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 running backs by WAR in 2017. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Bryce LoveRBStanford	Stanford	253	0.980.74 to 1.24	0.74 to 1.24
2	Rashaad PennyRBSan Diego State	San Diego State	283	0.960.66 to 1.25	0.66 to 1.25
3	Devin SingletaryRBFlorida Atlantic	Florida Atlantic	245	0.950.70 to 1.19	0.70 to 1.19
4	AJ DillonRBBoston College	Boston College	255	0.940.70 to 1.17	0.70 to 1.17
5	D'Angelo BrewerRBTulsa	Tulsa	274	0.860.62 to 1.07	0.62 to 1.07
6	Spencer BrownRBUAB	UAB	221	0.780.61 to 0.97	0.61 to 0.97
7	Derrius GuiceRBLSU	LSU	209	0.740.53 to 0.94	0.53 to 0.94
7	Akrum WadleyRBIowa	Iowa	268	0.740.52 to 0.96	0.52 to 0.96
9	Ito SmithRBSouthern Miss	Southern Miss	248	0.730.52 to 0.94	0.52 to 0.94
9	Benny Snell Jr.RBKentucky	Kentucky	237	0.730.50 to 0.92	0.50 to 0.92
9	Jonathan TaylorRBWisconsin	Wisconsin	267	0.730.48 to 0.96	0.48 to 0.96
12	Josh AdamsRBNotre Dame	Notre Dame	201	0.710.52 to 0.89	0.52 to 0.89
13	Justice HillRBOklahoma State	Oklahoma State	245	0.700.51 to 0.90	0.51 to 0.90
14	Justin JacksonRBNorthwestern	Northwestern	322	0.670.40 to 0.90	0.40 to 0.90
15	Kerryon JohnsonRBAuburn	Auburn	238	0.650.43 to 0.82	0.43 to 0.82
16	Jarvion FranklinRBWestern Michigan	Western Michigan	180	0.610.44 to 0.77	0.44 to 0.77
17	Jeffery WilsonRBNorth Texas	North Texas	190	0.610.41 to 0.79	0.41 to 0.79
18	Aeris WilliamsRBMississippi State	Mississippi State	205	0.610.46 to 0.75	0.46 to 0.75
19	Royce FreemanRBOregon	Oregon	188	0.600.44 to 0.77	0.44 to 0.77
20	Nyheim HinesRBNC State	NC State	212	0.590.40 to 0.77	0.40 to 0.77
21	Demario RichardRBArizona State	Arizona State	196	0.560.39 to 0.70	0.39 to 0.70
22	A.J. OuelletteRBOhio	Ohio	171	0.560.41 to 0.69	0.41 to 0.69
23	Boston ScottRBLouisiana Tech	Louisiana Tech	160	0.550.42 to 0.68	0.42 to 0.68
24	Alexander MattisonRBBoise State	Boise State	196	0.530.36 to 0.66	0.36 to 0.66
25	Justin CrawfordRBWest Virginia	West Virginia	166	0.530.37 to 0.68	0.37 to 0.68
26	Terry SwansonRBToledo	Toledo	219	0.520.33 to 0.70	0.33 to 0.70
27	Kenny YoungRBMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	156	0.510.39 to 0.64	0.39 to 0.64
28	Dontrell HilliardRBTulane	Tulane	146	0.500.37 to 0.64	0.37 to 0.64
29	Saquon BarkleyRBPenn State	Penn State	202	0.500.33 to 0.66	0.33 to 0.66
30	Xavier JonesRBSMU	SMU	182	0.490.34 to 0.62	0.34 to 0.62
30	J.K. DobbinsRBOhio State	Ohio State	137	0.490.40 to 0.59	0.40 to 0.59
32	Rodney AndersonRBOklahoma	Oklahoma	135	0.490.38 to 0.60	0.38 to 0.60
32	Diocemy Saint JusteRBHawai'i	Hawai'i	242	0.490.27 to 0.69	0.27 to 0.69
34	Patrick LairdRBCalifornia	California	214	0.490.33 to 0.63	0.33 to 0.63
35	Rodney SmithRBMinnesota	Minnesota	211	0.480.32 to 0.64	0.32 to 0.64
36	Dalyn DawkinsRBColorado State	Colorado State	198	0.480.32 to 0.61	0.32 to 0.61
37	David MontgomeryRBIowa State	Iowa State	253	0.470.27 to 0.65	0.27 to 0.65
38	Timothy McVeyRBAir Force	Air Force	123	0.470.37 to 0.56	0.37 to 0.56
39	Jonathan WardRBCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	209	0.460.31 to 0.62	0.31 to 0.62
40	Darnell WoolfolkRBArmy	Army	132	0.440.33 to 0.56	0.33 to 0.56
41	Karan HigdonRBMichigan	Michigan	162	0.440.30 to 0.56	0.30 to 0.56
42	Ryan NallRBOregon State	Oregon State	142	0.440.30 to 0.57	0.30 to 0.57
43	Zack MossRBUtah	Utah	178	0.430.28 to 0.57	0.28 to 0.57
44	Cam AkersRBFlorida State	Florida State	181	0.430.31 to 0.58	0.31 to 0.58
44	Ish WitterRBMissouri	Missouri	147	0.430.31 to 0.54	0.31 to 0.54
46	LJ ScottRBMichigan State	Michigan State	200	0.420.22 to 0.59	0.22 to 0.59
46	Ryquell ArmsteadRBTemple	Temple	135	0.420.30 to 0.52	0.30 to 0.52
48	Darius TiceRBSouth Florida	South Florida	132	0.420.27 to 0.54	0.27 to 0.54
49	Alex BarnesRBKansas State	Kansas State	119	0.410.31 to 0.50	0.31 to 0.50
50	Matt ColburnRBWake Forest	Wake Forest	140	0.410.32 to 0.52	0.32 to 0.52
51	Shaun WilsonRBDuke	Duke	176	0.400.26 to 0.54	0.26 to 0.54
51	Trayveon WilliamsRBTexas A&M	Texas A&M	162	0.400.28 to 0.53	0.28 to 0.53
53	Ty JohnsonRBMaryland	Maryland	103	0.400.30 to 0.50	0.30 to 0.50
54	David WilliamsRBArkansas	Arkansas	108	0.400.32 to 0.49	0.32 to 0.49
55	Jalin MooreRBApp State	App State	151	0.400.24 to 0.54	0.24 to 0.54
56	Keion DavisRBMarshall	Marshall	184	0.390.23 to 0.54	0.23 to 0.54
57	Jacques PatrickRBFlorida State	Florida State	137	0.390.29 to 0.48	0.29 to 0.48
58	Tyler KingRBMarshall	Marshall	153	0.390.26 to 0.52	0.26 to 0.52
59	Ray LawryRBOld Dominion	Old Dominion	127	0.390.25 to 0.50	0.25 to 0.50
59	Osharmar AbercrombieRBCoastal Carolina	Coastal Carolina	127	0.390.28 to 0.48	0.28 to 0.48
61	Jeremy CoxRBOld Dominion	Old Dominion	133	0.380.26 to 0.49	0.26 to 0.49
62	Josh ClevelandRBBowling Green	Bowling Green	137	0.380.23 to 0.52	0.23 to 0.52
62	Ralph WebbRBVanderbilt	Vanderbilt	169	0.380.22 to 0.51	0.22 to 0.51
62	Wesley FieldsRBGeorgia Southern	Georgia Southern	119	0.380.28 to 0.48	0.28 to 0.48
65	Trey RagasRBLouisiana	Louisiana	116	0.380.29 to 0.48	0.29 to 0.48
66	Kyle HicksRBTCU	TCU	148	0.380.27 to 0.49	0.27 to 0.49
67	Caleb HuntleyRBBall State	Ball State	131	0.380.28 to 0.47	0.28 to 0.47
68	Kelton MooreRBNevada	Nevada	130	0.370.26 to 0.47	0.26 to 0.47
69	Brittain BrownRBDuke	Duke	125	0.370.28 to 0.45	0.28 to 0.45
70	Emmanuel ReedRBBuffalo	Buffalo	186	0.370.22 to 0.52	0.22 to 0.52
71	Jordan WilkinsRBOle Miss	Ole Miss	134	0.360.27 to 0.46	0.27 to 0.46
72	J.J. TaylorRBArizona	Arizona	132	0.360.26 to 0.47	0.26 to 0.47
73	Andrew ClairRBBowling Green	Bowling Green	112	0.360.26 to 0.45	0.26 to 0.45
74	Larry Rose IIIRBNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	207	0.360.21 to 0.48	0.21 to 0.48
74	Jordan MimsRBFresno State	Fresno State	128	0.360.27 to 0.43	0.27 to 0.43
76	Ian EriksenRBEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	181	0.350.23 to 0.48	0.23 to 0.48
77	Lexington ThomasRBUNLV	UNLV	158	0.350.19 to 0.51	0.19 to 0.51
78	D'Ernest JohnsonRBSouth Florida	South Florida	170	0.350.21 to 0.48	0.21 to 0.48
79	Keith FordRBTexas A&M	Texas A&M	137	0.340.23 to 0.45	0.23 to 0.45
80	John KellyRBTennessee	Tennessee	173	0.340.21 to 0.49	0.21 to 0.49
80	Darrin HallRBPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	120	0.340.24 to 0.44	0.24 to 0.44
82	Tre KingRBTexas Tech	Texas Tech	130	0.340.24 to 0.44	0.24 to 0.44
82	Lorenzo Harrison IIIRBMaryland	Maryland	102	0.340.25 to 0.42	0.25 to 0.42
84	Tyrone OwensRBNew Mexico	New Mexico	116	0.340.22 to 0.45	0.22 to 0.45
85	Gus EdwardsRBRutgers	Rutgers	133	0.330.23 to 0.42	0.23 to 0.42
86	Squally CanadaRBBYU	BYU	101	0.320.24 to 0.40	0.24 to 0.40
86	Darrell HendersonRBMemphis	Memphis	121	0.320.22 to 0.42	0.22 to 0.42
88	Alex GardnerRBFlorida International	Florida International	170	0.320.16 to 0.45	0.16 to 0.45
89	Tyler NevensRBSan José State	San José State	108	0.320.24 to 0.40	0.24 to 0.40
90	Kalen BallageRBArizona State	Arizona State	179	0.310.19 to 0.45	0.19 to 0.45
90	David HoodRBTemple	Temple	126	0.310.23 to 0.39	0.23 to 0.39
92	Darrel WilliamsRBLSU	LSU	133	0.310.23 to 0.40	0.23 to 0.40
93	Darius AndersonRBTCU	TCU	100	0.310.23 to 0.39	0.23 to 0.39
93	Justin StocktonRBTexas Tech	Texas Tech	150	0.310.18 to 0.41	0.18 to 0.41
93	Travis HomerRBMiami	Miami	150	0.310.19 to 0.43	0.19 to 0.43
96	Lamical PerineRBFlorida	Florida	139	0.300.19 to 0.40	0.19 to 0.40
97	Andy DavidsonRBArmy	Army	102	0.300.20 to 0.38	0.20 to 0.38
98	L.A. RamsbyRBGeorgia Southern	Georgia Southern	96	0.300.22 to 0.37	0.22 to 0.37
99	Damien HarrisRBAlabama	Alabama	75	0.290.23 to 0.35	0.23 to 0.35
99	Tyrell ClayRBUTSA	UTSA	113	0.290.22 to 0.37	0.22 to 0.37

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.