NFL · Empirical Bayes
True-Talent Leaderboards
A raw single-season rate is a noisy guess at a player’s real ability, and the noise is worst for the smallest samples — so a naïve leaderboard is topped by whoever got lucky in the fewest tries. This one shrinks every rate toward its position-group prior by how much the sample can be trusted, and shows a 90% credible interval instead of a point. Toggle raw vs. shrunk to watch the flukes fall back to the pack.
Yards per carry · 2019
Mean rushing yards per carry. Heavy-tailed (one long run moves it); the band reflects that.
- Beats raw by
- 18.1%
- lower out-of-sample error
- RMSE raw → shrunk
- 1.04 → 0.85
- odd vs. even weeks
- Split-half reliability
- 0.23
- how repeatable the raw stat is
- Stabilizes at
- 341
- carrys to trust the number
Each row is a player: the solid dot is the shrunk estimate, the hollow dot the raw rate, joined by the red pull of regression; the grey bar is the 90% credible interval. A hollow shrunk dot means the sample is below the stabilization line — the number is mostly the position prior. Switch to Raw rank and watch the small-sample names climb.
Yards per carry · 2019 · full board
| # | Player | Team | Pos | carrys | Raw | Shrunk | 90% interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raheem Mostert◦ provisional | SF | RB | 137 | 5.63 | 4.69 | 4.21 – 5.18 |
| 2 | Derrick Henry◦ provisional | TEN | RB | 303 | 5.08 | 4.67 | 4.26 – 5.09 |
| 3 | Nick Chubb◦ provisional | CLE | RB | 298 | 5.01 | 4.64 | 4.22 – 5.06 |
| 4 | Gus Edwards◦ provisional | BAL | RB | 133 | 5.35 | 4.60 | 4.12 – 5.09 |
| 5 | Mark Ingram◦ provisional | BAL | RB | 204 | 5.01 | 4.57 | 4.12 – 5.03 |
| 6 | Devin Singletary◦ provisional | BUF | RB | 151 | 5.13 | 4.56 | 4.09 – 5.04 |
| 7 | Christian McCaffrey◦ provisional | CAR | RB | 288 | 4.82 | 4.55 | 4.12 – 4.97 |
| 8 | Jordan Wilkins◦ provisional | IND | RB | 51 | 6.02 | 4.54 | 4.00 – 5.07 |
| 9 | Rashaad Penny◦ provisional | SEA | RB | 65 | 5.69 | 4.53 | 4.01 – 5.06 |
| 10 | Justin Jackson◦ provisional | LAC | RB | 29 | 6.90 | 4.52 | 3.96 – 5.07 |
| 11 | Matt Breida◦ provisional | SF | RB | 123 | 5.07 | 4.51 | 4.02 – 5.01 |
| 12 | Tony Pollard◦ provisional | DAL | RB | 87 | 5.25 | 4.50 | 3.99 – 5.02 |
| 13 | Josh Jacobs◦ provisional | LV | RB | 242 | 4.75 | 4.50 | 4.06 – 4.94 |
| 14 | Derrius Guice◦ provisional | WAS | RB | 42 | 5.83 | 4.48 | 3.94 – 5.02 |
| 15 | Kenyan Drake◦ provisional | ARI | RB | 170 | 4.81 | 4.48 | 4.01 – 4.95 |
| 16 | Mike Boone◦ provisional | MIN | RB | 49 | 5.57 | 4.47 | 3.93 – 5.01 |
| 17 | Reggie Bonnafon◦ provisional | CAR | RB | 16 | 7.25 | 4.44 | 3.88 – 5.01 |
| 18 | Duke Johnson◦ provisional | HOU | RB | 83 | 4.94 | 4.44 | 3.92 – 4.95 |
| 19 | Saquon Barkley◦ provisional | NYG | RB | 217 | 4.62 | 4.43 | 3.98 – 4.88 |
| 20 | Alvin Kamara◦ provisional | NO | RB | 171 | 4.66 | 4.43 | 3.96 – 4.90 |
| 21 | Aaron Jones◦ provisional | GB | RB | 236 | 4.59 | 4.43 | 3.99 – 4.87 |
| 22 | Chase Edmonds◦ provisional | ARI | RB | 60 | 5.05 | 4.42 | 3.89 – 4.95 |
| 23 | J.D. McKissic◦ provisional | DET | RB | 38 | 5.39 | 4.42 | 3.88 – 4.97 |
| 24 | Travis Homer◦ provisional | SEA | RB | 18 | 6.33 | 4.41 | 3.85 – 4.97 |
| 25 | Dalvin Cook◦ provisional | MIN | RB | 250 | 4.54 | 4.41 | 3.97 – 4.85 |
| 26 | Ezekiel Elliott◦ provisional | DAL | RB | 301 | 4.51 | 4.40 | 3.99 – 4.82 |
| 27 | Miles Sanders◦ provisional | PHI | RB | 180 | 4.56 | 4.40 | 3.93 – 4.86 |
| 28 | Cordarrelle Patterson◦ provisional | CHI | RB | 17 | 6.06 | 4.40 | 3.83 – 4.96 |
| 29 | Phillip Lindsay◦ provisional | DEN | RB | 225 | 4.49 | 4.38 | 3.94 – 4.83 |
| 30 | Alexander Mattison◦ provisional | MIN | RB | 100 | 4.62 | 4.38 | 3.88 – 4.89 |
| 31 | LeSean McCoy◦ provisional | KC | RB | 101 | 4.60 | 4.38 | 3.87 – 4.88 |
| 32 | Jonathan Williams◦ provisional | IND | RB | 49 | 4.80 | 4.37 | 3.84 – 4.91 |
| 33 | Rex Burkhead◦ provisional | NE | RB | 65 | 4.65 | 4.37 | 3.84 – 4.89 |
| 34 | Kerrith Whyte◦ provisional | PIT | RB | 24 | 5.08 | 4.36 | 3.81 – 4.92 |
| 35 | Chris Carson◦ provisional | SEA | RB | 278 | 4.42 | 4.36 | 3.94 – 4.79 |
| 36 | Ameer Abdullah◦ provisional | MIN | RB | 23 | 5.00 | 4.36 | 3.80 – 4.91 |
| 37 | Damien Williams◦ provisional | KC | RB | 111 | 4.49 | 4.36 | 3.86 – 4.86 |
| 38 | Marlon Mack◦ provisional | IND | RB | 248 | 4.41 | 4.35 | 3.92 – 4.79 |
| 39 | Ito Smith◦ provisional | ATL | RB | 22 | 4.82 | 4.34 | 3.79 – 4.90 |
| 40 | Jordan Howard◦ provisional | PHI | RB | 119 | 4.41 | 4.34 | 3.84 – 4.83 |
| 41 | Carlos Hyde◦ provisional | HOU | RB | 245 | 4.37 | 4.34 | 3.90 – 4.77 |
| 42 | Latavius Murray◦ provisional | NO | RB | 146 | 4.36 | 4.33 | 3.85 – 4.81 |
| 43 | Brandon Bolden◦ provisional | NE | RB | 15 | 4.53 | 4.32 | 3.76 – 4.89 |
| 44 | Leonard Fournette◦ provisional | JAX | RB | 266 | 4.33 | 4.32 | 3.89 – 4.75 |
| 45 | Ty Johnson◦ provisional | DET | RB | 63 | 4.33 | 4.32 | 3.79 – 4.84 |
| 46 | Jamaal Williams◦ provisional | GB | RB | 107 | 4.30 | 4.31 | 3.81 – 4.81 |
| 47 | Trey Edmunds◦ provisional | PIT | RB | 22 | 4.18 | 4.31 | 3.75 – 4.86 |
| 48 | Bo Scarbrough◦ provisional | DET | RB | 89 | 4.24 | 4.30 | 3.79 – 4.81 |
| 49 | Kareem Hunt◦ provisional | CLE | RB | 43 | 4.16 | 4.30 | 3.75 – 4.84 |
| 50 | Adrian Peterson◦ provisional | WAS | RB | 211 | 4.26 | 4.29 | 3.84 – 4.74 |
| 51 | Austin Ekeler◦ provisional | LAC | RB | 132 | 4.22 | 4.29 | 3.80 – 4.78 |
| 52 | Darren Sproles◦ provisional | PHI | RB | 18 | 3.78 | 4.29 | 3.73 – 4.85 |
| 53 | T.J. Yeldon◦ provisional | BUF | RB | 17 | 3.71 | 4.28 | 3.72 – 4.85 |
| 54 | Jeff Wilson◦ provisional | SF | RB | 27 | 3.89 | 4.28 | 3.73 – 4.84 |
| 55 | Brian Hill◦ provisional | ATL | RB | 78 | 4.14 | 4.28 | 3.76 – 4.80 |
| 56 | Ronald Jones◦ provisional | TB | RB | 172 | 4.21 | 4.28 | 3.81 – 4.75 |
| 57 | Wendell Smallwood◦ provisional | WAS | RB | 22 | 3.68 | 4.27 | 3.72 – 4.83 |
| 58 | Wayne Gallman◦ provisional | NYG | RB | 29 | 3.79 | 4.27 | 3.72 – 4.82 |
| 59 | Boston Scott◦ provisional | PHI | RB | 61 | 4.02 | 4.27 | 3.74 – 4.80 |
| 60 | Darrell Henderson◦ provisional | LA | RB | 39 | 3.77 | 4.26 | 3.71 – 4.80 |
| 61 | Chris Thompson◦ provisional | WAS | RB | 37 | 3.73 | 4.26 | 3.71 – 4.80 |
| 62 | Myles Gaskin◦ provisional | MIA | RB | 36 | 3.69 | 4.25 | 3.71 – 4.80 |
| 63 | Dion Lewis◦ provisional | TEN | RB | 54 | 3.87 | 4.25 | 3.72 – 4.79 |
| 64 | Jalen Richard◦ provisional | LV | RB | 39 | 3.72 | 4.25 | 3.71 – 4.80 |
| 65 | Spencer Ware◦ provisional | KC | RB | 17 | 3.00 | 4.25 | 3.69 – 4.81 |
| 66 | Justice Hill◦ provisional | BAL | RB | 58 | 3.88 | 4.25 | 3.72 – 4.78 |
| 67 | Bilal Powell◦ provisional | NYJ | RB | 59 | 3.88 | 4.25 | 3.72 – 4.78 |
| 68 | Nyheim Hines◦ provisional | IND | RB | 52 | 3.83 | 4.25 | 3.71 – 4.78 |
| 69 | Mark Walton◦ provisional | MIA | RB | 53 | 3.79 | 4.24 | 3.71 – 4.78 |
| 70 | Elijhaa Penny◦ provisional | NYG | RB | 15 | 2.60 | 4.24 | 3.68 – 4.80 |
| 71 | C.J. Anderson◦ provisional | DET | RB | 16 | 2.69 | 4.24 | 3.68 – 4.80 |
| 72 | James White◦ provisional | NE | RB | 69 | 3.84 | 4.23 | 3.71 – 4.76 |
| 73 | James Conner◦ provisional | PIT | RB | 116 | 4.00 | 4.23 | 3.74 – 4.73 |
| 74 | Tra Carson◦ provisional | DET | RB | 18 | 2.67 | 4.23 | 3.67 – 4.79 |
| 75 | Darwin Thompson◦ provisional | KC | RB | 37 | 3.46 | 4.23 | 3.68 – 4.78 |
| 76 | C.J. Prosise◦ provisional | SEA | RB | 24 | 3.00 | 4.23 | 3.67 – 4.78 |
| 77 | Benny Snell◦ provisional | PIT | RB | 108 | 3.94 | 4.22 | 3.72 – 4.73 |
| 78 | Darrel Williams◦ provisional | KC | RB | 41 | 3.44 | 4.22 | 3.68 – 4.76 |
| 79 | Tevin Coleman◦ provisional | SF | RB | 137 | 3.97 | 4.22 | 3.73 – 4.70 |
| 80 | Joe Mixon◦ provisional | CIN | RB | 278 | 4.09 | 4.21 | 3.79 – 4.64 |
| 81 | Jon Hilliman◦ provisional | NYG | RB | 30 | 3.03 | 4.21 | 3.66 – 4.76 |
| 82 | Malcolm Brown◦ provisional | LA | RB | 69 | 3.70 | 4.21 | 3.68 – 4.73 |
| 83 | Ryquell Armstead◦ provisional | JAX | RB | 35 | 3.09 | 4.20 | 3.65 – 4.75 |
| 84 | Qadree Ollison◦ provisional | ATL | RB | 22 | 2.27 | 4.19 | 3.63 – 4.75 |
| 85 | David Johnson◦ provisional | ARI | RB | 94 | 3.67 | 4.17 | 3.67 – 4.68 |
| 86 | Giovani Bernard◦ provisional | CIN | RB | 53 | 3.21 | 4.16 | 3.63 – 4.70 |
| 87 | Royce Freeman◦ provisional | DEN | RB | 132 | 3.76 | 4.16 | 3.67 – 4.65 |
| 88 | Tarik Cohen◦ provisional | CHI | RB | 64 | 3.33 | 4.16 | 3.63 – 4.69 |
| 89 | Melvin Gordon◦ provisional | LAC | RB | 162 | 3.78 | 4.14 | 3.67 – 4.61 |
| 90 | DeAndre Washington◦ provisional | LV | RB | 108 | 3.58 | 4.14 | 3.64 – 4.64 |
| 91 | Kerryon Johnson◦ provisional | DET | RB | 113 | 3.57 | 4.13 | 3.63 – 4.63 |
| 92 | Todd Gurley◦ provisional | LA | RB | 224 | 3.83 | 4.12 | 3.68 – 4.57 |
| 93 | Frank Gore◦ provisional | BUF | RB | 166 | 3.61 | 4.08 | 3.61 – 4.55 |
| 94 | Patrick Laird◦ provisional | MIA | RB | 62 | 2.71 | 4.07 | 3.54 – 4.60 |
| 95 | Sony Michel◦ provisional | NE | RB | 247 | 3.69 | 4.05 | 3.61 – 4.49 |
| 96 | Devonta Freeman◦ provisional | ATL | RB | 184 | 3.57 | 4.05 | 3.59 – 4.51 |
| 97 | David Montgomery◦ provisional | CHI | RB | 242 | 3.67 | 4.05 | 3.61 – 4.49 |
| 98 | Jaylen Samuels◦ provisional | PIT | RB | 66 | 2.65 | 4.04 | 3.52 – 4.57 |
| 99 | Peyton Barber◦ provisional | TB | RB | 155 | 3.05 | 3.92 | 3.44 – 4.39 |
| 100 | Kalen Ballage◦ provisional | MIA | RB | 73 | 1.79 | 3.87 | 3.35 – 4.39 |
| 101 | Le'Veon Bell◦ provisional | NYJ | RB | 245 | 3.22 | 3.86 | 3.42 – 4.30 |
How the shrinkage works
Two estimators
Rate stats (completion %, success rate, catch rate) use a beta-binomial model: a Beta(α, β) prior fit by marginal likelihood over each position group, then a Beta posterior per player. Per-play averages (EPA, CPOE, yards) use a normal-normal model with DerSimonian–Laird between-player variance. Both pull each player toward their group by exactly how thin their sample is.
Does it help? & the fine print
The trust panel’s numbers come from a leakage-free odd/even-week holdout: fit on odd weeks, predict even-week raw. Shrinkage lowers out-of-sample error for every stat. Priors are fit per season and per position (WR and TE separately), so a TE’s baseline isn’t a skill. Regular season only, 2016–2025. Rushing and receiving efficiency are heavily scheme-driven — read the wide bands as the honesty they are.
Source: nflverse play-by-play. Counted and computed deterministically — never modeled by a language model. Built by build_nfl_leaderboards.py (byte-reproducible).