We play a game based purely on statistics. Yet, many a person will tell you statistics can be made to say whatever you want. Many would go as far to say you can not trust them. There is a very famous quote to that affect.
“There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.”
Let’s not get off on the wrong foot here. I am not trying to convince you of anything. The facts below are here merely for you to ponder and use as you see fit.
Some of these facts will seem like lies, which is wherein the initial quote seems to fit. I promise you they are true. What I ask of you is not to dismiss their authenticity but to question how they impact your fantasy football thinking.
Without further ado, here are my 50 football facts:
As a head coach Doug Pederson has never had a WR with 1,000 yards receiving in a season
Doug Pederson has never had a skill player with double digit touchdowns
Pederson has had a WR lead the team in receiving yards once
- His top 2 tight ends missed 5 games or more in that season
In ‘21 Miles Sanders had 6 carries inside the 5 yard line, he had 0 touchdowns
In ‘21 Boston Scott had 12 carries inside the 5 yard line, he had 7 touchdowns
Miles Sanders has the 3rd highest ypc of active backs at 5.1 ypc
Nick Chubb has highest ypc of active backs at 5.3 ypc
Chubb also has the highest ypc after contact average of any RB in the league with 4.0 ypc
Najee Harris had the 6th most touches in a season by a rookie running back in the history of the NFL
Najee had the 8th most receptions by a rookie running back in the history of the NFL
Najee had the 16th most rushes by a rookie running back in the history of the NFL
Harris led the NFL in touches in ‘21
Najee did not fumble the ball in ‘21
Jonathan Taylor has the 7th most yards from scrimmage by a running back in their first 2 seasons
Taylor is 23rd all time in touches by a player in their first 2 seasons
In ‘21 Ryan Tannehill had 7 rushing attempts inside the 5 yard line, he had 7 touchdowns
In ‘21 Kyler Murray ranked 9th in the league in carries amongst quarterbacks inside the 5 yard line
- He had 5 carries and 3 touchdowns
In ‘21 James Conner had 18 carries inside the 5 yard line, he had 10 touchdowns
Austin Ekeler was 3rd in the league in ‘21 in carries inside the 5 yard line with 16- He was also 3rd in the league with 9 touchdowns
On average after a running back suffers an ACL tear they play 6.5 games per season- Their average ypc is 2.44
J.K. Dobbins averages 9 carries, 1.5 receptions and 0.6 touchdowns per game
Gus Edwards averages 9.6 carries, 0.42 receptions, and 0.23 touchdowns per game
Lamar Jackson averages 10.6 carries and 0.36 rushing touchdowns per game
All TE1 in ‘21 were 6’4” or taller
Every year since 2018 the number of TEs scoring 180+ fantasy points has stayed the same or increased in TE premium scoring *correction made on initial article
Since 2015 only 1 WR with 120+ targets in a season did not finish in the top 36 WR in scoring
Trevor Lawrence threw 17 interceptions in his rookie season- Peyton Manning threw 28
- Matthew Stafford threw 20
- Andrew Luck threw 18
In ‘21 Cooper Kupp led the league in targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and first downs
In ‘21 Amon St. Brown was the WR2 overall the last 6 weeks of the season
Justin Jefferson is the 6th most targeted WR in their first two seasons in the history of the NFL
Justin Jefferson has the most receiving yards of any player in their first two seasons
Allen Robinson has had 150+ targets in a season 4 times in his career
Robinson has had 100+ receptions in a season 1 time in his career
A.J. Brown is going from the NFL’s run heaviest offense to its 2nd run heaviest offense- The difference is 1 carry between the teams
A.J. Brown has never had more than 70 receptions in a season
Jaylen Waddle set the record for most receptions in a season by a rookie with 104 receptions in ‘21
Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Owens are the only WRs to record a top 12 finish when they were older than 32
WRs who are 29 years old have the highest likelihood of finishing as a WR1
At least one rookie RB has finished in the top 12 at the position every year since 2015 except in 2019- Every year since 2015 at least 2 rookie running backs have finished in the top 24 at the position
5 WR finished as a top 12 WR in both ‘21 and ‘20- No WR finished in the top 12 in ‘21, ‘20, and ‘19
In ‘21 there were 3 WR 5’11” or shorter in the top 12- There were 8 in the top 24
In ‘21 there were 2 WR 6’3” or taller in the top 12- There were 5 in the top 24
Davante Adams has 31 100 yard games in 8 seasons- Tyreek Hill has 18 in 6 seasons
- Justin Jefferson has 14 in 2 seasons
Patrick Mahomes has 31 300 yards passing games in 5 seasons- Justin Herbert has 17 300 yards passing games in 2 seasons
Mike Evans has had 1000+ yards receiving all 8 years of his career
Davante Adams leads the league over the last 2 years with 29 receiving touchdowns- Mike Evans is 2nd with 27
- Adam Thielen is 3rd with 24
Jonathan Taylor led the league in ‘21 in rushing first downs with 107- Second place had 65
Rashaad Penny led the league in ‘21 in ypc at 6.29- The next 3 players were Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts
Last year Jonathan Taylor had 982 yard rushing on carries when it was 1st and 10
Tom Brady led the league in passes over 25 yards with 42- Derek Carr and Matthew Stafford were tied for second with 41
I hope the above 50 football facts made you pause at least once. More so, I hope they caused the gears in your head to turn a little and question some of what you thought you knew. Most importantly I hope you gleaned something from this that will give you an edge in your league.
Knowledge is power. Perceptions are often wrong. Statistics are what drive this game we play.
Additional Information
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A fantasy football degenerate with an extreme love for the game. The only position Sam has ever played in any form of competitive football is armchair quarterback.
An affinity for football and watching games together was a part of growing up for him and his three brothers. 30 plus years as a Vikings fan has made him a glutton for punishment and a believer that he can do something his hometown team can’t, put together a championship roster.
Now 22 years into his fantasy football general manager career he is here to offer insight, advice, and the same hope for championships that he desperately clutches to for his Purple People Eaters.
