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 2022 the Bengals led at 842.05; the league average was 899.80.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

CIN · 842.05

League average

899.80

Best to worst

124.67

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CIN	842.05	16
2	CHI	844.98	17
3	ATL	851.61	17
4	DET	859.55	17
5	GB	864.37	17
6	MIN	865.17	17
7	BUF	871.25	16
8	JAX	874.60	17
9	LAC	875.99	17
10	SEA	878.43	17
11	CLE	883.00	17
12	IND	884.44	17
13	ARI	885.20	17
14	NE	885.73	17
15	KC	885.96	17
16	LAR	895.77	17
17	NYG	895.77	17
18	LV	896.71	17
19	HOU	904.53	17
20	MIA	910.67	17
21	SF	911.80	17
22	DAL	914.60	17
23	BAL	917.49	17
24	NO	930.73	17
25	PIT	931.64	17
26	TEN	935.92	17
27	PHI	940.03	17
28	CAR	940.85	17
29	DEN	941.51	17
30	NYJ	947.46	17
31	TB	959.22	17
32	WAS	966.72	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CIN · 842.05

League laggard

WAS · 966.72

League average

899.80

Spread (max − min)

124.67

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CIN	842.05	-57.75	100%
2	CHI	844.98	-54.82	96.8%
3	ATL	851.61	-48.19	93.5%
4	DET	859.55	-40.25	90.3%
5	GB	864.37	-35.43	87.1%
6	MIN	865.17	-34.63	83.9%
7	BUF	871.25	-28.55	80.6%
8	JAX	874.60	-25.20	77.4%
9	LAC	875.99	-23.81	74.2%
10	SEA	878.43	-21.37	71%
11	CLE	883.00	-16.80	67.7%
12	IND	884.44	-15.36	64.5%
13	ARI	885.20	-14.60	61.3%
14	NE	885.73	-14.07	58.1%
15	KC	885.96	-13.84	54.8%
16	LAR	895.77	-4.03	51.6%
17	NYG	895.77	-4.03	48.4%
18	LV	896.71	-3.09	45.2%
19	HOU	904.53	4.73	41.9%
20	MIA	910.67	10.87	38.7%
21	SF	911.80	12.00	35.5%
22	DAL	914.60	14.80	32.3%
23	BAL	917.49	17.69	29%
24	NO	930.73	30.93	25.8%
25	PIT	931.64	31.84	22.6%
26	TEN	935.92	36.12	19.4%
27	PHI	940.03	40.23	16.1%
28	CAR	940.85	41.05	12.9%
29	DEN	941.51	41.71	9.7%
30	NYJ	947.46	47.66	6.5%
31	TB	959.22	59.42	3.2%
32	WAS	966.72	66.92	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 2022 vs 2021

Bengals lead at 842.05 — they ranked #16 last year. Commanders are last at 966.72 — #15 last year.

The league average is 899.80, up 15.11 from 884.69 last year.

Biggest riser: Seahawks, #29 → #10. Biggest faller: Jets, #4 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 124.67; 19 teams are within 33.44 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NYJ · +110.15

Biggest faller

CIN · −46.12

Most consistent

JAX · +1.90

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▲ 15.11

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	NYJ	947.46	837.31	+110.15
2	WAS	966.72	886.51	+80.21
3	PHI	940.03	869.42	+70.61
4	TB	959.22	896.10	+63.12
5	TEN	935.92	872.88	+63.04
6	HOU	904.53	852.21	+52.32
7	PIT	931.64	890.76	+40.88
8	LAC	875.99	835.64	+40.35
9	DAL	914.60	879.89	+34.71
10	NO	930.73	899.09	+31.64
11	CAR	940.85	909.59	+31.26
12	DET	859.55	833.01	+26.54
13	DEN	941.51	916.14	+25.37
14	LV	896.71	875.87	+20.84
15	ATL	851.61	833.60	+18.01
16	IND	884.44	867.17	+17.27
17	MIA	910.67	893.42	+17.25
18	KC	885.96	870.42	+15.54
19	NE	885.73	876.43	+9.30
20	JAX	874.60	872.70	+1.90
21	NYG	895.77	907.12	−11.35
22	ARI	885.20	896.61	−11.41
23	LAR	895.77	908.70	−12.93
24	CLE	883.00	895.97	−12.97
25	CHI	844.98	859.44	−14.46
26	BAL	917.49	939.15	−21.66
27	MIN	865.17	889.77	−24.60
28	GB	864.37	894.00	−29.63
29	SF	911.80	943.87	−32.07
30	SEA	878.43	912.82	−34.39
31	BUF	871.25	906.42	−35.17
32	CIN	842.05	888.17	−46.12

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

Start avg since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bengals (772.67), 2019 Dolphins (785.31), 2020 Raiders (759.23), 2021 Lions (833.01), 2022 Bengals (842.05).

Bengals have led this stat 2 of 5 seasons.

The best season on record is Raiders 2020 at 759.23; the worst Commanders 2022 at 966.72.

The league average has risen from 849.77 in 2018 to 899.80 in 2022.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2022.

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.