Best Ball Efficiency Metrics: How to Use Advanced Efficiency Stats in Best Ball Fantasy Football
Key efficiency metrics for best ball: (1) yards per route run (YPRR) — the most comprehensive WR and TE efficiency metric, measuring how many receiving yards a player produces per route run (rather than per target or per reception), which normalizes for route run volume differences; (2) yards after contact per attempt — for RBs, measures how much the player creates beyond what the offensive line provides; (3) air yards per target — for receivers, measuring average depth of target, which identifies deep threats vs. short-area players; (4) true catch rate — catch rate adjusted for drops and contested-catch difficulty.
Efficiency Metric Quick Reference
| Metric | Position | What it signals | How to apply at the draft |
|---|---|---|---|
| YPRR (yards per route run) | WR, TE | Overall receiving efficiency per opportunity — normalizes for target share differences | Target WRs with 1.8+ YPRR who are also in a situation to see more routes in the next season |
| Air yards per target | WR, TE | Route depth — higher = deep threat, lower = short-area slot | Deep threats (8+ air yards/target) with good schedules are ceiling plays; slot WRs (4–5 yd/target) are floor plays |
| True catch rate (drops-adjusted) | WR, TE | Hands reliability — removes dropped passes and uncatchable balls from the raw catch rate | WRs with true catch rates 5%+ above their raw catch rate are being penalized unfairly by drops; their underlying hands are better than the raw number shows |
| Yards after contact per attempt | RB | Independent creation — how much a back creates beyond what the OL provides | RBs with 3+ YAC/attempt are value on any offensive line; RBs below 2 depend heavily on blocking quality |
| Target share vs. raw targets | WR, TE | Normalize for team pass volume — share matters more than volume if teams pass at different rates | Compare target share (not raw targets) across WRs on teams with different pass attempt totals |
| YPRR from small sample (under 200 routes) | WR, TE | Low reliability — small samples inflate or deflate efficiency | Pair YPRR with route run total — discard YPRR from fewer than 150 routes; the sample is too small to be reliable |
Using YPRR in Best Ball Drafts
Identifying undervalued WRs. Wide receivers with high YPRR but low target volume are players who are producing efficiently but not getting enough work. If such a WR is entering a season where their target share is expected to increase — due to a teammate departing, an offensive scheme change, or a breakout trajectory — they offer efficiency that higher-volume players may not match. In best ball, where only the highest-scoring week counts, an efficient WR who produces on every target is more valuable than a high-target WR who converts fewer opportunities.
Avoiding efficient-looking low-usage WRs. High YPRR from very low route run counts (fewer than 200 routes in a season) can be unreliable — small samples inflate or deflate efficiency metrics. A WR who ran 75 routes and had a 2.8 YPRR could regress to 1.4 YPRR with more routes. Pairing YPRR with route run volume ensures the metric is based on a stable enough sample.
Best Ball Efficiency Targets
Targeting YAC leaders. Running backs and receivers who produce significant yards after the catch or after contact are more independent from scheme and blocking quality than players who rely on open field or gap blocking to produce. YAC leaders have a higher floor in difficult matchups because they create yards themselves rather than depending on their situation to create opportunities.
For how efficiency metrics fit into complete best ball draft preparation, see: Best Ball Draft Strategy: How to Build a Winning Best Ball Fantasy Football Roster.