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 players by WAR in 2023. Each links to his team's Players section.

#	Player	Team	Plays	WAR	90% interval
1	Diego PaviaQBNew Mexico State	New Mexico State	455	2.601.78 to 3.46	1.78 to 3.46
2	Jordan McCloudQBJames Madison	James Madison	437	2.541.77 to 3.39	1.77 to 3.39
3	Bo NixQBOregon	Oregon	362	2.431.76 to 3.18	1.76 to 3.18
4	Dequan FinnQBToledo	Toledo	385	2.421.69 to 3.24	1.69 to 3.24
5	Michael Penix Jr.QBWashington	Washington	495	2.411.40 to 3.46	1.40 to 3.46
6	Joey AguilarQBApp State	App State	475	2.411.44 to 3.55	1.44 to 3.55
7	Drake MayeQBNorth Carolina	North Carolina	437	2.391.51 to 3.28	1.51 to 3.28
8	Cam WardQBWashington State	Washington State	510	2.341.38 to 3.25	1.38 to 3.25
9	Seth HeniganQBMemphis	Memphis	504	2.341.40 to 3.26	1.40 to 3.26
10	Dillon GabrielQBOklahoma	Oklahoma	325	2.291.65 to 3.08	1.65 to 3.08
11	Tommy CastellanosQBBoston College	Boston College	410	2.271.38 to 3.17	1.38 to 3.17
12	Shedeur SandersQBColorado	Colorado	422	2.171.35 to 3.13	1.35 to 3.13
13	Caleb WilliamsQBUSC	USC	351	2.141.58 to 2.79	1.58 to 2.79
14	Jalen MilroeQBAlabama	Alabama	376	2.111.20 to 3.00	1.20 to 3.00
15	Brady CookQBMissouri	Missouri	430	2.051.32 to 2.84	1.32 to 2.84
16	Byrum BrownQBSouth Florida	South Florida	444	2.041.17 to 3.09	1.17 to 3.09
17	Jordan TravisQBFlorida State	Florida State	303	2.031.32 to 2.71	1.32 to 2.71
17	Kaidon SalterQBLiberty	Liberty	370	2.031.27 to 2.78	1.27 to 2.78
19	Darren GraingerQBGeorgia State	Georgia State	389	2.011.20 to 2.80	1.20 to 2.80
20	Garrett GreeneQBWest Virginia	West Virginia	298	1.991.32 to 2.64	1.32 to 2.64
21	Will HowardQBKansas State	Kansas State	358	1.971.35 to 2.66	1.35 to 2.66
22	Kurtis RourkeQBOhio	Ohio	313	1.961.40 to 2.58	1.40 to 2.58
23	Carson BeckQBGeorgia	Georgia	305	1.951.35 to 2.60	1.35 to 2.60
24	Jayden DanielsQBLSU	LSU	329	1.951.24 to 2.64	1.24 to 2.64
25	Kyron DronesQBVirginia Tech	Virginia Tech	367	1.941.22 to 2.65	1.22 to 2.65
26	Alan BowmanQBOklahoma State	Oklahoma State	460	1.900.89 to 2.94	0.89 to 2.94
27	Frank HarrisQBUTSA	UTSA	371	1.901.30 to 2.59	1.30 to 2.59
28	Gunnar WatsonQBTroy	Troy	429	1.890.96 to 2.80	0.96 to 2.80
29	KJ JeffersonQBArkansas	Arkansas	355	1.871.22 to 2.60	1.22 to 2.60
30	Jaxson DartQBOle Miss	Ole Miss	358	1.871.26 to 2.59	1.26 to 2.59
31	Chevan CordeiroQBSan José State	San José State	339	1.851.25 to 2.50	1.25 to 2.50
32	Cade KlubnikQBClemson	Clemson	459	1.790.83 to 2.71	0.83 to 2.71
33	E.J. WarnerQBTemple	Temple	374	1.771.06 to 2.58	1.06 to 2.58
34	Drew AllarQBPenn State	Penn State	324	1.751.08 to 2.44	1.08 to 2.44
35	Quinn EwersQBTexas	Texas	349	1.741.03 to 2.50	1.03 to 2.50
36	Austin ReedQBWestern Kentucky	Western Kentucky	398	1.720.92 to 2.67	0.92 to 2.67
37	Bryson DailyQBArmy	Army	265	1.721.07 to 2.36	1.07 to 2.36
38	Noah FifitaQBArizona	Arizona	323	1.711.01 to 2.44	1.01 to 2.44
39	Jalen MaydenQBSan Diego State	San Diego State	368	1.711.01 to 2.53	1.01 to 2.53
40	Jayden MaiavaQBUNLV	UNLV	355	1.640.80 to 2.63	0.80 to 2.63
41	Donovan SmithQBHouston	Houston	466	1.630.72 to 2.51	0.72 to 2.51
42	Taulia TagovailoaQBMaryland	Maryland	410	1.610.84 to 2.37	0.84 to 2.37
43	TJ FinleyQBTexas State	Texas State	407	1.580.75 to 2.54	0.75 to 2.54
44	J.J. McCarthyQBMichigan	Michigan	223	1.571.07 to 2.03	1.07 to 2.03
45	Kyle McCordQBOhio State	Ohio State	250	1.520.98 to 2.13	0.98 to 2.13
46	Rocco BechtQBIowa State	Iowa State	349	1.520.66 to 2.41	0.66 to 2.41
47	Jason BeanQBKansas	Kansas	212	1.510.99 to 2.07	0.99 to 2.07
48	Haynes KingQBGeorgia Tech	Georgia Tech	370	1.490.79 to 2.21	0.79 to 2.21
49	Preston StoneQBSMU	SMU	257	1.480.92 to 2.08	0.92 to 2.08
50	Jaylen RaynorQBArkansas State	Arkansas State	315	1.450.85 to 1.98	0.85 to 1.98
51	Chandler RogersQBNorth Texas	North Texas	446	1.450.67 to 2.21	0.67 to 2.21
52	Ashton DanielsQBStanford	Stanford	346	1.440.87 to 2.07	0.87 to 2.07
53	Cam FancherQBMarshall	Marshall	344	1.430.68 to 2.16	0.68 to 2.16
54	Sam HartmanQBNotre Dame	Notre Dame	262	1.420.91 to 2.00	0.91 to 2.00
55	Ben BryantQBNorthwestern	Northwestern	277	1.400.86 to 1.99	0.86 to 1.99
55	Michael PrattQBTulane	Tulane	305	1.400.81 to 2.04	0.81 to 2.04
57	Jase BauerQBCentral Michigan	Central Michigan	290	1.400.74 to 2.27	0.74 to 2.27
58	Garrett ShraderQBSyracuse	Syracuse	240	1.390.96 to 1.83	0.96 to 1.83
59	Keegan ShoemakerQBSam Houston	Sam Houston	461	1.380.35 to 2.46	0.35 to 2.46
60	Payton ThorneQBAuburn	Auburn	291	1.370.79 to 1.90	0.79 to 1.90
61	Emory JonesQBCincinnati	Cincinnati	387	1.370.71 to 2.07	0.71 to 2.07
62	Rocky LombardiQBNorthern Illinois	Northern Illinois	334	1.370.61 to 2.17	0.61 to 2.17
63	Andrew PeasleyQBWyoming	Wyoming	304	1.350.80 to 1.97	0.80 to 1.97
64	Grayson McCallQBCoastal Carolina	Coastal Carolina	232	1.350.90 to 1.85	0.90 to 1.85
65	Spencer RattlerQBSouth Carolina	South Carolina	400	1.340.50 to 2.24	0.50 to 2.24
66	Grant WilsonQBOld Dominion	Old Dominion	371	1.320.51 to 2.12	0.51 to 2.12
66	DJ UiagaleleiQBOregon State	Oregon State	290	1.320.88 to 1.87	0.88 to 1.87
68	Tanner MordecaiQBWisconsin	Wisconsin	361	1.320.68 to 2.00	0.68 to 2.00
69	Carter BradleyQBSouth Alabama	South Alabama	275	1.270.69 to 1.89	0.69 to 1.89
70	Hudson CardQBPurdue	Purdue	356	1.270.60 to 2.02	0.60 to 2.02
71	JT DanielsQBRice	Rice	261	1.260.56 to 1.91	0.56 to 1.91
72	Josh HooverQBTCU	TCU	218	1.260.75 to 1.85	0.75 to 1.85
73	Anthony ColandreaQBVirginia	Virginia	260	1.240.68 to 1.83	0.68 to 1.83
74	Zion WebbQBJacksonville State	Jacksonville State	332	1.240.62 to 1.83	0.62 to 1.83
75	Kiael KellyQBBall State	Ball State	222	1.230.74 to 1.79	0.74 to 1.79
76	Nicholas VattiatoQBMiddle Tennessee	Middle Tennessee	472	1.220.37 to 2.19	0.37 to 2.19
77	Joe Milton IIIQBTennessee	Tennessee	240	1.180.59 to 1.78	0.59 to 1.78
78	Tyler Van DykeQBMiami	Miami	285	1.160.60 to 1.84	0.60 to 1.84
79	Brennan ArmstrongQBNC State	NC State	323	1.150.58 to 1.68	0.58 to 1.68
80	Brayden SchagerQBHawai'i	Hawai'i	400	1.150.41 to 1.89	0.41 to 1.89
81	Taylen GreenQBBoise State	Boise State	215	1.140.72 to 1.64	0.72 to 1.64
82	Graham MertzQBFlorida	Florida	300	1.130.47 to 1.78	0.47 to 1.78
83	Austin SmithQBEastern Michigan	Eastern Michigan	298	1.060.46 to 1.74	0.46 to 1.74
83	Jacob ZenoQBUAB	UAB	299	1.060.44 to 1.74	0.44 to 1.74
85	Fernando MendozaQBCalifornia	California	234	1.060.44 to 1.63	0.44 to 1.63
86	Zeon Chriss-GremillionQBLouisiana	Louisiana	210	1.030.50 to 1.55	0.50 to 1.55
87	Brett GabbertQBMiami (OH)	Miami (OH)	199	1.020.53 to 1.57	0.53 to 1.57
88	Mikey KeeneQBFresno State	Fresno State	336	1.010.26 to 1.82	0.26 to 1.82
89	Athan KaliakmanisQBMinnesota	Minnesota	313	1.010.50 to 1.61	0.50 to 1.61
90	John Rhys PlumleeQBUCF	UCF	283	0.990.51 to 1.59	0.51 to 1.59
91	Luke AltmyerQBIllinois	Illinois	322	0.980.28 to 1.79	0.28 to 1.79
91	Blake ShapenQBBaylor	Baylor	265	0.980.46 to 1.51	0.46 to 1.51
93	Cole SnyderQBBuffalo	Buffalo	277	0.940.35 to 1.67	0.35 to 1.67
94	Tahj BrooksRBTexas Tech	Texas Tech	268	0.940.71 to 1.16	0.71 to 1.16
95	Brendan SorsbyQBIndiana	Indiana	242	0.930.37 to 1.45	0.37 to 1.45
96	Jack PlummerQBLouisville	Louisville	419	0.910.17 to 1.66	0.17 to 1.66
97	Riley LeonardQBDuke	Duke	167	0.910.62 to 1.26	0.62 to 1.26
98	Gavin WimsattQBRutgers	Rutgers	356	0.900.27 to 1.61	0.27 to 1.61
99	Max JohnsonQBTexas A&M	Texas A&M	202	0.890.47 to 1.36	0.47 to 1.36
100	Cooper LegasQBUtah State	Utah State	223	0.870.43 to 1.32	0.43 to 1.32

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.