What Def yac (allowed) is

Yards allowed after the catch: the yards opponents' receivers gained after securing the ball against this defense. Tackling and pursuit rather than coverage — a defense that covers well but tackles poorly bleeds yards here.

Lower is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

Through Week 8 of 2026, the Panthers lead at 80.71; the league average is 109.2.

League snapshot — 2026

League leader

CAR · 80.71

League average

109.2

Best to worst

60.57

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CAR	80.71	7
2	SEA	85.29	7
3	NYG	90.71	7
4	MIN	93.43	7
5	CLE	99.88	8
6	BAL	100.3	8
7	LAC	100.3	7
8	PHI	100.5	8
9	NYJ	101.3	8
10	DET	101.7	7
11	ARI	104.9	8
12	ATL	105.1	8
13	JAX	105.1	7
14	CHI	105.6	7
15	MIA	107.9	7
16	HOU	111.3	7
17	WAS	111.7	7
18	NO	112	7
19	IND	112.4	8
20	NE	112.5	8
21	DAL	115.5	8
22	LV	115.8	8
23	LAR	115.9	8
24	BUF	117.6	7
25	GB	118	8
26	DEN	119.4	8
27	PIT	120	8
28	KC	120.3	7
29	SF	120.4	7
30	TEN	122.5	8
31	TB	125.3	8
32	CIN	141.3	7

At a glance — 2026

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CAR · 80.71

League laggard

CIN · 141.3

League average

109.2

Spread (max − min)

60.57

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CAR	80.71	-28.48	100%
2	SEA	85.29	-23.91	96.8%
3	NYG	90.71	-18.48	93.5%
4	MIN	93.43	-15.77	90.3%
5	CLE	99.88	-9.32	87.1%
6	BAL	100.3	-8.95	83.9%
7	LAC	100.3	-8.91	80.6%
8	PHI	100.5	-8.70	77.4%
9	NYJ	101.3	-7.95	74.2%
10	DET	101.7	-7.48	71%
11	ARI	104.9	-4.32	67.7%
12	ATL	105.1	-4.07	64.5%
13	JAX	105.1	-4.05	61.3%
14	CHI	105.6	-3.63	58.1%
15	MIA	107.9	-1.34	54.8%
16	HOU	111.3	2.09	51.6%
17	WAS	111.7	2.52	48.4%
18	NO	112	2.80	45.2%
19	IND	112.4	3.18	41.9%
20	NE	112.5	3.30	38.7%
21	DAL	115.5	6.30	35.5%
22	LV	115.8	6.55	32.3%
23	LAR	115.9	6.68	29%
24	BUF	117.6	8.38	25.8%
25	GB	118	8.80	22.6%
26	DEN	119.4	10.18	19.4%
27	PIT	120	10.80	16.1%
28	KC	120.3	11.09	12.9%
29	SF	120.4	11.23	9.7%
30	TEN	122.5	13.30	6.5%
31	TB	125.3	16.05	3.2%
32	CIN	141.3	32.09	0%

Does Def yac (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 802–776–37 ATS (50.8%) across 2020–2025, #228 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (145–109, 57.1%); its worst 2024 (118–145, 44.9%).

For picks, this is noise. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	145–109–2	57.1%
2021	272	125–145–2	46.3%
2022	271	150–114–7	56.8%
2023	272	124–134–14	48.1%
2024	272	118–145–9	44.9%
2025	272	140–129–3	52.0%

Def yac (allowed) in 2026 vs 2025

Panthers lead at 80.71 — they ranked #16 last year. Bengals are last at 141.3 — #32 last year.

The league average is 109.2, up 3.24 from 106.0 last year.

Biggest riser: Seahawks, #24 → #2. Biggest faller: Bills, #1 → #24.

Spread between first and last: 60.57; 25 teams are within 12.16 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2026 vs 2025

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BUF · +40.16

Biggest faller

SEA · −31.18

Most consistent

PIT · −0.65

League trend 2026 vs 2025

▲ 3.24

Rank	Team	2026	2025	Δ
1	BUF	117.6	77.41	+40.16
2	GB	118	89	+29
3	DEN	119.4	91.47	+27.90
4	HOU	111.3	93.18	+18.11
5	NO	112	94.94	+17.06
6	LAR	115.9	99.59	+16.29
7	NE	112.5	96.24	+16.26
8	LV	115.8	100.1	+15.63
9	DET	101.7	86.41	+15.30
10	SF	120.4	108.6	+11.84
11	KC	120.3	109.2	+11.11
12	ATL	105.1	95.47	+9.65
13	CHI	105.6	98.41	+7.16
14	PHI	100.5	93.59	+6.91
15	MIN	93.43	87.41	+6.02
16	JAX	105.1	100.1	+5.03
17	TEN	122.5	117.6	+4.91
18	CLE	99.88	96.82	+3.05
19	PIT	120	120.6	−0.65
20	TB	125.3	126.4	−1.10
21	IND	112.4	114.7	−2.33
22	CIN	141.3	143.9	−2.60
23	LAC	100.3	105.5	−5.24
24	ARI	104.9	111.2	−6.36
25	MIA	107.9	118.7	−10.85
26	NYG	90.71	102.6	−11.93
27	DAL	115.5	128.1	−12.62
28	BAL	100.3	113.6	−13.34
29	WAS	111.7	131.2	−19.46
30	NYJ	101.3	120.8	−19.51
31	CAR	80.71	101.2	−20.52
32	SEA	85.29	116.5	−31.18

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CAR · 98.44

Multi-year laggard

TB · 122.2

Biggest improver

SEA · −6.23/yr

Biggest decliner

CIN · +6.63/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CAR	98.44	−3.13	119.3	93.71	98.35	84.47	111.4	101.2	80.71
2	NE	103.7	−0.30	114.9	95.65	101.5	106.2	99.18	96.24	112.5
3	CLE	103.9	−2.11	114.3	111.5	95.65	100	109.2	96.82	99.88
4	BUF	104.1	−0.13	113.8	93.41	104.1	101	121.3	77.41	117.6
5	LAC	105.8	+0.41	94.50	112.8	92	135	100.5	105.5	100.3
6	PHI	105.9	−3.43	117.1	112.8	101.2	122.6	93.53	93.59	100.5
7	GB	107.1	−1.19	116.2	116.9	94.12	104.4	111.2	89	118
8	DET	107.4	−4.59	132.6	112	98.18	107.6	113.4	86.41	101.7
9	NO	107.8	+0.96	97.88	117.9	95.29	110.6	125.6	94.94	112
10	PIT	108.1	+5.16	87.94	104.6	99.18	109	115.3	120.6	120
11	WAS	108.2	+3.78	92.31	106.4	93.71	130.4	91.82	131.2	111.7
12	CHI	108.9	−0.30	107.9	100.2	110.2	127.2	112.6	98.41	105.6
13	NYG	109.8	−3.64	116.6	112.4	107.7	135.6	102.8	102.6	90.71
14	SF	110.2	+1.66	105.9	103.9	112.1	114.9	105.4	108.6	120.4
15	ATL	110.7	−5.09	142	115.7	106	95.88	114.7	95.47	105.1
16	HOU	111.4	−2.87	136.9	102.6	102.5	115.8	117.7	93.18	111.3
17	DEN	113.5	−0.94	113.2	112.1	121.4	119.4	117.8	91.47	119.4
18	IND	113.6	+0.88	107	108.7	121.8	112.1	118.2	114.7	112.4
19	NYJ	113.8	−4.09	131.3	131.9	102.4	108.6	100.4	120.8	101.3
20	LAR	113.9	−2.13	115.6	129.6	117.1	102.4	116.9	99.59	115.9
21	ARI	114.2	−3.13	129.4	100	150.5	89.65	113.9	111.2	104.9
22	BAL	114.6	−3.37	111.1	146.7	109.8	106.4	114.2	113.6	100.3
23	MIN	115.4	−5.18	109	131.2	130.5	136.1	119.9	87.41	93.43
24	DAL	116.8	+1.36	104	135.6	105.9	104.3	124.4	128.1	115.5
25	MIA	117.1	−2.33	129.8	115.9	121.2	110	116.2	118.7	107.9
26	LV	117.2	−1.47	126	103	121.7	136.8	117	100.1	115.8
27	TEN	117.8	−1.85	125.4	126.8	125.1	107.1	100.4	117.6	122.5
28	JAX	118.7	−3.26	133.6	109.1	122.5	125.9	134.5	100.1	105.1
29	KC	118.9	−3.04	127.1	141.6	118.4	96.71	118.7	109.2	120.3
30	CIN	120.4	+6.63	101.4	119.9	100.4	117.6	118.6	143.9	141.3
31	SEA	121.1	−6.23	121	152.1	123	123.1	126.9	116.5	85.29
32	TB	122.2	+0.71	124.6	128.9	100.2	127.2	123.1	126.4	125.3

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CAR	119.3	93.71	98.35	84.47	111.4	101.2	80.71
SEA	121	152.1	123	123.1	126.9	116.5	85.29
NYG	116.6	112.4	107.7	135.6	102.8	102.6	90.71
MIN	109	131.2	130.5	136.1	119.9	87.41	93.43
CLE	114.3	111.5	95.65	100	109.2	96.82	99.88
BAL	111.1	146.7	109.8	106.4	114.2	113.6	100.3
LAC	94.50	112.8	92	135	100.5	105.5	100.3
PHI	117.1	112.8	101.2	122.6	93.53	93.59	100.5
NYJ	131.3	131.9	102.4	108.6	100.4	120.8	101.3
DET	132.6	112	98.18	107.6	113.4	86.41	101.7
ARI	129.4	100	150.5	89.65	113.9	111.2	104.9
ATL	142	115.7	106	95.88	114.7	95.47	105.1
JAX	133.6	109.1	122.5	125.9	134.5	100.1	105.1
CHI	107.9	100.2	110.2	127.2	112.6	98.41	105.6
MIA	129.8	115.9	121.2	110	116.2	118.7	107.9
HOU	136.9	102.6	102.5	115.8	117.7	93.18	111.3
WAS	92.31	106.4	93.71	130.4	91.82	131.2	111.7
NO	97.88	117.9	95.29	110.6	125.6	94.94	112
IND	107	108.7	121.8	112.1	118.2	114.7	112.4
NE	114.9	95.65	101.5	106.2	99.18	96.24	112.5
DAL	104	135.6	105.9	104.3	124.4	128.1	115.5
LV	126	103	121.7	136.8	117	100.1	115.8
LAR	115.6	129.6	117.1	102.4	116.9	99.59	115.9
BUF	113.8	93.41	104.1	101	121.3	77.41	117.6
GB	116.2	116.9	94.12	104.4	111.2	89	118
DEN	113.2	112.1	121.4	119.4	117.8	91.47	119.4
PIT	87.94	104.6	99.18	109	115.3	120.6	120
KC	127.1	141.6	118.4	96.71	118.7	109.2	120.3
SF	105.9	103.9	112.1	114.9	105.4	108.6	120.4
TEN	125.4	126.8	125.1	107.1	100.4	117.6	122.5
TB	124.6	128.9	100.2	127.2	123.1	126.4	125.3
CIN	101.4	119.9	100.4	117.6	118.6	143.9	141.3

Def yac (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (95.19), 2019 Steelers (86.50), 2020 Steelers (87.94), 2021 Bills (93.41), 2022 Chargers (92), 2023 Panthers (84.47), 2024 Commanders (91.82), 2025 Bills (77.41), 2026 Panthers (80.71).

Bills have led this stat 3 of 9 seasons.

The best season on record is Bills 2025 at 77.41; the worst Seahawks 2021 at 152.1.

The league average has fallen from 119.2 in 2018 to 109.2 in 2026.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2026.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_advanced_defense_def_yac
Side: defensive
Family: Advanced defense
Data source: P + N
Polarity: lower is better
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.