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 receivers by WAR in 2021. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Jarreth SternsWRWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	137	0.470.30 to 0.65	0.30 to 0.65
2	Deven ThompkinsWRUtah State	Utah State	100	0.430.30 to 0.55	0.30 to 0.55
3	Jack SorensonWRMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	87	0.410.30 to 0.52	0.30 to 0.52
4	Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWROhio State	Ohio State	83	0.400.30 to 0.50	0.30 to 0.50
5	Jordan AddisonWRPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	116	0.390.23 to 0.52	0.23 to 0.52
6	Romeo DoubsWRNevada	Nevada	85	0.390.28 to 0.49	0.28 to 0.49
7	Makai PolkWRMississippi State	Mississippi State	114	0.370.23 to 0.49	0.23 to 0.49
8	Nathaniel DellWRHouston	Houston	91	0.370.25 to 0.49	0.25 to 0.49
9	Drake LondonWRUSC	USC	83	0.370.27 to 0.46	0.27 to 0.46
10	Skyy MooreWRWestern Michigan	Western Michigan	92	0.370.25 to 0.48	0.25 to 0.48
11	Jameson WilliamsWRAlabama	Alabama	90	0.360.23 to 0.49	0.23 to 0.49
12	David BellWRPurdue	Purdue	91	0.350.24 to 0.48	0.24 to 0.48
13	Jahan DotsonWRPenn State	Penn State	102	0.350.23 to 0.47	0.23 to 0.47
14	Mitchell TinsleyWRWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	92	0.340.23 to 0.46	0.23 to 0.46
15	Dontayvion WicksWRVirginia	Virginia	72	0.340.24 to 0.43	0.24 to 0.43
16	A.T. PerryWRWake Forest	Wake Forest	102	0.330.20 to 0.48	0.20 to 0.48
17	Jaquarii RobersonWRWake Forest	Wake Forest	85	0.330.22 to 0.43	0.22 to 0.43
18	Treylon BurksWRArkansas	Arkansas	78	0.320.23 to 0.41	0.23 to 0.41
19	Jalen TolbertWRSouth Alabama	South Alabama	74	0.320.21 to 0.43	0.21 to 0.43
20	Emeka EmezieWRNC State	NC State	76	0.310.22 to 0.41	0.22 to 0.41
21	Zakhari FranklinWRUTSA	UTSA	103	0.310.18 to 0.43	0.18 to 0.43
22	Khalil ShakirWRBoise State	Boise State	93	0.300.21 to 0.39	0.21 to 0.39
23	Josh DownsWRNorth Carolina	North Carolina	103	0.290.16 to 0.41	0.16 to 0.41
24	Jacob CowingWRUTEP	UTEP	73	0.280.19 to 0.38	0.19 to 0.38
25	John MetchieWRAlabama	Alabama	98	0.280.15 to 0.41	0.15 to 0.41
26	Tyquan ThorntonWRBaylor	Baylor	81	0.270.18 to 0.38	0.18 to 0.38
27	Josh JohnsonWRTulsa	Tulsa	83	0.260.15 to 0.37	0.15 to 0.37
28	Kevin Austin Jr.WRNotre Dame	Notre Dame	70	0.260.18 to 0.35	0.18 to 0.35
29	Jaden WalleyWRMississippi State	Mississippi State	64	0.260.19 to 0.33	0.19 to 0.33
29	Chris OlaveWROhio State	Ohio State	71	0.260.17 to 0.34	0.17 to 0.34
31	Keytaon ThompsonWRVirginia	Virginia	115	0.250.15 to 0.35	0.15 to 0.35
32	Wan'Dale RobinsonWRKentucky	Kentucky	105	0.250.13 to 0.37	0.13 to 0.37
33	Garrett WilsonWROhio State	Ohio State	81	0.250.15 to 0.34	0.15 to 0.34
34	Hassan BeydounWREastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	87	0.250.15 to 0.36	0.15 to 0.36
35	Charleston RamboWRMiami	Miami	90	0.240.12 to 0.37	0.12 to 0.37
36	Jaivon HeilighWRCoastal Carolina	Coastal Carolina	75	0.240.14 to 0.33	0.14 to 0.33
36	Thomas HenniganWRApp State	App State	59	0.240.16 to 0.31	0.16 to 0.31
38	Calvin Austin IIIWRMemphis	Memphis	77	0.240.13 to 0.35	0.13 to 0.35
39	Jayden ReedWRMichigan State	Michigan State	84	0.240.14 to 0.33	0.14 to 0.33
40	Grant DuBoseWRCharlotte	Charlotte	59	0.240.17 to 0.29	0.17 to 0.29
41	Justin HallWRBall State	Ball State	83	0.230.17 to 0.31	0.17 to 0.31
42	Parker WashingtonWRPenn State	Penn State	59	0.230.16 to 0.30	0.16 to 0.30
42	Tyler SneadWREast Carolina	East Carolina	68	0.230.14 to 0.31	0.14 to 0.31
44	Jayshon JacksonWRBall State	Ball State	74	0.230.14 to 0.31	0.14 to 0.31
45	Trayvon RudolphWRNorthern Illinois	Northern Illinois	84	0.230.13 to 0.34	0.13 to 0.34
46	Joshua CephusWRUTSA	UTSA	74	0.220.14 to 0.31	0.14 to 0.31
47	Trevon ClarkWRCalifornia	California	49	0.220.16 to 0.29	0.16 to 0.29
47	Dante CephasWRKent State	Kent State	86	0.220.12 to 0.32	0.12 to 0.32
49	Milton WrightWRPurdue	Purdue	62	0.220.16 to 0.28	0.16 to 0.28
50	Stanley Berryhill IIIWRArizona	Arizona	69	0.220.16 to 0.28	0.16 to 0.28
51	Malik WilliamsWRApp State	App State	61	0.220.14 to 0.30	0.14 to 0.30
52	Rakim JarrettWRMaryland	Maryland	66	0.220.14 to 0.30	0.14 to 0.30
52	Travell HarrisWRWashington State	Washington State	70	0.220.14 to 0.29	0.14 to 0.29
52	Alec PierceWRCincinnati	Cincinnati	59	0.220.14 to 0.30	0.14 to 0.30
55	Mac HippenhammerWRMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	67	0.220.14 to 0.29	0.14 to 0.29
56	Xavier WorthyWRTexas	Texas	66	0.220.14 to 0.28	0.14 to 0.28
56	Winston Wright Jr.WRWest Virginia	West Virginia	68	0.220.13 to 0.30	0.13 to 0.30
58	Danny GrayWRSMU	SMU	55	0.210.14 to 0.28	0.14 to 0.28
58	Mike HarleyWRMiami	Miami	64	0.210.14 to 0.29	0.14 to 0.29
58	Jake BoboWRDuke	Duke	74	0.210.13 to 0.29	0.13 to 0.29
58	Tez JohnsonWRTroy	Troy	64	0.210.13 to 0.29	0.13 to 0.29
62	Corey SuttonWRApp State	App State	71	0.210.13 to 0.30	0.13 to 0.30
63	Tahj WashingtonWRUSC	USC	63	0.200.13 to 0.29	0.13 to 0.29
63	Dontario DrummondWROle Miss	Ole Miss	62	0.200.12 to 0.28	0.12 to 0.28
65	Calvin Jackson Jr.WRWashington State	Washington State	81	0.200.12 to 0.29	0.12 to 0.29
66	Smoke HarrisWRLouisiana Tech	Louisiana Tech	67	0.200.11 to 0.28	0.11 to 0.28
66	Cedric TillmanWRTennessee	Tennessee	53	0.200.13 to 0.26	0.13 to 0.26
68	JuanCarlos SantanaWRTulsa	Tulsa	61	0.200.12 to 0.27	0.12 to 0.27
68	Keshunn AbramWRKent State	Kent State	53	0.200.14 to 0.25	0.14 to 0.25
70	Tory HortonWRNevada	Nevada	46	0.200.14 to 0.25	0.14 to 0.25
70	Ryan O'KeefeWRUCF	UCF	73	0.200.11 to 0.29	0.11 to 0.29
70	Brandon BowlingWRUtah State	Utah State	50	0.200.13 to 0.26	0.13 to 0.26
70	De'Corian ClarkWRUTSA	UTSA	58	0.200.13 to 0.26	0.13 to 0.26
74	Kobe HudsonWRAuburn	Auburn	54	0.190.13 to 0.25	0.13 to 0.25
74	Bo MeltonWRRutgers	Rutgers	69	0.190.11 to 0.26	0.11 to 0.26
76	Jared WayneWRPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	49	0.190.13 to 0.25	0.13 to 0.25
77	Xavier HutchinsonWRIowa State	Iowa State	65	0.190.12 to 0.27	0.12 to 0.27
78	Samori ToureWRNebraska	Nebraska	59	0.190.12 to 0.25	0.12 to 0.25
79	Isaiah NeyorWRWyoming	Wyoming	51	0.190.14 to 0.23	0.14 to 0.23
80	Billy Kemp IVWRVirginia	Virginia	86	0.190.09 to 0.27	0.09 to 0.27
80	Dylan DrummondWREastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	74	0.190.11 to 0.25	0.11 to 0.25
82	Jason BrownleeWRSouthern Miss	Southern Miss	48	0.180.13 to 0.25	0.13 to 0.25
83	Kwamie Lassiter IIWRKansas	Kansas	63	0.180.11 to 0.25	0.11 to 0.25
83	Rashee RiceWRSMU	SMU	66	0.180.10 to 0.26	0.10 to 0.26
83	Corey RuckerWRArkansas State	Arkansas State	56	0.180.11 to 0.25	0.11 to 0.25
86	Puka NacuaWRBYU	BYU	58	0.180.13 to 0.24	0.13 to 0.24
86	Jesse MatthewsWRSan Diego State	San Diego State	56	0.180.12 to 0.24	0.12 to 0.24
88	Ricky PearsallWRArizona State	Arizona State	54	0.180.12 to 0.24	0.12 to 0.24
88	Kalil PimpletonWRCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	88	0.180.08 to 0.28	0.08 to 0.28
88	Reggie Roberson Jr.WRSMU	SMU	46	0.180.12 to 0.24	0.12 to 0.24
88	Jalen Moreno-CropperWRFresno State	Fresno State	110	0.180.04 to 0.29	0.04 to 0.29
92	Derek WrightWRUtah State	Utah State	49	0.180.11 to 0.24	0.11 to 0.24
92	Victor TuckerWRCharlotte	Charlotte	46	0.180.12 to 0.23	0.12 to 0.23
94	Nykeim JohnsonWRKent State	Kent State	67	0.170.10 to 0.25	0.10 to 0.25
94	Kyle PhilipsWRUCLA	UCLA	57	0.170.11 to 0.24	0.11 to 0.24
94	Dallas DixonWRCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	42	0.170.13 to 0.22	0.13 to 0.22
94	R.J. Sneed IIWRBaylor	Baylor	51	0.170.11 to 0.24	0.11 to 0.24
98	Tyrice RichieWRNorthern Illinois	Northern Illinois	53	0.170.12 to 0.22	0.12 to 0.22
98	Trea ShropshireWRUAB	UAB	41	0.170.11 to 0.23	0.11 to 0.23
100	LaJohntay WesterWRFlorida Atlantic	Florida Atlantic	66	0.170.09 to 0.25	0.09 to 0.25

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.