Sportmoney x PFF Regular Season Wrap-Up

As we head to the NFL playoffs, here’s the regular season wrap-up edition of the Sportmoney x PFF rundown, where we highlight stats, trends and PFF ratings for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.

• Highest rated passers in 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks): 

  1. Joe Burrow: 94.1 Passing Grade 

  2. Lamar Jackson: 93.6 Passing Grade 

  3. Justin Herbert: 91.3 Passing Grade 

  4. Baker Mayfield: 86.2 Passing Grade 

  5. Josh Allen: 85.2 Passing Grade 

• QBs with the highest adjusted completion percentage* (minimum 100 dropbacks): 

  1. Jalen Hurts: 80.1% 

  2. Tua Tagovailoa: 79.8% 

  3. Joe Burrow: 79.6% 

  4. Jared Goff: 79.3%

  5. Jayden Daniels: 79.1% 

  *Adjusted completion percentage takes out batted passes, throw aways, spikes, hit as thrown passes 

• QBs with the highest big-time throw percentage in 2024 (minimum 100 dropbacks):

  1. Michael Penix Jr.: 9.5% 

  2. Josh Allen: 7.2% 

  3. Bryce Young: 7.0% 

  4. Lamar Jackson: 6.3% 

  5. Anthony Richardson: 6.1% 

• Highest rated rookie QBs in 2024 (no minimums): 

  1. Joe Milton: 95.1 Offensive Grade 

     (Milton’s 95.1 Offensive Grade in Week 18 was the 5th-highest grade of any QB during a week in the 2024 season)

  2. Michael Penix: 89.7 Offensive Grade 

  3. Jayden Daniels: 89.6 Offensive Grade 

  4. Bo Nix: 79.6 Offensive Grade 

  5. Drake Maye: 72.9 Offensive Grade 

• The NFL’s top six rushing teams are all playoff bound: 

  1. Ravens: 3,189 yards 

  2. Eagles: 3,048 yards 

  3. Commanders: 2,619 yards 

  4. Buccaneers: 2,536 

  5. Packers: 2,496 

  6. Lions: 2,488 

• The best teams at creating explosive runs for RBs (10+ yards): 

  1. Lions: 61 explosive runs 

  2. Eagles: 57 explosive runs 

  3. Cardinals: 54 explosive runs 

  4. Falcons: 52 explosive runs 

  5. Ravens: 51 explosive runs 

• ICYMI: Bucky Irving had a stellar rookie season:

  • 88.6 Rushing Grade (7th) 

  • 1,122 yards (10th)

  • 0.28 missed tackles forced per attempt (4th) 

  • 27 explosive runs (T-11th) 

  • 4.0 yards after contact per attempt 

  • And he has a great matchup vs. Washington’s defense: 

    • 1,391 yards after contact allowed (T-20th) 

    • 64 explosive runs allowed (T-26th) 

    • 1.8 yards before contact allowed per attempt (T-30th) 

• Ja’Marr Chase had an all-time season, leading the way in almost every category: 

  • 171 targets (1st) 

  • 127 catches (1st) 

  • 1,708 yards (1st) 

  • 797 yards after catch (1st) 

  • 370 yards after contact (1st) 

  • 17 TDs (1st) 

  • 75 1st down catches (1st) 

  • 24 missed tackles forced on catches (2nd) 

  • 36 explosive catches of 15+ yards (2nd) 

• Yards per route run for receivers with 100+ targets (total receiving yards divided by the number of routes run): 

  • Puka Nacua: 3.56 

  • Justin Jefferson: 2.50 

  • Brian Thomas Jr.: 2.45 

  • Ja’Marr Chase: 2.41 

  • Mike Evans: 2.41 

• 2024 was a great rookie WR class. Was Brian Thomas Jr. the best of the bunch? 

  • 10 TDs (1st in 2024 Draft Class) 

  • 1,282 yards (1st in 2024 Draft Class) 

  • 82.4 Receiving Grade (2nd in 2024 Draft Class) 

  • 87 catches (2nd in 2024 Draft Class) 

  • 53 catches for 1st downs (2nd in 2024 Draft Class) 

  • 28 explosive receptions of 15+ yards (2nd in 2024 Draft Class) 

• Highest graded receiving TEs (minimum 100 snaps): 

  1. George Kittle: 92.4 Receiving Grade 

  2. Trey McBride: 90.3 Receiving Grade 

  3. Mark Andrews: 89.8 Receiving Grade

  4. Brock Bowers: 88.3 Receiving Grade 

  5. Jonnu Smith: 86.8 Receiving Grade 

• Highest Graded Blocking TEs (minimum 100 snaps): 

  1. Josh Oliver: 72.5 Run Blocking Grade 

  2. Andrew Ogletree: 70.4 Run Blocking Grade 

  3. Evan Engram: 70.3 Run Blocking Grade 

  4. George Kittle: 69.8 Run Blocking Grade 

  5. Darnell Washington: 96.4 Run Blocking Grade 

• Highest graded TEs lined up in the slot/out wide: 

  1. Mark Andrews: 91.1 Receiving Grade 

  2. Brock Bowers: 90.7 Receiving Grade (he led all TEs with 335 snaps from the slot)

  3. Jonnu Smith: 86.3 Receiving Grade 

  4. George Kittle: 84.2 Receiving Grade 

  5. Mike Gesicki: 83.4 Receiving Grade 

• George Kittle is a unique dual threat TE. Here are the players with 90+ Receiving Grade and 70+ Run Blocking Grade in a single season since 2016: 

  • Rob Gronkowski 2017: 91.7 Receiving Grade, 72.0 Run Blocking Grade

  • George Kittle 2018: 91.1 Receiving Grade, 73.8 Run Blocking Grade 

  • George Kittle 2019: 94.4 Receiving Grade, 78.2 Run Blocking Grade

  • Travis Kelce 2020: 93.8 Receiving Grade, 78.3 Run Blocking Grade

  • George Kittle 2021: 91.8 Receiving Grade, 75.1 Run Blocking Grade 

  • Mark Andrews 2021: 91.4 Receiving Grade, 78.7 Run Blocking Grade

  • Kittle barely missed the mark in 2024 with a 69.8 Run Blocking Grade