1 68%
87-D.Bates CHI 44 47 30.9% 34.3% 14 160 147 1 64%
80-D.Howard DET 42 43 25.7% 26.0% 14 133 153 1 71%
84-R.Germany BUF 40 32 13.2% 8.2% 21 203 185 0 57%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
89-S.Smith CAR 38 38 10.1% 9.9% 20 154 191 1 50%
88-T.Glenn NE 37 44 6.7% 10.5% 24 204 208 1 58%
86-J.McDaniel BUF 31 38 16.2% 23.5% 14 129 131 0 79%
80-B.Stokley BAL 24 23 -5.6% -6.0% 46 344 319 2 52%
80-R.Wilson NO 24 23 -4.7% -4.8% 38 277 276 0 55%
88-J.Dawson CLE 23 32 -4.0% -0.4% 34 281 246 1 65%
86-R.Dixon NYG 15 8 -1.6% -6.7% 19 152 133 1 42%
80-R.Swinton DAL 14 13 -0.3% -1.8% 16 117 116 1 44%
83-K.Lockett WAS 14 13 -8.1% -8.6% 41 296 269 0 54%
82-K.Kasper DEN 12 10 -0.2% -2.0% 12 84 96 0 67%
87-R.Wayne IND 6 10 -11.0% -10.0% 49 345 322 0 55%
81-R.Dugans CIN 2 -6 -12.0% -14.6% 45 251 278 2 62%
87-C.Thomas KC 1 -1 -12.4% -12.9% 38 247 247 1 50%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
83-A.Connell NO -1 -2 -13.1% -13.8% 28 191 163 2 43%
83-P.Johnson BAL -4 1 -16.9% -11.5% 12 57 71 1 42%
82-T.Gaylor SD -5 -13 -14.5% -17.8% 34 217 207 0 41%
89-A.Black BUF -6 -1 -18.2% -13.4% 14 90 78 0 57%
81-L.Foster DET -8 -8 -15.1% -14.9% 46 283 267 1 48%
84-F.Mitchell PHI -9 -6 -15.2% -14.6% 43 283 263 1 49%
87-D.Ward MIA -11 -22 -16.2% -20.0% 40 209 230 0 53%
83-W.McGarity DAL -12 -8 -25.2% -21.0% 12 43 59 1 58%
81-C.Walsh MIN -12 -6 -23.4% -18.5% 14 67 73 1 64%
84-A.King CLE -12 -8 -22.2% -18.8% 17 149 85 0 65%
84-T.Houshmandzadeh CIN -14 -13 -16.8% -16.6% 42 228 251 0 50%
87-F.Murphy TB -14 -19 -23.0% -26.3% 17 71 91 1 47%
84-J.Porter OAK -16 -5 -18.2% -14.3% 37 220 217 0 51%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
81-C.Sanders TEN -20 -24 -26.4% -28.8% 18 74 89 0 28%
81-K.Poole DEN -21 -20 -39.1% -38.1% 10 38 34 0 50%
81-T.Edwards PIT -22 -25 -21.7% -22.6% 35 283 167 0 54%
85-N.Brown PHI -26 -28 -30.8% -32.3% 17 95 77 0 41%
88-M.Robinson CHI -27 -2 -21.1% -13.3% 42 269 218 2 55%
84-C.Cole DEN -29 -21 -33.7% -28.4% 19 128 68 0 47%
81-C.Johnson NE -29 -29 -27.6% -27.5% 25 111 116 1 56%
85-R.Anthony TB -37 -40 -25.4% -26.5% 34 162 182 0 38%
83-B.Emanuel DET -39 -42 -23.5% -24.2% 45 246 237 0 47%
88-S.Anderson DET -43 -48 -28.5% -30.4% 34 211 157 1 35%
81-M.Hatchette NYJ -43 -40 -46.4% -44.1% 15 44 41 0 13%
83-S.Montgomery DEN -45 -50 -42.3% -45.8% 22 99 57 0 50%
82-K.Swayne NYJ -49 -48 -30.8% -30.4% 36 203 148 0 36%
Player Team DYAR YAR DVOA VOA Passes Yards TrueYards TD CatchRate
84-A.Jackson ARI -51 -52 -55.7% -56.3% 15 44 21 0 60%
86-D.Northcutt CLE -52 -57 -31.8% -33.4% 35 211 146 0 51%
85-D.Chiaverini DAL -57 -62 -37.1% -39.3% 32 107 105 3 31%
83-P.Jeffers CAR -60 -51 -35.8% -32.2% 33 127 123 1 42%
83-S.Moss NYJ -66 -71 -66.0% -70.1% 17 40 3 0 12%
80-L.Parker KC -72 -58 -35.6% -31.1% 39 199 150 2 38%

RUSHING BY WIDE RECEIVERS: Minimum 5 carries

Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Rk Runs Yards TrueYards Rk TD FUM
81-P.Price BUF 58 1 59 1 159.0% 1 160.4% 1 6 97 137 1 0 0
86-D.Patten NE 52 2 55 2 126.0% 2 132.8% 2 5 67 124 2 1 0
87-L.Coles NYJ 50 3 53 3 53.0% 9 58.8% 9 10 108 121 3 0 1
80-C.Conway SD 48 4 49 4 76.5% 6 80.6% 6 7 116 114 4 1 0
86-H.Ward PIT 43 5 43 6 35.4% 11 35.9% 12 10 83 104 5 0 0
84-E.Conwell STL 39 6 44 5 92.2% 4 105.9% 4 7 28 68 9 1 0
89-T.Taylor BAL 37 7 35 8 87.6% 5 83.6% 5 5 46 87 6 0 0
80-J.Thrash PHI 33 8 35 9 117.9% 3 123.3% 3 6 57 71 8 0 0
80-T.Brown NE 32 9 37 7 12.5% 15 20.6% 13 11 91 80 7 0 1
Player Team DYAR Rk YAR Rk DVOA Rk VOA Rk Runs Yards TrueYards Rk TD FUM
80-J.McKnight MIA 26 10 30 10 51.3% 10 63.0% 7 6 39 64 10 0 0
81-T.Edwards PIT 21 11 22 11 62.3% 7 62.9% 8 5 28 51 11 1 0
80-D.Howard DET 20 12 19 13 56.2% 8 50.7% 10 5 25 47 12 0 0
89-D.Boston ARI 18 13 19 12 32.5% 12 36.2% 11 5 35 43 14 0 0
89-S.Smith CAR 17 14 18 14 18.7% 13 19.6% 14 5 45 43 13 0 0
81-R.Ismail DAL 15 15 16 15 14.8% 14 17.0% 15 8 31 38 15 0 0
80-P.Warrick CIN 6 16 3 16 -23.5% 16 -30.5% 16 8 14 17 16 0 0
84-J.Lewis BAL -14 17 -8 17 -75.9% 18 -61.6% 17 9 33 -28 17 0 1
81-A.Hakim STL -17 18 -17 18 -69.2% 17 -69.6% 18 11 44 -32 18 0 2