Benchmarks through Week 7, 2026
Fantasy football advanced stats, explained
Volume beats efficiency. Through Week 7 of 2026, targets per game tracked receivers' fantasy points closely, while average depth of target barely tracked them at all. Start with the opportunity stats, then use efficiency to break ties.
The benchmarks below come from the players on our trade chart with at least four games this season. "Typical" is the middle player at that position, and "top 20%" is where the best fifth starts. "Tracks fantasy points" compares each stat with points per game over the same games: it shows what matters, not a forecast for next week.
Receivers and tight ends
| Stat | What it measures | Typical WR | Top 20% WR | Tracks fantasy points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Targets per game | Passes thrown his way each game | 7.3 | 9.1 or more | Strongly |
| Target share | His share of the team's targets | 23% | 28% or more | Strongly |
| Air yards share | His share of how far the team's passes travel downfield before the catch | 32% | 41% or more | Moderately |
| WOPR | Target share and air yards share combined into one number | 0.57 | 0.68 or more | Strongly |
| aDOT | How far downfield his targets travel on average | 11 yards | Barely | |
| YAC per catch | Yards he gains after the catch | Barely | ||
| Catch rate | Catches divided by targets | 67% | Weakly |
Tight ends follow the same pattern, only more so. The typical tight end on our chart has an 18% target share, and the top fifth start near 25%. For tight ends, target share and WOPR tracked fantasy points more closely than any other stat we measured.
Running backs
| Stat | What it measures | Typical RB | Top 20% RB | Tracks fantasy points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Touches per game | Carries plus catches each game | 15.8 | 20 or more | Very strongly |
| Target share | His share of the team's targets | 8% | 14% or more | Strongly |
| Yards per carry | Rushing yards divided by carries | 4.0 | Moderately | |
| Rush EPA per carry | Points added per carry compared with an average play | Slightly below zero | Moderately |
Running back value is mostly volume: touches tracked fantasy points more closely than any efficiency stat. In half PPR, catches add a weekly floor that a two-down back lacks.
Quarterbacks
| Stat | What it measures | Typical QB | Top 20% QB | Tracks fantasy points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per play | Points added per pass, sack or run compared with an average play | 0.11 | 0.19 or more | Very strongly |
| CPOE | Completion rate above what the throws' difficulty predicts | About 1 point | 5 points or more | Moderately |
EPA per play is the best single number for quarterback play we track. It counts sacks and runs, so it rewards quarterbacks who create offense with their legs, which matters in superflex.
How we use these
Our usage rank looks at how much work each player actually gets over his last three games. When his work runs well ahead of his price, he shows up as a BUY on our stats page.
Stats: nflverse (CC BY 4.0).