Learning about air yards was a turning point in my fantasy football knowledge path. No literal light bulbs went off, but it did unlock something that had been kicking around in my mind: are there ways, in addition to receiving yard and targets, to measure a receiver; specifically, is there a way to identify potentially undervalued or overvalued players at the position?
But, first, what are air yards?
Air yards is the distance, measured in yards, from the line of scrimmage to the place where the football is caught or not caught. Passes caught behind the line of scrimmage will have negative yards. If the ball is at the 30-yard line, and then caught at the 40-yard line, then the total air yards is ten.
Note: This is different than yards-before-catch, which only accounts for yards traveled on completed passes (i.e., receptions).
Receivers with a low number of air yards per reception are more likely to be possession receivers (think Cole Beasley), and likewise, those with noticeably higher air yards per reception are more likely to be deep threats being targeted with low-percentage throws (e.g., Desean Jackson).
2020 Air Yards Leaders (All NFL)
| Player Name | Air Yards | % of Team’s Air Yards |
|---|---|---|
| Calvin Ridley | 1918 | 41.07% |
| Stefon Diggs | 1700 | 36.81% |
| DK Metcalf | 1668 | 38.31% |
| Tyreek Hill | 1624 | 34.67% |
| D.J. Moore | 1577 | 41.00% |
| Jerry Jeudy | 1541 | 31.19% |
| Allen Robinson | 1453 | 35.69% |
| Chase Claypool | 1438 | 30.56% |
| Justin Jefferson | 1421 | 39.69% |
| Marvin Jones | 1411 | 27.44% |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 1381 | 33.31% |
| Brandin Cooks | 1347 | 29.20% |
| Darius Slayton | 1328 | 34.19% |
| D.J. Chark | 1326 | 34.77% |
| Robby Anderson | 1324 | 33.00% |
| Terry McLaurin | 1310 | 47.67% |
| A.J. Green | 1310 | 28.37% |
| Davante Adams | 1309 | 43.36% |
| Marquise Brown | 1292 | 38.81% |
| Tyler Lockett | 1285 | 29.13% |
| Nelson Agholor | 1269 | 26.81% |
| Tee Higgins | 1254 | 28.80% |
| Michael Gallup | 1252 | 27.81% |
| Mike Evans | 1241 | 22.19% |
| Adam Thielen | 1239 | 34.67% |
| Mike Williams | 1236 | 30.57% |
| Travis Kelce | 1216 | 26.27% |
| T.Y. Hilton | 1166 | 33.20% |
| Diontae Johnson | 1144 | 24.80% |
| Amari Cooper | 1137 | 25.88% |
| Darren Waller | 1136 | 25.13% |
| A.J. Brown | 1134 | 35.21% |
| Corey Davis | 1080 | 32.64% |
| Keenan Allen | 1071 | 27.43% |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 1061 | 29.50% |
| Darnell Mooney | 1016 | 20.44% |
| CeeDee Lamb | 1013 | 22.81% |
| DeVante Parker | 996 | 25.71% |
| Tim Patrick | 986 | 20.93% |
| Gabriel Davis | 945 | 20.44% |
| Mike Gesicki | 943 | 23.80% |
| Will Fuller | 940 | 33.50% |
| Christian Kirk | 935 | 25.00% |
| Tyler Boyd | 931 | 23.20% |
| Keelan Cole | 927 | 19.25% |
| Breshad Perriman | 910 | 28.67% |
| Mark Andrews | 907 | 28.57% |
| Robert Woods | 901 | 23.50% |
| Russell Gage | 897 | 18.25% |
| Jalen Guyton | 895 | 19.69% |
Running Back Only
| Player Name | Air Yards | % of Team’s Air Yards | Receiving Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn Bowden | 185 | 13.29% | 211 |
| J.D. McKissic | 182 | 19.60% | 589 |
| David Johnson | 168 | 11.00% | 314 |
| Jerick McKinnon | 156 | 10.54% | 253 |
| Chase Edmonds | 129 | 12.44% | 402 |
| Malcolm Perry | 114 | 5.71% | 92 |
| Kareem Hunt | 109 | 11.47% | 304 |
| Boston Scott | 100 | 7.85% | 212 |
| Miles Sanders | 98 | 12.33% | 197 |
| Giovani Bernard | 77 | 10.73% | 355 |
| Alvin Kamara | 74 | 21.60% | 756 |
| Chris Carson | 71 | 11.75% | 287 |
| Dion Lewis | 69 | 7.75% | 127 |
| Cam Akers | 69 | 6.29% | 123 |
| Duke Johnson | 67 | 9.82% | 249 |
| David Montgomery | 64 | 11.93% | 438 |
| Chris Thompson | 64 | 10.17% | 146 |
| Jeffery Wilson | 51 | 9.11% | 133 |
| D’Andre Swift | 50 | 12.92% | 357 |
| Ty Johnson | 50 | 3.00% | 0 |
| Josh Jacobs | 49 | 9.47% | 238 |
| Nick Chubb | 49 | 5.80% | 150 |
| Jalen Richard | 49 | 6.70% | 138 |
| Gus Edwards | 48 | 6.63% | 129 |
| Nyheim Hines | 47 | 14.38% | 482 |
Tight Ends Only
| Player Name | Air Yards | % of Team’s Air Yards | Receiving Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Kelce | 1216 | 24.67% | 1416 |
| Darren Waller | 1136 | 28.06% | 1195 |
| Mike Gesicki | 943 | 16.40% | 710 |
| Mark Andrews | 907 | 25.07% | 701 |
| Rob Gronkowski | 845 | 13.00% | 623 |
| Evan Engram | 785 | 21.44% | 654 |
| Logan Thomas | 772 | 19.31% | 670 |
| Hunter Henry | 723 | 17.71% | 613 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 710 | 17.81% | 723 |
| Jared Cook | 665 | 12.47% | 504 |
| Eric Ebron | 650 | 14.67% | 558 |
| Noah Fant | 622 | 20.14% | 673 |
| Dan Arnold | 572 | 9.36% | 438 |
| Hayden Hurst | 566 | 14.69% | 571 |
| Dalton Schultz | 556 | 14.63% | 615 |
| Dallas Goedert | 553 | 16.91% | 524 |
| Zach Ertz | 536 | 18.82% | 335 |
| Tyler Eifert | 483 | 11.71% | 349 |
| Tyler Higbee | 480 | 11.53% | 522 |
| Jimmy Graham | 477 | 12.44% | 456 |
| George Kittle | 463 | 24.38% | 634 |
| Austin Hooper | 451 | 18.38% | 435 |
| Robert Tonyan | 446 | 12.60% | 586 |
| Gerald Everett | 378 | 11.00% | 417 |
| Jordan Reed | 370 | 13.50% | 231 |
2020 Air Yards Leaders (By Team)
| Player Name | Team Name | Air Yards | % of Team’s Air Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Hopkins | Arizona Cardinals | 1,381 | 41.07% |
| Calvin Ridley | Atlanta Falcons | 1,918 | 33.31% |
| Marquise Brown | Baltimore Ravens | 1,292 | 38.81% |
| Stefon Diggs | Buffalo Bills | 1,700 | 36.81% |
| D.J. Moore | Carolina Panthers | 1,577 | 41% |
| Allen Robinson | Chicago Bears | 1,453 | 35.69% |
| A.J. Green | Cincinnati Bengals | 1,310 | 28.37% |
| Jarvis Landry | Cleveland Browns | 772 | 23.67% |
| Michael Gallup | Dallas Cowboys | 1,252 | 27.81% |
| Jerry Jeudy | Denver Broncos | 1,541 | 31.19% |
| Marvin Jones | Detroit Lions | 1,411 | 27.44% |
| Davante Adams | Green Bay Packers | 1,309 | 43.36% |
| Brandin Cooks | Houston Texans | 1,347 | 29.2% |
| T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis Colts | 1,166 | 33.2% |
| D.J. Chark | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1,326 | 34.77% |
| Tyreek Hill | Kansas City Chiefs | 1,624 | 34.67% |
| Nelson Aghlor | Las Vegas Raiders | 1,269 | 26.81% |
| Mike Williams | Los Angeles Chargers | 1,236 | 30.57% |
| Robert Woods | Los Angeles Rams | 935 | 23.5% |
| DeVante Parker | Miami Dolphins | 996 | 25.71% |
| Justin Jefferson | Minnesota Vikings | 1,421 | 39.69% |
| Damiere Byrd | New England Patriots | 859 | 32.21% |
| Darius Slayton | New York Giants | 1,328 | 34.19% |
| Breshad Perriman | New York Jets | 910 | 28.67% |
| Emmanuel Sanders | New Orleans Saints | 723 | 23.93% |
| Travis Fulgham | Philadelphia Eagles | 797 | 21.67% |
| Chase Claypool | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1,438 | 30.56% |
| Brandon Aiyuk | San Francisco 49ers | 876 | 30.42% |
| DK Metcalf | Seattle Seahawks | 1,668 | 38.31% |
| Mike Evans | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1,241 | 22.19% |
| A.J. Brown | Tennessee Titans | 1,134 | 35.21% |
| Terry McLaurin | Washington Redskins | 1,310 | 47.67% |
