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 51 FBS tight ends by WAR in 2021. No others had WAR above 0.00. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Greg DulcichTEUCLA	UCLA	48	0.100.02 to 0.18	0.02 to 0.18
2	Derrick Deese Jr.TESan José State	San José State	45	0.090.01 to 0.16	0.01 to 0.16
3	Charlie KolarTEIowa State	Iowa State	61	0.07−0.03 to 0.17	−0.03 to 0.17
4	Gerrit PrinceTEUAB	UAB	53	0.05−0.04 to 0.14	−0.04 to 0.14
5	Michael MayerTENotre Dame	Notre Dame	82	0.05−0.08 to 0.17	−0.08 to 0.17
6	Austin AllenTENebraska	Nebraska	36	0.04−0.02 to 0.09	−0.02 to 0.09
7	Cole TurnerTENevada	Nevada	68	0.03−0.08 to 0.15	−0.08 to 0.15
8	Marshon FordTELouisville	Louisville	51	0.03−0.04 to 0.11	−0.04 to 0.11
8	Trey McBrideTEColorado State	Colorado State	89	0.03−0.12 to 0.17	−0.12 to 0.17
8	Sean DykesTEMemphis	Memphis	51	0.03−0.05 to 0.12	−0.05 to 0.12
11	Ben YurosekTEStanford	Stanford	41	0.03−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
12	Will MalloryTEMiami	Miami	38	0.03−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
13	Jelani WoodsTEVirginia	Virginia	43	0.03−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
14	Jordan MyersTERice	Rice	65	0.02−0.04 to 0.09	−0.04 to 0.09
15	John Samuel ShenkerTEAuburn	Auburn	34	0.02−0.03 to 0.07	−0.03 to 0.07
15	Bryson CannonTEEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	16	0.02−0.01 to 0.05	−0.01 to 0.05
15	Dalton KincaidTEUtah	Utah	29	0.02−0.02 to 0.06	−0.02 to 0.06
18	Griffin HebertTELouisiana Tech	Louisiana Tech	28	0.02−0.02 to 0.06	−0.02 to 0.06
19	Cameron LatuTEAlabama	Alabama	28	0.02−0.02 to 0.06	−0.02 to 0.06
19	Ryan JonesTEEast Carolina	East Carolina	33	0.02−0.03 to 0.06	−0.03 to 0.06
21	Travis KoontzTETexas Tech	Texas Tech	19	0.02−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
21	Gavin BartholomewTEPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	21	0.02−0.02 to 0.05	−0.02 to 0.05
23	Jeremiah HallTEOklahoma	Oklahoma	31	0.01−0.02 to 0.05	−0.02 to 0.05
23	Jaheim BellTESouth Carolina	South Carolina	30	0.01−0.04 to 0.07	−0.04 to 0.07
23	Devin CulpTEWashington	Washington	21	0.01−0.02 to 0.04	−0.02 to 0.04
23	Ben SimsTEBaylor	Baylor	33	0.01−0.03 to 0.06	−0.03 to 0.06
23	Keanu HillTEBYU	BYU	18	0.01−0.01 to 0.04	−0.01 to 0.04
28	Jake FergusonTEWisconsin	Wisconsin	47	0.01−0.05 to 0.08	−0.05 to 0.08
29	Josh WhyleTECincinnati	Cincinnati	25	0.01−0.03 to 0.05	−0.03 to 0.05
30	Trae BarryTEBoston College	Boston College	16	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
30	Tyrick JamesTETulane	Tulane	24	0.01−0.03 to 0.05	−0.03 to 0.05
32	Sam LaPortaTEIowa	Iowa	62	0.01−0.09 to 0.09	−0.09 to 0.09
32	Jason PirtleTENorth Texas	North Texas	34	0.01−0.04 to 0.06	−0.04 to 0.06
32	Oscar CardenasTEUTSA	UTSA	13	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
32	Trent PennixTENC State	NC State	22	0.01−0.02 to 0.04	−0.02 to 0.04
32	Roger CarterTEGeorgia State	Georgia State	18	0.01−0.02 to 0.04	−0.02 to 0.04
32	Isaiah LikelyTECoastal Carolina	Coastal Carolina	49	0.01−0.07 to 0.08	−0.07 to 0.08
32	Jalen WydermyerTETexas A&M	Texas A&M	46	0.01−0.07 to 0.09	−0.07 to 0.09
32	Henry PearsonTEApp State	App State	10	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
32	Austin StognerTEOklahoma	Oklahoma	19	0.01−0.03 to 0.04	−0.03 to 0.04
41	Mareyohn HrabowskiTEWestern Michigan	Western Michigan	11	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Blake WhiteheartTEWake Forest	Wake Forest	15	0.01−0.01 to 0.03	−0.01 to 0.03
41	Brady RussellTEColorado	Colorado	22	0.01−0.03 to 0.04	−0.03 to 0.04
41	Seth GreenTEHouston	Houston	9	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Will WallaceTETulane	Tulane	11	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Brevyn Spann-FordTEMinnesota	Minnesota	23	0.01−0.03 to 0.04	−0.03 to 0.04
41	Joey LuchettiTEBoston College	Boston College	10	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Tyler StephensTEBuffalo	Buffalo	12	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Daniel BellingerTESan Diego State	San Diego State	30	0.01−0.04 to 0.05	−0.04 to 0.05
41	Daniel ImatorbhebheTEKansas State	Kansas State	12	0.01−0.01 to 0.02	−0.01 to 0.02
41	Kyle PattersonTEAir Force	Air Force	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.