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Next Gen Stats
Next Gen Stats: Midseason leaders in crucial categories
In this week's edition of the Next Gen Stats Photo Essay, NFL Research's Joseph Ferraiola looks at the leaders in some benchmark Next Gen Stats categories at the midway point of the 2020 season.
Note: Stats and rankings are current through Week 9.

1) Russell Wilson, Seahawks: +6.7%
2) Joe Burrow, Bengals: +5.7%
3) Justin Herbert, Chargers: +4.4%
4) Kyler Murray, Cardinals: +4.4%
5) Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers: +4.1%
Completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) is a way to measure a quarterback's performance relative to the difficulty of his passes, and it's not a surprise to see Wilson leading in the category. He's ranked among among the best in CPOE in each of the last three seasons (2017: third, 2018: second, 2019: fourth). However, it is unusual to see so many young QBs listed among the leaders, with rookies Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert and second-year QB Kyler Murray ranking second, third and fourth, respectively, in the metric.

1) Dalvin Cook, Vikings: +238
2) Nick Chubb, Browns: +112
3) Raheem Mostert, 49ers: +95
4) Ronald Jones, Buccaneers: +92
5) Miles Sanders, Eagles: +78
Dalvin Cook is having himself an excellent 2020 season, leading the league in rushing yards over expected by a whopping 126 yards. It's rare for a running back to be more efficient on the ground than his quarterback is through the air, but Cook has averaged 0.23 expected points added (EPA) per carry compared to Kirk Cousins' 0.14 EPA per dropback. Nick Chubb, the only other RB with +100 RYOE, might return for the Browns in Week 10 after suffering an MCL injury in Week 4.

1) Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team: 143
2) Alvin Kamara, Saints: 140
3) DK Metcalf, Seahawks: 104
4) A.J. Brown, Titans: 94
5) Justin Jefferson, Vikings: 86
Each of the four wide receivers in the top five for this metric are in their rookie or sophomore seasons, signaling a bright future for the league at the position. The Saints utilize Alvin Kamara, the lone RB on the list, in the receiving game from the backfield (79.4% of routes), out wide (13.1% of routes) and in the slot (7.5% of routes). Kamara has the most YACOE out of the backfield in the NFL with 126 (no one else has more than 61).

Most yards per deep route run among WRs (min. 35 deep routes)
1) Justin Jefferson, Vikings: 3.7
2) Davante Adams, Packers: 3.6
3) David Moore, Seahawks: 3.4
4) DK Metcalf, Seahawks: 3.2
5) Kenny Golladay, Lions: 3.2
Justin Jefferson, a first-round pick out of LSU, has thrived on deep routes in his rookie year, catching 10 of 11 targets for 276 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, two of the top five wide receivers in yards per deep route run reside in Seattle. DK Metcalf has accumulated a league-high 401 receiving yards on deep routes. Deep routes include go, post and corner routes, with go and post routes proving to be among the most efficient WR routes in terms of expected points added per target (post: 0.57 EPA per target; go: 0.42 EPA per target).

1) T.J. Watt, Steelers: 20.9%
2) Aaron Donald, Rams: 14.8%
3) Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers: 14.4%
4) Joey Bosa, Chargers: 14.0%
5) Bud Dupree, Steelers: 13.9%
6) Stephon Tuitt, Steelers: 13.7%
The Steelers' defense has the highest pressure rate in the NFL (43.5%) and boasts three of the top six players in pressure rate (min. 200 pass rush snaps). T.J. Watt leads the NFL with 48 QB pressures (10 more than the next-closest player) due, in part, to a 0.67-second average get-off (fastest in NFL, min. 100 pass rushes). Aaron Donald has continued his game-wrecking play, leading all interior pass rushers in QB pressures (38), pressure rate (14.8%), turnovers caused by pressure (3) and sacks (9.0).

1) 49ers: 72.1%
2) Ravens: 69.3%
3) Chiefs: 63.7%
4) Raiders: 62.5%
5) Rams: 60.7%
After motioning all the way to the Super Bowl last season (75.7% motion rate in 2019, highest in NFL), the 49ers are once again utilizing the pre-snap shift to their advantage. But key injuries on the offensive side of the ball have decreased the tactic's effectiveness for San Francisco (2020: 6.1 yards per play using motion, eighth-most in the NFL; 2019: 6.4 yards per play using motion, most in the NFL). That said, the teams ranked 2-9 in motion rate this season (Ravens, Chiefs, Raiders, Rams, Packers, Browns, Seahawks, Titans) are all at least two games over .500 entering Week 10.