Player rankings

The season's top FBS quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends by wins above replacement: what each player's plays were worth, adjusted for the opponent, against a typical backup.

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014

All QB RB WR TE

The top 100 FBS quarterbacks by WAR in 2021. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Bailey ZappeQBWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	559	3.672.57 to 4.70	2.57 to 4.70
2	Bryce YoungQBAlabama	Alabama	481	3.512.53 to 4.50	2.53 to 4.50
3	C.J. StroudQBOhio State	Ohio State	383	3.312.48 to 4.17	2.48 to 4.17
4	Sam HartmanQBWake Forest	Wake Forest	509	3.122.17 to 4.03	2.17 to 4.03
5	Matt CorralQBOle Miss	Ole Miss	377	2.872.12 to 3.58	2.12 to 3.58
6	Brennan ArmstrongQBVirginia	Virginia	503	2.871.90 to 3.82	1.90 to 3.82
7	Will RogersQBMississippi State	Mississippi State	632	2.761.56 to 4.01	1.56 to 4.01
8	Aidan O'ConnellQBPurdue	Purdue	386	2.701.94 to 3.53	1.94 to 3.53
9	Spencer SandersQBOklahoma State	Oklahoma State	485	2.701.91 to 3.54	1.91 to 3.54
10	Malik CunninghamQBLouisville	Louisville	412	2.631.88 to 3.38	1.88 to 3.38
11	Tanner MordecaiQBSMU	SMU	450	2.511.60 to 3.43	1.60 to 3.43
12	Dustin CrumQBKent State	Kent State	427	2.491.63 to 3.34	1.63 to 3.34
12	Sam HowellQBNorth Carolina	North Carolina	452	2.491.59 to 3.35	1.59 to 3.35
14	Seth HeniganQBMemphis	Memphis	402	2.461.65 to 3.29	1.65 to 3.29
15	Clayton TuneQBHouston	Houston	454	2.411.60 to 3.22	1.60 to 3.22
16	Malik WillisQBLiberty	Liberty	368	2.391.70 to 3.05	1.70 to 3.05
17	Frank HarrisQBUTSA	UTSA	424	2.361.48 to 3.28	1.48 to 3.28
18	Jack CoanQBNotre Dame	Notre Dame	403	2.351.48 to 3.14	1.48 to 3.14
19	Dorian Thompson-RobinsonQBUCLA	UCLA	378	2.341.66 to 3.05	1.66 to 3.05
20	Carson StrongQBNevada	Nevada	451	2.331.49 to 3.12	1.49 to 3.12
21	Jake HaenerQBFresno State	Fresno State	458	2.331.46 to 3.15	1.46 to 3.15
22	Payton ThorneQBMichigan State	Michigan State	379	2.331.48 to 3.13	1.48 to 3.13
23	Hank BachmeierQBBoise State	Boise State	409	2.311.66 to 3.00	1.66 to 3.00
24	Kenny PickettQBPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	480	2.281.38 to 3.14	1.38 to 3.14
25	Hendon HookerQBTennessee	Tennessee	327	2.141.57 to 2.78	1.57 to 2.78
26	Tyler Van DykeQBMiami	Miami	334	2.131.37 to 2.90	1.37 to 2.90
26	Adrian MartinezQBNebraska	Nebraska	370	2.131.42 to 2.82	1.42 to 2.82
28	Logan BonnerQBUtah State	Utah State	400	2.121.43 to 2.79	1.43 to 2.79
29	Cameron RisingQBUtah	Utah	339	2.101.47 to 2.75	1.47 to 2.75
30	Taulia TagovailoaQBMaryland	Maryland	411	2.041.28 to 2.95	1.28 to 2.95
31	Anthony BrownQBOregon	Oregon	414	2.001.17 to 2.83	1.17 to 2.83
32	KJ JeffersonQBArkansas	Arkansas	349	1.991.23 to 2.70	1.23 to 2.70
33	Kaleb ElebyQBWestern Michigan	Western Michigan	352	1.981.36 to 2.62	1.36 to 2.62
34	Jayden DanielsQBArizona State	Arizona State	364	1.941.21 to 2.58	1.21 to 2.58
35	Todd CenteioQBColorado State	Colorado State	415	1.931.22 to 2.61	1.22 to 2.61
36	Jordan TravisQBFlorida State	Florida State	303	1.931.34 to 2.49	1.34 to 2.49
37	Sean CliffordQBPenn State	Penn State	449	1.931.09 to 2.76	1.09 to 2.76
38	Grayson McCallQBCoastal Carolina	Coastal Carolina	254	1.901.46 to 2.38	1.46 to 2.38
39	Chase GarbersQBCalifornia	California	414	1.881.06 to 2.66	1.06 to 2.66
40	Caleb WilliamsQBOklahoma	Oklahoma	252	1.881.28 to 2.50	1.28 to 2.50
41	Holton AhlersQBEast Carolina	East Carolina	437	1.850.94 to 2.68	0.94 to 2.68
42	Davis BrinQBTulsa	Tulsa	395	1.841.12 to 2.55	1.12 to 2.55
43	Brock PurdyQBIowa State	Iowa State	385	1.821.14 to 2.42	1.14 to 2.42
44	Desmond RidderQBCincinnati	Cincinnati	354	1.791.08 to 2.54	1.08 to 2.54
45	Dylan MorrisQBWashington	Washington	348	1.761.02 to 2.33	1.02 to 2.33
45	Jaren HallQBBYU	BYU	317	1.761.12 to 2.44	1.12 to 2.44
47	Devin LearyQBNC State	NC State	411	1.760.85 to 2.67	0.85 to 2.67
48	Levi LewisQBLouisiana	Louisiana	391	1.730.98 to 2.41	0.98 to 2.41
49	Cade McNamaraQBMichigan	Michigan	340	1.721.04 to 2.37	1.04 to 2.37
50	Rocky LombardiQBNorthern Illinois	Northern Illinois	368	1.720.96 to 2.55	0.96 to 2.55
51	Will LevisQBKentucky	Kentucky	304	1.691.00 to 2.25	1.00 to 2.25
52	Max JohnsonQBLSU	LSU	339	1.661.12 to 2.23	1.12 to 2.23
53	Daniel RichardsonQBCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	312	1.640.95 to 2.25	0.95 to 2.25
54	Brett GabbertQBMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	309	1.621.01 to 2.28	1.01 to 2.28
55	Ben BryantQBEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	358	1.600.89 to 2.24	0.89 to 2.24
56	Skylar ThompsonQBKansas State	Kansas State	250	1.581.03 to 2.11	1.03 to 2.11
57	Jarret DoegeQBWest Virginia	West Virginia	437	1.560.82 to 2.33	0.82 to 2.33
58	Dylan HopkinsQBUAB	UAB	308	1.560.92 to 2.22	0.92 to 2.22
59	Garrett ShraderQBSyracuse	Syracuse	329	1.540.86 to 2.24	0.86 to 2.24
60	Layne HatcherQBArkansas State	Arkansas State	291	1.501.03 to 2.01	1.03 to 2.01
61	Connor BazelakQBMissouri	Missouri	314	1.430.87 to 2.03	0.87 to 2.03
62	Chance NolanQBOregon State	Oregon State	318	1.420.85 to 2.10	0.85 to 2.10
63	Tanner McKeeQBStanford	Stanford	306	1.410.73 to 2.06	0.73 to 2.06
64	Jake BentleyQBSouth Alabama	South Alabama	242	1.410.91 to 1.89	0.91 to 1.89
65	Gavin HardisonQBUTEP	UTEP	309	1.400.88 to 2.00	0.88 to 2.00
66	Jayden de LauraQBWashington State	Washington State	334	1.390.75 to 2.05	0.75 to 2.05
67	Drew PlittQBBall State	Ball State	366	1.390.73 to 2.03	0.73 to 2.03
68	Gerry BohanonQBBaylor	Baylor	294	1.350.77 to 2.02	0.77 to 2.02
69	N'Kosi PerryQBFlorida Atlantic	Florida Atlantic	310	1.350.74 to 1.98	0.74 to 1.98
70	Emory JonesQBFlorida	Florida	332	1.320.70 to 1.92	0.70 to 1.92
71	DJ UiagaleleiQBClemson	Clemson	384	1.320.58 to 2.02	0.58 to 2.02
72	Tanner MorganQBMinnesota	Minnesota	284	1.310.77 to 1.79	0.77 to 1.79
73	Darren GraingerQBGeorgia State	Georgia State	289	1.290.74 to 1.85	0.74 to 1.85
74	Bo NixQBAuburn	Auburn	313	1.290.70 to 1.84	0.70 to 1.84
75	Grant WellsQBMarshall	Marshall	382	1.280.50 to 2.07	0.50 to 2.07
76	Casey ThompsonQBTexas	Texas	267	1.280.71 to 1.75	0.71 to 1.75
77	Max DugganQBTCU	TCU	275	1.270.72 to 1.85	0.72 to 1.85
78	Chris ReynoldsQBCharlotte	Charlotte	363	1.270.65 to 1.85	0.65 to 1.85
79	Stetson BennettQBGeorgia	Georgia	202	1.260.77 to 1.75	0.77 to 1.75
80	Chevan CordeiroQBHawai'i	Hawai'i	319	1.260.71 to 1.82	0.71 to 1.82
81	Chase BriceQBApp State	App State	381	1.250.51 to 2.08	0.51 to 2.08
82	Austin KendallQBLouisiana Tech	Louisiana Tech	240	1.180.64 to 1.71	0.64 to 1.71
83	Braxton BurmeisterQBVirginia Tech	Virginia Tech	296	1.180.68 to 1.71	0.68 to 1.71
84	Kedon SlovisQBUSC	USC	252	1.170.74 to 1.58	0.74 to 1.58
85	Dequan FinnQBToledo	Toledo	277	1.140.50 to 1.75	0.50 to 1.75
86	Kyle VantreaseQBBuffalo	Buffalo	244	1.130.63 to 1.64	0.63 to 1.64
87	Jaxson DartQBUSC	USC	207	1.100.66 to 1.55	0.66 to 1.55
88	Michael PrattQBTulane	Tulane	311	1.100.55 to 1.69	0.55 to 1.69
89	Haaziq DanielsQBAir Force	Air Force	220	1.080.59 to 1.56	0.59 to 1.56
90	Graham MertzQBWisconsin	Wisconsin	274	1.040.50 to 1.58	0.50 to 1.58
91	Austin AuneQBNorth Texas	North Texas	278	1.000.54 to 1.47	0.54 to 1.47
92	Matt McDonaldQBBowling Green	Bowling Green	326	1.000.42 to 1.59	0.42 to 1.59
93	Jonah JohnsonQBNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	367	0.990.30 to 1.81	0.30 to 1.81
94	Spencer PetrasQBIowa	Iowa	287	0.970.43 to 1.57	0.43 to 1.57
95	Chandler RogersQBUL Monroe	UL Monroe	232	0.920.43 to 1.34	0.43 to 1.34
96	Zach CalzadaQBTexas A&M	Texas A&M	278	0.900.29 to 1.50	0.29 to 1.50
97	Timmy McClainQBSouth Florida	South Florida	255	0.900.46 to 1.37	0.46 to 1.37
98	Spencer RattlerQBOklahoma	Oklahoma	160	0.880.55 to 1.22	0.55 to 1.22
99	Gunnar WatsonQBTroy	Troy	217	0.850.47 to 1.26	0.47 to 1.26
100	Brady McBrideQBTexas State	Texas State	236	0.800.39 to 1.23	0.39 to 1.23

How it works

Each player's value is YardLine's wins above replacement: every play's expected points credited to the players involved, adjusted for the opponent, against a typical backup; 53 points make a win. Beside each value is its 90% interval. The numbers and position ranks are the same as on each team page's Players section.

Only snaps between FBS teams while the game was in doubt count, so a starter on a team that blows opponents out plays fewer of them. Kickers and punters are ranked on the team pages. Linemen and defenders aren't listed: public play-by-play doesn't say who was on the field, so they're valued as units on the team pages instead. Only players above replacement level are listed. The rankings update every Tuesday.