Week 9 represents the midpoint of the 2020 NFL season! This week, I am unveiling a new weekly series where I will be compiling a list of the top ten running backs and tight ends so far through the season. Each week, I will be updating the rankings with the current top tens of each position.
For this ranking system, we are looking at which players are carrying the most overall value for their offenses based on their sole, individual production. Professional football is a team sport that requires gratuitous input from many different positions. But the names on this list are the players that are creating the most offense without the influence of his teammates — true individual production.
We collect this data using the Offensive Value Metric created by The (Bx) Movement. The Offensive Value Metric (OVM) was created to provide a numerical scale to measure the overall value that an individual player provides to his offensive unit. A player with a higher OVM grade isn’t necessarily a higher skilled player, but they do create more offensive production for their team than a player with a lower OVM.
OVM collects different levels of data from sources such as NFL’s Next Gen Stats and separates out the data points that are influenced solely on the individual player. That filtered data is run through a formula to create an OVM grade reflective on the amount of value the player brings to his offensive group.
2020 Top Ten Most Valuable Running Backs
Through NFL Week 8
#1 — Damien Harris, New England Patriots
Season: 15.32 OVM | 3.28 EFF | 34.69 8+D |
0.78 RYOE/ATT | 40.8 ROE%
Damien Harris kicks off the list of top ten running backs and is currently leading the pack as the most valuable so far this season. He’s been running against stiff opposition this season, as he is the most defended against running back in the league right now. But even against a wall of defenders on over a third of his attempts, he is still averaging an impressive 5.7 yards per attempt.
#2 — Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
Season: 14.33 OVM | 3.09 EFF | 31.25 8+D |
0.69 RYOE/ATT | 42.9 ROE%
Gus Edwards is making a serious grind for the Ravens with the ball in his hands. Averaging almost five yards per attempt, he is outperforming his expected yardage on 43% of all of his snaps to come in at number two on our list of top ten running backs.
#3 — Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers
Season: 14.06 OVM | 4.01 EFF | 33.33 8+D |
0.63 RYOE/ATT | 37.3 ROE%
Patience, young grasshopper. Mike Davis has spent more time behind the line of scrimmage than almost every other RB this year — his TLOS of 2.95 seconds is ranked fifth right now. He’s managing to do that while being the second most defended against back in the NFL. This patience behind the line has helped him accumulate 350 rushing yards on 84 attempts.
#4 — Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
Season: 12.5 OVM | 4.26 EFF | 27.89 8+D |
-0.08 RYOE/ATT | 42.8 ROE%
Josh Jacobs is a top ten running back for effectiveness right now. He has the seventh-highest total rushing yardage in the league for 2020 — 523 yards. He’s also performing at a much higher level at 43% above his expected output. He does seem to be lagging a bit behind on his actual yardage average per attempt, though, which is what is holding him back on our ranking of the top ten running backs according to OVM.
#5 — Darrell Henderson, Los Angles Rams
Season: 12.48 OVM | 3.67 EFF | 27.37 8+D |
0.54 RYOE/ATT | 42.8 ROE%
Darrell Henderson is nearing that 500-yard mark on the season. He’s currently showing 458 total rushing yards and is averaging nearly five yards per attempt. Henderson’s RYOE is top-ten in the league right now while running up against heavy defense on 28% of his attempts.
#6 — Adrian Peterson, Detroit Lions
Season: 12.3 OVM | 4.15 EFF | 25.88 8+D |
-0.53 RYOE/ATT | 25.3 ROE%
Age is just a number, right? The 14-year-veteran comes in as the sixth most valuable on our top ten running backs list for 2020. The defense sees him coming, as he is one of the most defended against backs, but still manages to be the 11th ranked RB for effectiveness. He is sitting at 321 total yards across 85 attempts. His YPC is lagging, which is costing him a few places here.
#7 — Jamaal Williams, Green Bay Packers
Season: 12.25 OVM | 3.65 EFF | 26.47 8+D |
0.53 RYOE/ATT | 43.3 ROE%
Jamaal Williams has just shy of 300 yards on the year but has one of the best records for gaining more yardage than expected of him. He’s outperforming his expectations on nearly 44% of his snaps and is averaging 4.3 yards per carry. His effectiveness is about the middle of the pack, along with his 294 total yards, but he’s doing very well when the Packers call his number.
#8 — Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins
Season: 11.74 OVM | 3.66 EFF | 24.00 8+D |
0.12 RYOE/ATT | 40.8 ROE%
Myles Gaskin has been racking up the attempts — he’s run the ball right 100 times this season, one of the higher snap counts in the league. He’s averaging nearly four yards per attempt and is slightly ahead of his goals as a RB. It’s looking like Gaskin will not be playing this weekend against the Cardinals, so we’ll see if he is able to maintain a spot on the rankings after missing a game.
#9 — Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Season: 11.62 OVM | 4.3 EFF | 25.00 8+D |
-0.39 RYOE/ATT | 37.8 ROE%
Jonathan Taylor’s stats look very similar to Myles Gaskin’s: 100 attempts, 389 total yards, averaging nearly four yards per attempt. His effectiveness for his offense is the seventh-best. However, given the opportunities, he is lagging behind on where NextGen expects his yardage should be. Because his RYOE is behind, he ends up behind Gaskin on our top ten running backs list.
#10 — Latavius Murray, New Orleans Saints
Season: 11.52 OVM | 3.57 EFF | 22.54 8+D |
-0.06 RYOE/ATT | 41.4 ROE%
The eight-year veteran, Latavius Murray, rounds off our top ten most valuable running backs. He’s averaging four yards per attempt right now and has already picked up two touchdowns. He’s top 15 in the NFL when it comes to outperforming on his snaps with his ROE percentage.
2020 Top Ten Most Valuable Tight Ends
Through NFL Week 8
#1 — Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
Season: 43.02 OVM | 4.7 SEP | 85.71 CTCH% |
5.3 YAC/R | -2.2 +/-
Robert Tonyan is one of the best in the league when it comes down to separating from defenders. Only Demarcus Robinson in Kansas City has a better separation average than Tonyan. The same can be said for his catch percentage, which is second in the NFL only to Chris Godwin. Tonyan has 314 receiving yards, five touchdowns, and is averaging over five yards of offense after the catch. He’s definitely the most valuable tight end in the NFL right now.
#2 — George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Season: 40.43 OVM | 4.0 SEP | 75.51 CTCH% |
6.4 YAC/R | 2.0 +/-
George Kittle is another tight end that is really good at creating separation. His average of four yards of separation from his defenders is top five in the league. He’s also grabbing about 16% of all of the air yardage on the 49ers offense. He’s already nabbed two touchdowns this year and is averaging nearly six and a half yards of offense after the catch.
#3 — Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams
Season: 38.81 OVM | 4.2 SEP | 74.07 CTCH% |
5.6 YAC/R | 1.0 +/-
Gerald Everett is another tight end that is doing exceptionally well, creating separation this year. His 4.2 yards of distance between himself and his defender is the third-highest average among all receivers right now.
#4 — Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Season: 37.90 OVM | 3.3 SEP | 70.59 CTCH% |
6.4 YAC/R | 1.1 +/-
Travis Kelce is one of only nine NFL receivers over the 600-yard mark so far this season. He’s picked up six touchdowns already and is averaging an impressive 6.4 yards of positive offense after the catch. He’s racked up a quarter of all of Kansas City’s air yardage this year.
#5 — T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Season: 37.35 OVM | 3.7 SEP | 70.73 CTCH% |
5.5 YAC/R | 0.3 +/-
T.J. Hockenson has done a good job this year of getting open downfield. He’s averaging well over five yards of cushion and 3.7 yards of separation on each of his targets. He’s been targeted 41 times this year.
#6 — Drew Sample, Cincinnati Bengals
Season: 36.39 OVM | 3.6 SEP | 73.08 CTCH% |
5.6 YAC/R | 0.2 +/-
Drew Sample’s separation numbers are very similar to Hockenson’s. He’s averaging nearly six yards of cushion and 3.6 yards of separation. His yardage after catch is almost identical to Hockenson’s as well, with 5.6 yards per attempt. Sample has only been targeted 26 times this year, which is why he ranked behind Hockenson. But what he has done so far on his limited targets is definitely impressive.
#7 — Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Season: 36.14 OVM | 3.1 SEP | 80.00 CTCH% |
5.4 YAC/R | 0.5 +/-
Tyler Higbee has hands. He has the third-highest catch percentage of any NFL tight end through Week 8 and the sixth highest for all receivers. He’s only been targeted 25 times but already has three touchdowns. His impressive YAC numbers have led to 236 yards, despite only having a couple of dozen opportunities this year.
#8 — Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans
Season: 35.17 OVM | 3.4 SEP | 62.86 CTCH% |
7.1 YAC/R | 1.3 +/-
There is not a tight end in the league this year that is doing better after the catch than Jonnu Smith in Tennessee. Smith’s average of over seven yards of positive yardage after the catch is the best performance of any tight end. When you count all receivers, it’s the third-best in the league. He’s also making it happen when it counts the most. He’s a top ten scoring receiver with five touchdowns already on the year. But, his catch percentage is nothing to write home about, which is why he is ranking a little further down on this list.
#9 — Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
Season: 35.06 OVM | 3.1 SEP | 73.77 CTCH% |
5.1 YAC/R | .01 +/-
Darren Waller has been pretty solid all-around for the Raiders in 2020. His catch percentage is good; he’s averaging over five yards of offense after the reception, he’s brought in three touchdown receptions, and is nearing 400 receiving yards this year.
#10 — Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Season: 33.20 OVM | 3.1 SEP | 65.00 CTCH% |
5.3 YAC/R | .03 +/-
The legend. After a somewhat dull start to the year, Rob Gronkowski is starting to look a lot more familiar on the field. Averaging over five yards per reception and picking up five touchdowns already, it looks as though he is starting to get back into the groove. His catch percentage is not great by any means, though, which is why he is just barely making it on this list. But I’m expecting him to move up a few spots by the end of the season.