Defensive Blitz Rate Leaders
Defensive Blitz Rate — 2023 NFL leaders, updated Sep 29, 2026. Minnesota Vikings led the league in blitz rate at 50.5%, ahead of 31 other qualifying teams. Based on verified play-level charting from FTN Data via nflverse, regular season only. Through the 2023 season.
Blitz rate is how often a defense sends a fifth rusher or more. It is a philosophy rather than a grade, and a stubborn one — coordinators keep their answer to this question from year to year, which is what makes it worth knowing before a season starts rather than after. Fantasy relevance runs through the opposing offense: heavy-blitz defenses concede more quick throws to backs and slot receivers, because the hot route is the offense's built-in reply to an extra rusher.
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- Rushing Yards Over Expected
- Target Share
- Running Back Receiving Efficiency
- Completion Percentage Over Expected
- Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt
- Quarterback Pressure Rate
- Quarterbacks vs Man and Zone Coverage
- Pass Rate Over Expected
- Clean-Core Rating
- Usage vs Production
- Team Expected Points Added
- Quarterback EPA per Dropback
- QB Composite Rating
- Air Yards Share
- Stacked Box Rate
- Regression Flags
- Weighted Opportunity Rating
- Snap Share
- Pass-Snap Share
- Receiving Yards per Pass Snap
- Availability
- Tight End Receiving Efficiency
- Tight End Average Depth of Target
- Stat Stickiness
- Play-Action Rate
- Pre-Snap Motion Rate
- Drop Rate
- Contested Catch Rate
- Interception-Worthy Throw Rate
- Quarterback-Fault Sack Rate
- Quarterback Intended Air Yards
- Team Air Yards and Passing Volume
- Receiver Separation and Cushion
- Wide Receiver Receiving Efficiency
- Team Success Rate and Explosive Play Rate
- Goal-Line Usage
- Quarterback Deep Ball
- Team Pace
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