YAC over expected
Yards after catch over expected is the yardage a receiver gained after the ball arrived, minus what the tracking data predicted from the situation. Pat Freiermuth of the Steelers led 2025 tight ends at +2.36 yards per reception.
Next Gen Stats knows where every defender was when the catch was made and estimates the yards an average receiver adds from there. The difference between the actual and that estimate is YAC over expected. Raw yards after catch rewards being schemed open in space; this measures what the player added.
Tight End Receiving Efficiency — 2026 leaders
| # | Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Catch% | Sep | YAC+ | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah Likely | 59 | 39 | 383 | 66.1% | 2.7 | +0.2 | Read |
| 2 | Brock Bowers | 44 | 28 | 382 | 63.6% | 2.3 | +0.6 | Read |
| 3 | Trey McBride | 65 | 49 | 361 | 75.4% | 2.5 | +0.3 | Read |
| 4 | George Kittle | 36 | 26 | 337 | 72.2% | 3.4 | +1.4 | Read |
| 5 | Sam LaPorta | 37 | 27 | 316 | 73.0% | 3.6 | +0.1 | Read |
| 6 | Dalton Kincaid | 29 | 23 | 315 | 79.3% | 3.1 | +1.9 | Read |
| 7 | Travis Kelce | 27 | 20 | 299 | 74.1% | 3.6 | +2.5 | Read |
| 8 | Hunter Henry | 31 | 26 | 296 | 83.9% | 4.5 | +0.6 | Read |
| 9 | Brenton Strange | 33 | 26 | 279 | 78.8% | 3.1 | -0.2 | Read |
| 10 | Dalton Schultz | 37 | 28 | 277 | 75.7% | 3.7 | -0.6 | Read |
Why it matters
Two receivers can post identical yards after catch with completely different amounts of credit due. Pat Freiermuth added +2.36 per catch while Kyle Pitts of the Falcons finished last at -0.88, and both were catching passes at similar depths. The number is a skill signal that helps explain a yards-per-reception figure the target volume does not justify. It is a small per-catch edge that needs volume to matter.
The counter
A per-reception edge of a yard or two only shows up in scoring at real target volume.
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)
- RYOE (rushing yards over expected)
- Target share
- Air yards share
- WOPR (weighted opportunity rating)
- aDOT (average depth of target)
- 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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