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 tight ends by WAR in 2016. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Jordan LeggettTEClemson	Clemson	53	0.120.00 to 0.22	0.00 to 0.22
2	Evan EngramTEOle Miss	Ole Miss	80	0.11−0.05 to 0.26	−0.05 to 0.26
3	Keith RuckerTEGeorgia State	Georgia State	39	0.110.04 to 0.17	0.04 to 0.17
4	Cole HikutiniTELouisville	Louisville	48	0.090.00 to 0.17	0.00 to 0.17
5	O.J. HowardTEAlabama	Alabama	40	0.090.01 to 0.16	0.01 to 0.16
6	Gerald EverettTESouth Alabama	South Alabama	51	0.08−0.01 to 0.17	−0.01 to 0.17
7	Josiah PriceTEMichigan State	Michigan State	40	0.070.00 to 0.13	0.00 to 0.13
8	Jacob HollisterTEWyoming	Wyoming	35	0.05−0.02 to 0.12	−0.02 to 0.12
9	Nigel KilbyTEEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	29	0.050.01 to 0.09	0.01 to 0.09
9	Isaac NautaTEGeorgia	Georgia	37	0.05−0.01 to 0.11	−0.01 to 0.11
11	Nate IeseTEUCLA	UCLA	34	0.05−0.01 to 0.11	−0.01 to 0.11
12	Sean CulkinTEMissouri	Missouri	27	0.050.00 to 0.09	0.00 to 0.09
13	Ethan WolfTETennessee	Tennessee	29	0.050.00 to 0.10	0.00 to 0.10
14	Tyler ConklinTECentral Michigan	Central Michigan	57	0.05−0.05 to 0.14	−0.05 to 0.14
15	Ryan SmithTEMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	34	0.050.00 to 0.09	0.00 to 0.09
15	Cam SerigneTEWake Forest	Wake Forest	38	0.05−0.02 to 0.10	−0.02 to 0.10
15	Pharaoh BrownTEOregon	Oregon	34	0.04−0.02 to 0.10	−0.02 to 0.10
18	David NjokuTEMiami	Miami	63	0.04−0.09 to 0.15	−0.09 to 0.15
18	Hayden HurstTESouth Carolina	South Carolina	51	0.04−0.05 to 0.13	−0.05 to 0.13
18	George KittleTEIowa	Iowa	29	0.04−0.01 to 0.09	−0.01 to 0.09
21	Troy FumagalliTEWisconsin	Wisconsin	52	0.04−0.05 to 0.12	−0.05 to 0.12
22	Daniel MontielTEMemphis	Memphis	31	0.04−0.01 to 0.09	−0.01 to 0.09
22	Michael RobertsTEToledo	Toledo	39	0.04−0.03 to 0.11	−0.03 to 0.11
24	DeAndre GoolsbyTEFlorida	Florida	40	0.04−0.04 to 0.11	−0.04 to 0.11
25	Ryan YurachekTEMarshall	Marshall	24	0.04−0.01 to 0.07	−0.01 to 0.07
25	Shane WimannTENorthern Illinois	Northern Illinois	27	0.04−0.01 to 0.08	−0.01 to 0.08
27	Jake ButtTEMichigan	Michigan	38	0.04−0.03 to 0.09	−0.03 to 0.09
28	Tommy SweeneyTEBoston College	Boston College	40	0.03−0.04 to 0.10	−0.04 to 0.10
29	David WellsTESan Diego State	San Diego State	26	0.03−0.01 to 0.07	−0.01 to 0.07
30	Scott OrndoffTEPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	43	0.03−0.06 to 0.10	−0.06 to 0.10
31	K.C. CrosbyTESouth Carolina	South Carolina	22	0.03−0.01 to 0.06	−0.01 to 0.06
32	Barrett BurnsTEApp State	App State	20	0.030.00 to 0.06	0.00 to 0.06
33	Blake JarwinTEOklahoma State	Oklahoma State	20	0.03−0.01 to 0.06	−0.01 to 0.06
34	Jeremy SprinkleTEArkansas	Arkansas	40	0.03−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
34	Ari WertsTEGeorgia State	Georgia State	17	0.030.00 to 0.05	0.00 to 0.05
34	Daniel ImatorbhebheTEUSC	USC	18	0.030.00 to 0.05	0.00 to 0.05
34	C.J. ConradTEKentucky	Kentucky	26	0.03−0.02 to 0.07	−0.02 to 0.07
34	Mark AndrewsTEOklahoma	Oklahoma	36	0.03−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
39	Connor CellaTERice	Rice	25	0.02−0.02 to 0.06	−0.02 to 0.06
40	Tyler McCloskeyTEHouston	Houston	21	0.02−0.01 to 0.05	−0.01 to 0.05
40	Mike GesickiTEPenn State	Penn State	61	0.02−0.10 to 0.14	−0.10 to 0.14
40	Jason PellerinTEOle Miss	Ole Miss	13	0.020.00 to 0.04	0.00 to 0.04
40	Wyatt HoustonTEUtah State	Utah State	32	0.02−0.03 to 0.07	−0.03 to 0.07
40	Julian AllenTESouthern Miss	Southern Miss	19	0.02−0.01 to 0.05	−0.01 to 0.05
45	Daniel HelmTEDuke	Duke	26	0.02−0.02 to 0.06	−0.02 to 0.06
46	Donovan WilliamsTEUConn	UConn	15	0.020.00 to 0.04	0.00 to 0.04
46	Kylen GransonTERice	Rice	35	0.02−0.03 to 0.07	−0.03 to 0.07
46	Jeremiah GainesTESMU	SMU	11	0.020.00 to 0.04	0.00 to 0.04
46	Caleb WilsonTEUCLA	UCLA	14	0.020.00 to 0.04	0.00 to 0.04
50	Alec BloomTEUConn	UConn	16	0.02−0.01 to 0.05	−0.01 to 0.05
50	Damion HobbsTEUtah State	Utah State	15	0.02−0.01 to 0.05	−0.01 to 0.05
52	Johnny MundtTEOregon	Oregon	29	0.02−0.03 to 0.07	−0.03 to 0.07
53	Gabe SchradeTETexas State	Texas State	22	0.02−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
53	Darrell DanielsTEWashington	Washington	14	0.02−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
53	Bucky HodgesTEVirginia Tech	Virginia Tech	76	0.02−0.11 to 0.13	−0.11 to 0.13
53	Cole HerdmanTEPurdue	Purdue	28	0.02−0.03 to 0.06	−0.03 to 0.06
53	Harrison HandleyTEUtah	Utah	19	0.02−0.02 to 0.05	−0.02 to 0.05
53	Austin RobertsTEUCLA	UCLA	23	0.02−0.02 to 0.05	−0.02 to 0.05
59	Adam BrenemanTEMassachusetts	Massachusetts	65	0.02−0.11 to 0.13	−0.11 to 0.13
60	Kendall BlantonTEMissouri	Missouri	22	0.01−0.02 to 0.04	−0.02 to 0.04
60	Billy FreemanTESan José State	San José State	15	0.01−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
60	Andrew PriceTEUNLV	UNLV	16	0.01−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
60	Danny NwosuTEColorado State	Colorado State	15	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
60	Evan MoeaiTEUtah	Utah	34	0.01−0.04 to 0.07	−0.04 to 0.07
60	Jared PinkneyTEVanderbilt	Vanderbilt	28	0.01−0.03 to 0.05	−0.03 to 0.05
60	Elkanah DillonTESouth Florida	South Florida	10	0.010.00 to 0.03	0.00 to 0.03
60	DeSean SmithTELSU	LSU	11	0.010.00 to 0.03	0.00 to 0.03
60	Metuisela 'UngaTEHawai'i	Hawai'i	11	0.010.00 to 0.03	0.00 to 0.03
60	A.J. BraniselTEFlorida International	Florida International	11	0.010.00 to 0.03	0.00 to 0.03
60	Davis KoppenhaverTEDuke	Duke	18	0.01−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
71	Durham SmytheTENotre Dame	Notre Dame	14	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
71	Elijah WellmanTEWest Virginia	West Virginia	7	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
71	Mavin SaundersTEFlorida State	Florida State	11	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
71	Mason SchreckTEBuffalo	Buffalo	60	0.01−0.10 to 0.12	−0.10 to 0.12
71	Carl TuckerTENorth Carolina	North Carolina	13	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
76	Tanner BalderreeTEBYU	BYU	11	0.010.00 to 0.03	0.00 to 0.03
76	Taylor McNamaraTEUSC	USC	13	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
76	Jason CroomTETennessee	Tennessee	24	0.01−0.03 to 0.04	−0.03 to 0.04
76	Tyler PetiteTEUSC	USC	10	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
76	Dan BuschmanTEEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	14	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
81	Shaq WilliamsTEUTSA	UTSA	9	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Jamal LylesTEMichigan State	Michigan State	10	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
81	Colin JeterTELSU	LSU	14	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
81	Sam CottonTENebraska	Nebraska	12	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
81	Jarred GipsonTENevada	Nevada	17	0.01−0.02 to 0.03	−0.02 to 0.03
81	Emanuel ByrdTEMarshall	Marshall	17	0.01−0.02 to 0.03	−0.02 to 0.03
81	Tommy MyersTEUConn	UConn	9	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Drew SampleTEWashington	Washington	8	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Joey MagnificoTEMemphis	Memphis	7	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Kody KohlTEArizona State	Arizona State	9	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
81	Ben JohnsonTEKansas	Kansas	8	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Alec DhaenensTEBoise State	Boise State	14	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
81	Austin CantrellTEArkansas	Arkansas	11	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
81	Brycen HopkinsTEPurdue	Purdue	8	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Kyle PennistonTEWisconsin	Wisconsin	8	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Tim HoltTEUNLV	UNLV	13	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
81	Greg TaboadaTEStanford	Stanford	7	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02
81	Troy MangenTEOhio	Ohio	22	0.01−0.03 to 0.04	−0.03 to 0.04
81	Shaquille JohnsonTEWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	9	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
81	Chris MinterTETulsa	Tulsa	7	0.010.00 to 0.02	0.00 to 0.02

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.