RYOE (rushing yards over expected)
RYOE is the yardage a back gained beyond what the blocking and the defensive alignment predicted. James Cook of the Bills led 2025 at +358 yards over expected across 49 qualifying backs.
Next Gen Stats tracks where every defender stood at the handoff and estimates how many yards an average back gains from that picture. RYOE is the difference between what he actually gained and that number. It separates the runner from the run blocking, which raw yards per carry cannot do.
Rushing Yards Over Expected — 2026 leaders
| # | Player | Att | Yds | RYOE | RYOE/Att | TD | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenneth Walker III | 87 | 537 | 211.8 | 2.52 | 4 | Read |
| 2 | Bijan Robinson | 102 | 580 | 161.2 | 1.68 | 4 | Read |
| 3 | Jaylen Warren | 70 | 410 | 126.9 | 1.87 | 1 | Read |
| 4 | James Cook | 95 | 532 | 88.5 | 0.96 | 5 | Read |
| 5 | Bucky Irving | 77 | 406 | 85.2 | 1.14 | 2 | Read |
| 6 | Chuba Hubbard | 61 | 306 | 78.3 | 1.28 | 3 | Read |
| 7 | Kyle Monangai | 60 | 324 | 66.4 | 1.17 | 3 | Read |
| 8 | Jahmyr Gibbs | 105 | 504 | 53.0 | 0.52 | 7 | Read |
| 9 | Kyren Williams | 70 | 343 | 40.8 | 0.60 | 4 | Read |
| 10 | Saquon Barkley | 36 | 182 | 40.1 | 1.15 | 0 | Read |
Why it matters
RYOE is the most useful number in the backfield because it survives an offensive line change. James Cook led in total at +358 and Derrick Henry of the Ravens was second at +340, while on a per-carry basis Rhamondre Stevenson of the Patriots led at +1.36 yards over expected per attempt. Total rewards the workhorse, per-attempt finds the back who was better than his volume. The gap between the two lists is usually a committee waiting to break open.
The counter
RYOE measures the running, not the touches — and touches are assigned by a coach, not a model.
More football stats explained
- EPA (expected points added)
- EPA per dropback
- Success rate
- CPOE (completion percentage over expected)
- ANY/A (adjusted net yards per attempt)
- 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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