What Start avg is

Average starting field position, in yards from the opponent's goal line — so a lower number means the offense started closer to scoring. It is mostly a product of the defense and special teams, which hand the offense its starting point.

Lower is better. It is a rate, so a team's number does not grow with games played. Source: P + N.

In 2020 the Raiders led at 759.23; the league average was 821.98.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

LV · 759.23

League average

821.98

Best to worst

145.00

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	LV	759.23	16
2	DET	770.16	16
3	JAX	790.75	16
4	TEN	791.63	16
5	CAR	793.73	16
6	CHI	800.29	16
7	NE	801.05	16
8	MIN	802.16	16
9	HOU	806.83	16
10	SEA	807.37	16
11	IND	807.79	16
12	NYG	810.65	16
13	NO	814.29	16
14	DAL	815.21	16
15	NYJ	817.55	16
16	CIN	818.79	16
17	DEN	819.42	16
18	CLE	821.50	16
19	TB	823.51	16
20	GB	826.06	16
21	BUF	829.58	16
22	LAC	830.69	16
23	SF	839.96	16
24	PHI	840.86	16
25	BAL	841.08	16
26	KC	847.44	16
27	ATL	848.66	16
28	ARI	849.22	16
29	PIT	851.91	16
30	MIA	858.11	16
31	WAS	863.77	16
32	LAR	904.23	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

LV · 759.23

League laggard

LAR · 904.23

League average

821.98

Spread (max − min)

145.00

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	LV	759.23	-62.75	100%
2	DET	770.16	-51.82	96.8%
3	JAX	790.75	-31.23	93.5%
4	TEN	791.63	-30.35	90.3%
5	CAR	793.73	-28.25	87.1%
6	CHI	800.29	-21.69	83.9%
7	NE	801.05	-20.93	80.6%
8	MIN	802.16	-19.82	77.4%
9	HOU	806.83	-15.15	74.2%
10	SEA	807.37	-14.61	71%
11	IND	807.79	-14.19	67.7%
12	NYG	810.65	-11.33	64.5%
13	NO	814.29	-7.69	61.3%
14	DAL	815.21	-6.77	58.1%
15	NYJ	817.55	-4.43	54.8%
16	CIN	818.79	-3.19	51.6%
17	DEN	819.42	-2.56	48.4%
18	CLE	821.50	-0.48	45.2%
19	TB	823.51	1.53	41.9%
20	GB	826.06	4.08	38.7%
21	BUF	829.58	7.60	35.5%
22	LAC	830.69	8.71	32.3%
23	SF	839.96	17.98	29%
24	PHI	840.86	18.88	25.8%
25	BAL	841.08	19.10	22.6%
26	KC	847.44	25.46	19.4%
27	ATL	848.66	26.68	16.1%
28	ARI	849.22	27.24	12.9%
29	PIT	851.91	29.93	9.7%
30	MIA	858.11	36.13	6.5%
31	WAS	863.77	41.79	3.2%
32	LAR	904.23	82.25	0%

Does Start avg matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 822–756–37 ATS (52.1%) across 2020–2025, #165 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2025 (155–114, 57.6%); its worst 2024 (130–133, 49.4%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	133–121–2	52.4%
2021	272	135–135–2	50.0%
2022	271	140–124–7	53.0%
2023	272	129–129–14	50.0%
2024	272	130–133–9	49.4%
2025	272	155–114–3	57.6%

Start avg in 2020 vs 2019

Raiders lead at 759.23 — they ranked #12 last year. Rams are last at 904.23 — #20 last year.

The league average is 821.98, down 26.13 from 848.11 last year.

Biggest riser: Jaguars, #28 → #3. Biggest faller: Dolphins, #1 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 145.00; 24 teams are within 28.25 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIA · +72.80

Biggest faller

BUF · −98.67

Most consistent

SEA · −3.60

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▼ -26.13

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	MIA	858.11	785.31	+72.80
2	LAR	904.23	856.88	+47.35
3	WAS	863.77	823.67	+40.10
4	ATL	848.66	813.48	+35.18
5	ARI	849.22	820.93	+28.29
6	TB	823.51	818.55	+4.96
7	BAL	841.08	836.23	+4.85
8	SEA	807.37	810.97	−3.60
9	PIT	851.91	855.72	−3.81
10	CLE	821.50	829.17	−7.67
11	NO	814.29	823.35	−9.06
12	SF	839.96	851.25	−11.29
13	KC	847.44	861.27	−13.83
14	CIN	818.79	833.70	−14.91
15	CAR	793.73	810.07	−16.34
16	IND	807.79	828.09	−20.30
17	LAC	830.69	852.70	−22.01
18	NYG	810.65	835.01	−24.36
19	PHI	840.86	872.89	−32.03
20	HOU	806.83	843.01	−36.18
21	GB	826.06	868.31	−42.25
22	MIN	802.16	858.52	−56.36
23	NYJ	817.55	875.48	−57.93
24	DEN	819.42	878.52	−59.10
25	DET	770.16	830.91	−60.75
26	NE	801.05	864.11	−63.06
27	LV	759.23	831.06	−71.83
28	DAL	815.21	898.00	−82.79
29	CHI	800.29	883.54	−83.25
30	TEN	791.63	880.48	−88.85
31	JAX	790.75	880.24	−89.49
32	BUF	829.58	928.25	−98.67

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

DET · 766.70

Multi-year laggard

LAR · 812.10

Biggest improver

WAS · −73.06/yr

Biggest decliner

DET · −51.32/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	DET	766.70	−51.32	770.16	833.01	859.55	869.67	915.14	874.30	245.10
2	CIN	769.72	−64.55	818.79	888.17	842.05	890.05	856.49	866.71	225.81
3	CHI	775.60	−53.48	800.29	859.44	844.98	884.11	894.25	865.24	280.89
4	LV	777.64	−52.93	759.23	875.87	896.71	878.60	876.16	902.85	254.05
5	CAR	777.75	−72.24	793.73	909.59	940.85	927.60	815.07	868.77	188.62
6	IND	779.54	−58.36	807.79	867.17	884.44	866.10	908.72	868.35	254.20
7	DAL	780.07	−65.29	815.21	879.89	914.60	889.45	875.91	840.14	245.26
8	ATL	780.24	−57.30	848.66	833.60	851.61	900.52	866.56	888.19	272.53
9	NYJ	783.24	−61.39	817.55	837.31	947.46	887.32	889.04	845.25	258.77
10	TEN	784.05	−59.87	791.63	872.88	935.92	882.61	896.83	842.07	266.42
11	JAX	784.47	−53.01	790.75	872.70	874.60	893.28	890.54	890.67	278.73
12	ARI	785.53	−68.72	849.22	896.61	885.20	890.88	906.80	814.96	255.02
13	NYG	786.40	−62.42	810.65	907.12	895.77	890.86	873.47	860.12	266.84
14	NO	789.38	−63.97	814.29	899.09	930.73	889.82	856.50	881.62	253.60
15	WAS	789.56	−73.06	863.77	886.51	966.72	862.15	861.00	835.99	250.79
16	GB	790.01	−57.57	826.06	894.00	864.37	864.27	906.56	912.47	262.32
17	BUF	792.51	−61.36	829.58	906.42	871.25	912.84	854.19	919.44	253.87
18	KC	794.82	−65.23	847.44	870.42	885.96	938.09	906.49	909.88	205.48
19	NE	797.95	−53.19	801.05	876.43	885.73	954.29	872.40	907.19	288.56
20	HOU	798.65	−53.58	806.83	852.21	904.53	942.68	895.07	933.35	255.85
21	MIN	800.48	−52.15	802.16	889.77	865.17	927.43	931.82	902.06	284.98
22	MIA	800.62	−64.78	858.11	893.42	910.67	884.87	910.83	892.23	254.24
23	LAC	801.97	−52.00	830.69	835.64	875.99	942.43	953.14	897.44	278.45
24	SEA	802.84	−52.86	807.37	912.82	878.43	873.32	929.56	938.52	279.87
25	PHI	803.34	−58.51	840.86	869.42	940.03	868.45	907.75	935.26	261.60
26	SF	803.40	−66.96	839.96	943.87	911.80	895.32	881.29	891.49	260.05
27	TB	804.77	−63.49	823.51	896.10	959.22	914.72	895.58	884.04	260.22
28	PIT	805.18	−66.85	851.91	890.76	931.64	947.85	889.77	865.60	258.74
29	BAL	806.61	−68.17	841.08	939.15	917.49	901.18	939.11	853.76	254.53
30	DEN	807.67	−58.46	819.42	916.14	941.51	851.75	914.76	950.13	260.01
31	CLE	810.44	−56.04	821.50	895.97	883.00	963.39	918.47	920.41	270.32
32	LAR	812.10	−67.24	904.23	908.70	895.77	904.36	876.73	918.32	276.61

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
LV	759.23	875.87	896.71	878.60	876.16	902.85	254.05
DET	770.16	833.01	859.55	869.67	915.14	874.30	245.10
JAX	790.75	872.70	874.60	893.28	890.54	890.67	278.73
TEN	791.63	872.88	935.92	882.61	896.83	842.07	266.42
CAR	793.73	909.59	940.85	927.60	815.07	868.77	188.62
CHI	800.29	859.44	844.98	884.11	894.25	865.24	280.89
NE	801.05	876.43	885.73	954.29	872.40	907.19	288.56
MIN	802.16	889.77	865.17	927.43	931.82	902.06	284.98
HOU	806.83	852.21	904.53	942.68	895.07	933.35	255.85
SEA	807.37	912.82	878.43	873.32	929.56	938.52	279.87
IND	807.79	867.17	884.44	866.10	908.72	868.35	254.20
NYG	810.65	907.12	895.77	890.86	873.47	860.12	266.84
NO	814.29	899.09	930.73	889.82	856.50	881.62	253.60
DAL	815.21	879.89	914.60	889.45	875.91	840.14	245.26
NYJ	817.55	837.31	947.46	887.32	889.04	845.25	258.77
CIN	818.79	888.17	842.05	890.05	856.49	866.71	225.81
DEN	819.42	916.14	941.51	851.75	914.76	950.13	260.01
CLE	821.50	895.97	883.00	963.39	918.47	920.41	270.32
TB	823.51	896.10	959.22	914.72	895.58	884.04	260.22
GB	826.06	894.00	864.37	864.27	906.56	912.47	262.32
BUF	829.58	906.42	871.25	912.84	854.19	919.44	253.87
LAC	830.69	835.64	875.99	942.43	953.14	897.44	278.45
SF	839.96	943.87	911.80	895.32	881.29	891.49	260.05
PHI	840.86	869.42	940.03	868.45	907.75	935.26	261.60
BAL	841.08	939.15	917.49	901.18	939.11	853.76	254.53
KC	847.44	870.42	885.96	938.09	906.49	909.88	205.48
ATL	848.66	833.60	851.61	900.52	866.56	888.19	272.53
ARI	849.22	896.61	885.20	890.88	906.80	814.96	255.02
PIT	851.91	890.76	931.64	947.85	889.77	865.60	258.74
MIA	858.11	893.42	910.67	884.87	910.83	892.23	254.24
WAS	863.77	886.51	966.72	862.15	861.00	835.99	250.79
LAR	904.23	908.70	895.77	904.36	876.73	918.32	276.61

Start avg since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bengals (772.67), 2019 Dolphins (785.31), 2020 Raiders (759.23).

The best season on record is Raiders 2020 at 759.23; the worst Bills 2019 at 928.25.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_drives_start_avg
Side: offensive
Family: Drive Averages
Data source: P + N
Polarity: lower is better
Display grain: rate
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.