Play-Action Rate Leaders
Play-Action Rate — 2023 NFL leaders, updated Aug 13, 2026. Minnesota Vikings led the league in play-action rate at 29.8%, ahead of 31 other qualifying teams. Based on verified 2023 play-by-play data (nflverse); Half-PPR scoring. Through the 2023 season.
Play action is the offense selling a run it never intended to hand off, and it works for a mechanical reason: a linebacker who takes even a false step toward the line is late getting to his drop, and the throwing lane behind him is open for exactly as long as that step lasted. The rate is a coordinator's decision rather than a quarterback's, which is why it holds steady from week to week and says something about the shape of a passing game before a snap is played.
| # | Team | PA% | PA | DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 29.8% | 211 | 709 |
| 2 | Atlanta Falcons | 26.7% | 161 | 602 |
| 3 | Tennessee Titans | 25.7% | 148 | 576 |
| 4 | Miami Dolphins | 25.3% | 155 | 613 |
| 5 | Dallas Cowboys | 25.1% | 172 | 684 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | 23.6% | 152 | 645 |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | 23.2% | 144 | 621 |
| 8 | Houston Texans | 22.4% | 148 | 660 |
| 9 | Seattle Seahawks | 22.4% | 142 | 635 |
| 10 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 22.3% | 143 | 641 |
| 11 | Green Bay Packers | 22.2% | 141 | 636 |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | 22.0% | 153 | 696 |
| 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | 21.6% | 141 | 653 |
| 14 | Arizona Cardinals | 21.1% | 134 | 635 |
| 15 | Indianapolis Colts | 21.0% | 136 | 648 |
| 16 | Las Vegas Raiders | 20.8% | 126 | 606 |
| 17 | Denver Broncos | 20.6% | 124 | 603 |
| 18 | Los Angeles Chargers | 20.1% | 144 | 715 |
| 19 | San Francisco 49ers | 20.1% | 109 | 541 |
| 20 | New York Giants | 19.9% | 133 | 668 |
| 21 | Baltimore Ravens | 19.4% | 118 | 608 |
| 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 19.4% | 138 | 710 |
| 23 | Buffalo Bills | 19.2% | 125 | 652 |
| 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 17.7% | 113 | 640 |
| 25 | New York Jets | 17.1% | 119 | 695 |
| 26 | Cincinnati Bengals | 17.0% | 118 | 695 |
| 27 | Washington Commanders | 16.7% | 123 | 737 |
| 28 | Kansas City Chiefs | 15.8% | 113 | 715 |
| 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 15.4% | 87 | 566 |
| 30 | New England Patriots | 15.2% | 95 | 627 |
| 31 | Carolina Panthers | 13.3% | 91 | 683 |
| 32 | New Orleans Saints | 12.4% | 81 | 655 |
Other seasons
More leaderboards
- Rushing Yards Over Expected
- Target Share
- Running Back Receiving Efficiency
- Completion Percentage Over Expected
- Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt
- Quarterback Pressure Rate
- Defensive Blitz 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
- 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
- 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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