EPA per dropback
EPA per dropback is expected points added divided by every pass attempt, sack and scramble — the cleanest single measure of quarterback play. Drake Maye of the Patriots led 2025 at +0.318.
A dropback counts everything that happens when a quarterback drops back to pass: completions, incompletions, sacks taken, scrambles. Dividing expected points added by dropbacks rather than by attempts is the honest denominator, because a sack is a passing play the quarterback was part of. It is a rate, so volume does not inflate it.
Quarterback EPA per Dropback — 2026 leaders
| # | Player | DB | EPA/DB | Success% | Total EPA | Scr% | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock Purdy | 157 | 0.42 | 57.3% | 65.5 | 7.6% | Read |
| 2 | Lamar Jackson | 111 | 0.38 | 57.7% | 41.6 | 9.0% | Read |
| 3 | Josh Allen | 167 | 0.34 | 47.3% | 57.0 | 9.6% | Read |
| 4 | Caleb Williams | 70 | 0.31 | 48.6% | 22.0 | 14.3% | Read |
| 5 | Michael Penix Jr. | 84 | 0.31 | 52.4% | 26.1 | 2.4% | Read |
| 6 | Jared Goff | 207 | 0.28 | 50.2% | 58.5 | 2.4% | Read |
| 7 | Trevor Lawrence | 158 | 0.27 | 49.4% | 42.4 | 3.2% | Read |
| 8 | Bryce Young | 175 | 0.23 | 46.3% | 39.4 | 2.3% | Read |
| 9 | Patrick Mahomes | 143 | 0.21 | 49.0% | 29.3 | 5.6% | Read |
| 10 | Dak Prescott | 211 | 0.19 | 50.2% | 40.9 | 5.2% | Read |
Why it matters
Quarterback efficiency sets the ceiling for every pass catcher attached to it. The rate tells you who was good per snap; the per-game total tells you who was good and on the field a lot. In 2025 the same passer topped both — Drake Maye of the Patriots at +0.318 per dropback and 10.85 total quarterback expected points added per game — which is the uncomplicated case. Neither number knows whether the coaching staff will keep throwing.
The counter
A rate says nothing about volume, and volume is what fantasy scoring pays for.
More football stats explained
- EPA (expected points added)
- Success rate
- CPOE (completion percentage over expected)
- ANY/A (adjusted net yards per attempt)
- RYOE (rushing yards over expected)
- Target share
- Air yards share
- WOPR (weighted opportunity rating)
- aDOT (average depth of target)
- YAC over expected
- Separation
- Pressure rate
- Blitz rate
- Man and zone coverage splits
- PROE (pass rate over expected)
- Stacked box rate
- Half-PPR (and how it differs from full PPR)
- The usage gap (snaps versus production)
- Pythagorean wins
- Stickiness (what repeats and what does not)
- Snap share
- Pass-snap share
- YPRR (yards per route run)
- Availability (the “stayed” rate)
- Handcuff
- Play-action rate
- Pre-snap motion rate
- Drop rate
- Contested catch rate
- Interception-worthy throws
- Quarterback-fault sacks
- Intended air yards (IAY)
- Deep ball rate
- QB Composite Rating
- Screen pass rate
- No-huddle rate
- RPO rate
- Light box rate
- Throwaway rate
- Catchable throw rate
- Out-of-pocket rate
- Time to throw
- Aggressiveness
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