Back to Team Tiering

NFL Player Tiering

Cut Imbalance Clustering Applied to Individual Players

QBs | WRs | CBs | 2020-2025 Season Data

Player Tier Results

In this analysis, all statistics are weighted equally when comparing players. This is a simplification, as not all stats contribute equally to winning or player value. A more sophisticated approach would reweight the statistics based on historical outcomes (e.g., correlation with wins or Pro Bowl selections) or based on individual beliefs about what makes a player valuable. The equal-weight approach shown here serves as a baseline that can be refined with domain-specific weighting schemes. Additionally, the statistics chosen for each position may not be the optimal set of variables for player evaluation. I welcome any feedback on both the stat selection and weighting methodology.

Season:
Players
-
Optimal Tiers
-
Cut Imbalance
-

Hover over a player to see their stats and rank.

Preference Matrix

Entry (i, j) = number of stats where row player i outperforms column player j

Stats Used for Comparison

Each position uses different statistics that capture performance relevant to that role. Players are compared pairwise across these stats to build a preference matrix, then clustered into tiers using cut imbalance optimization.

Quarterbacks (10 stats)
Passing Yards Passing TDs Completion % Yards/Attempt TD % INT % Interceptions Passer Rating Sack Rate 20+ Yd Pass Rate
Wide Receivers (10 stats)
Receptions Receiving Yards Receiving TDs Targets Catch Rate Yards/Reception Yards After Catch First Downs 20+ Yd Receptions Yards/Target
Cornerbacks (5 stats)
Pass Defenses Interceptions Solo Tackles Tackles for Loss Forced Fumbles

Red items indicate "lower is better" statistics.

Qualification thresholds: QBs need 200+ pass attempts, WRs need 50+ targets, and CBs need 20+ solo tackles to be included in the analysis. This ensures we're comparing players with meaningful sample sizes.