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.

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All QB RB WR TE

The top 100 FBS players by WAR in 2016. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Patrick MahomesQBTexas Tech	Texas Tech	597	3.652.59 to 4.61	2.59 to 4.61
2	Deshaun WatsonQBClemson	Clemson	596	3.452.46 to 4.39	2.46 to 4.39
3	Greg Ward Jr.QBHouston	Houston	540	3.192.33 to 3.94	2.33 to 3.94
4	Mitchell TrubiskyQBNorth Carolina	North Carolina	497	2.861.92 to 3.71	1.92 to 3.71
5	Ryan HigginsQBLouisiana Tech	Louisiana Tech	451	2.832.13 to 3.64	2.13 to 3.64
6	Lamar JacksonQBLouisville	Louisville	488	2.722.05 to 3.51	2.05 to 3.51
7	Joshua DobbsQBTennessee	Tennessee	453	2.491.76 to 3.21	1.76 to 3.21
8	Jerod EvansQBVirginia Tech	Virginia Tech	517	2.441.60 to 3.29	1.60 to 3.29
9	Quinton FlowersQBSouth Florida	South Florida	381	2.421.82 to 3.04	1.82 to 3.04
10	DeShone KizerQBNotre Dame	Notre Dame	432	2.371.71 to 3.07	1.71 to 3.07
11	Mason RudolphQBOklahoma State	Oklahoma State	473	2.301.43 to 3.17	1.43 to 3.17
12	Luke FalkQBWashington State	Washington State	514	2.281.53 to 3.00	1.53 to 3.00
13	Jesse ErtzQBKansas State	Kansas State	398	2.211.44 to 2.90	1.44 to 2.90
14	Trace McSorleyQBPenn State	Penn State	474	2.181.44 to 3.04	1.44 to 3.04
15	Brad KaayaQBMiami	Miami	411	2.121.50 to 2.78	1.50 to 2.78
15	Davis WebbQBCalifornia	California	535	2.121.20 to 3.04	1.20 to 3.04
17	Baker MayfieldQBOklahoma	Oklahoma	328	2.101.54 to 2.64	1.54 to 2.64
18	Josh AllenQBWyoming	Wyoming	422	2.081.40 to 2.80	1.40 to 2.80
19	Chad KellyQBOle Miss	Ole Miss	339	2.071.51 to 2.59	1.51 to 2.59
20	Cooper RushQBCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	417	2.041.44 to 2.67	1.44 to 2.67
21	Logan WoodsideQBToledo	Toledo	340	2.041.45 to 2.69	1.45 to 2.69
22	Sam DarnoldQBUSC	USC	367	1.981.35 to 2.54	1.35 to 2.54
23	Brogan RobackQBEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	411	1.931.27 to 2.51	1.27 to 2.51
24	Will WorthQBNavy	Navy	296	1.931.17 to 2.67	1.17 to 2.67
25	Nick FitzgeraldQBMississippi State	Mississippi State	376	1.931.31 to 2.67	1.31 to 2.67
26	Richard LagowQBIndiana	Indiana	429	1.881.07 to 2.62	1.07 to 2.62
27	Deondre FrancoisQBFlorida State	Florida State	428	1.881.10 to 2.60	1.10 to 2.60
28	Eric DungeyQBSyracuse	Syracuse	392	1.841.23 to 2.49	1.23 to 2.49
29	Tommy Armstrong Jr.QBNebraska	Nebraska	375	1.821.22 to 2.43	1.22 to 2.43
30	J.T. BarrettQBOhio State	Ohio State	381	1.801.24 to 2.36	1.24 to 2.36
31	Nick MullensQBSouthern Miss	Southern Miss	371	1.801.19 to 2.41	1.19 to 2.41
32	Daniel JonesQBDuke	Duke	457	1.781.00 to 2.48	1.00 to 2.48
33	Kenny HillQBTCU	TCU	450	1.760.97 to 2.43	0.97 to 2.43
34	Ryan FinleyQBNC State	NC State	396	1.751.08 to 2.46	1.08 to 2.46
35	Nathan PetermanQBPittsburgh	Pittsburgh	316	1.711.17 to 2.23	1.17 to 2.23
36	Dane EvansQBTulsa	Tulsa	376	1.711.02 to 2.36	1.02 to 2.36
37	Skyler HowardQBWest Virginia	West Virginia	427	1.700.99 to 2.35	0.99 to 2.35
38	Zach TerrellQBWestern Michigan	Western Michigan	315	1.701.21 to 2.18	1.21 to 2.18
39	Brent StockstillQBMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	337	1.691.15 to 2.26	1.15 to 2.26
40	Clayton ThorsonQBNorthwestern	Northwestern	499	1.670.93 to 2.41	0.93 to 2.41
41	Brett RypienQBBoise State	Boise State	370	1.631.03 to 2.22	1.03 to 2.22
42	Conner ManningQBGeorgia State	Georgia State	305	1.621.10 to 2.16	1.10 to 2.16
43	Riley FergusonQBMemphis	Memphis	385	1.590.93 to 2.35	0.93 to 2.35
44	Seth RussellQBBaylor	Baylor	269	1.531.03 to 1.96	1.03 to 1.96
45	Kenny PotterQBSan José State	San José State	342	1.531.04 to 2.12	1.04 to 2.12
46	Taylor LambQBApp State	App State	281	1.521.07 to 2.00	1.07 to 2.00
47	Phillip WalkerQBTemple	Temple	395	1.520.92 to 2.24	0.92 to 2.24
48	Taysom HillQBBYU	BYU	416	1.460.73 to 2.11	0.73 to 2.11
49	Mike WhiteQBWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	288	1.460.95 to 1.98	0.95 to 1.98
50	Trevor KnightQBTexas A&M	Texas A&M	345	1.460.93 to 2.03	0.93 to 2.03
51	Gus RaglandQBMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	258	1.441.02 to 1.82	1.02 to 1.82
52	D'Onta ForemanRBTexas	Texas	315	1.370.92 to 1.82	0.92 to 1.82
53	Kent MyersQBUtah State	Utah State	372	1.360.82 to 1.97	0.82 to 1.97
54	Austin AllenQBArkansas	Arkansas	348	1.350.73 to 1.97	0.73 to 1.97
55	Shane BuecheleQBTexas	Texas	425	1.320.64 to 2.07	0.64 to 2.07
56	David BloughQBPurdue	Purdue	416	1.310.61 to 1.93	0.61 to 1.93
57	Manny WilkinsQBArizona State	Arizona State	323	1.310.80 to 1.82	0.80 to 1.82
58	Mitch LeidnerQBMinnesota	Minnesota	371	1.290.68 to 1.87	0.68 to 1.87
59	Brandon SilversQBTroy	Troy	316	1.290.76 to 1.87	0.76 to 1.87
60	Justice HansenQBArkansas State	Arkansas State	327	1.270.76 to 1.81	0.76 to 1.81
61	Nick HolleyQBKent State	Kent State	292	1.240.63 to 1.80	0.63 to 1.80
62	Jalen HurtsQBAlabama	Alabama	377	1.230.61 to 1.96	0.61 to 1.96
63	Bryant ShirreffsQBUConn	UConn	321	1.230.72 to 1.73	0.72 to 1.73
63	Tyler O'ConnorQBMichigan State	Michigan State	242	1.230.79 to 1.61	0.79 to 1.61
65	Philip NelsonQBEast Carolina	East Carolina	344	1.230.66 to 1.78	0.66 to 1.78
66	Sefo LiufauQBColorado	Colorado	357	1.220.62 to 1.80	0.62 to 1.80
67	Justin HerbertQBOregon	Oregon	261	1.220.83 to 1.66	0.83 to 1.66
67	Riley NealQBBall State	Ball State	420	1.220.64 to 1.86	0.64 to 1.86
69	Hasaan KlughQBCharlotte	Charlotte	276	1.190.67 to 1.64	0.67 to 1.64
70	Brandon DawkinsQBArizona	Arizona	179	1.180.84 to 1.56	0.84 to 1.56
71	Ben HicksQBSMU	SMU	384	1.180.51 to 1.89	0.51 to 1.89
72	Danny EtlingQBLSU	LSU	260	1.170.75 to 1.56	0.75 to 1.56
73	Greg WindhamQBOhio	Ohio	329	1.170.63 to 1.69	0.63 to 1.69
74	David WashingtonQBOld Dominion	Old Dominion	286	1.170.77 to 1.63	0.77 to 1.63
75	John WolfordQBWake Forest	Wake Forest	404	1.150.48 to 1.76	0.48 to 1.76
76	Stephen JohnsonQBKentucky	Kentucky	302	1.120.56 to 1.73	0.56 to 1.73
77	C.J. BeathardQBIowa	Iowa	303	1.110.69 to 1.54	0.69 to 1.54
78	Thomas WoodsonQBAkron	Akron	225	1.110.74 to 1.44	0.74 to 1.44
79	Andrew FordQBMassachusetts	Massachusetts	266	1.100.59 to 1.58	0.59 to 1.58
80	Donnel PumphreyRBSan Diego State	San Diego State	316	1.080.72 to 1.38	0.72 to 1.38
81	Dallas DavisQBSouth Alabama	South Alabama	277	1.070.56 to 1.55	0.56 to 1.55
82	Troy WilliamsQBUtah	Utah	449	1.060.34 to 1.78	0.34 to 1.78
83	McKenzie MiltonQBUCF	UCF	364	1.050.38 to 1.66	0.38 to 1.66
84	Josh RosenQBUCLA	UCLA	237	1.040.68 to 1.43	0.68 to 1.43
85	Kevin EllisonQBGeorgia Southern	Georgia Southern	211	1.010.56 to 1.43	0.56 to 1.43
86	Dalvin CookRBFlorida State	Florida State	272	1.010.73 to 1.31	0.73 to 1.31
87	Jacob EasonQBGeorgia	Georgia	347	1.000.45 to 1.48	0.45 to 1.48
87	Saquon BarkleyRBPenn State	Penn State	281	1.000.68 to 1.28	0.68 to 1.28
89	Justin JacksonRBNorthwestern	Northwestern	320	0.970.68 to 1.26	0.68 to 1.26
90	Brian HillRBWyoming	Wyoming	271	0.970.64 to 1.27	0.64 to 1.27
91	Chason VirgilQBFresno State	Fresno State	320	0.960.43 to 1.39	0.43 to 1.39
92	Alex McGoughQBFlorida International	Florida International	296	0.950.47 to 1.41	0.47 to 1.41
93	Jason DriskelQBFlorida Atlantic	Florida Atlantic	283	0.940.46 to 1.42	0.46 to 1.42
93	Tyler StehlingQBRice	Rice	309	0.940.44 to 1.44	0.44 to 1.44
95	Patrick TowlesQBBoston College	Boston College	309	0.930.39 to 1.41	0.39 to 1.41
96	Tyler RogersQBNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	337	0.920.41 to 1.47	0.41 to 1.47
97	Christian ChapmanQBSan Diego State	San Diego State	258	0.920.49 to 1.34	0.49 to 1.34
98	Christian McCaffreyRBStanford	Stanford	244	0.910.68 to 1.15	0.68 to 1.15
99	Jake BrowningQBWashington	Washington	260	0.910.47 to 1.32	0.47 to 1.32
100	Jamaal WilliamsRBBYU	BYU	207	0.890.70 to 1.08	0.70 to 1.08

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.