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 2023 the Broncos led at 851.75; the league average was 899.70.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

DEN · 851.75

League average

899.70

Best to worst

111.64

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DEN	851.75	17
2	WAS	862.15	17
3	GB	864.27	17
4	IND	866.10	17
5	PHI	868.45	17
6	DET	869.67	17
7	SEA	873.32	17
8	LV	878.60	17
9	TEN	882.61	17
10	CHI	884.11	17
11	MIA	884.87	17
12	NYJ	887.32	17
13	DAL	889.45	17
14	NO	889.82	17
15	CIN	890.05	17
16	NYG	890.86	17
17	ARI	890.88	17
18	JAX	893.28	17
19	SF	895.32	17
20	ATL	900.52	17
21	BAL	901.18	17
22	LAR	904.36	17
23	BUF	912.84	17
24	TB	914.72	17
25	MIN	927.43	17
26	CAR	927.60	17
27	KC	938.09	17
28	LAC	942.43	17
29	HOU	942.68	17
30	PIT	947.85	17
31	NE	954.29	17
32	CLE	963.39	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DEN · 851.75

League laggard

CLE · 963.39

League average

899.70

Spread (max − min)

111.64

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DEN	851.75	-47.95	100%
2	WAS	862.15	-37.55	96.8%
3	GB	864.27	-35.43	93.5%
4	IND	866.10	-33.60	90.3%
5	PHI	868.45	-31.25	87.1%
6	DET	869.67	-30.03	83.9%
7	SEA	873.32	-26.38	80.6%
8	LV	878.60	-21.10	77.4%
9	TEN	882.61	-17.09	74.2%
10	CHI	884.11	-15.59	71%
11	MIA	884.87	-14.83	67.7%
12	NYJ	887.32	-12.38	64.5%
13	DAL	889.45	-10.25	61.3%
14	NO	889.82	-9.88	58.1%
15	CIN	890.05	-9.65	54.8%
16	NYG	890.86	-8.84	51.6%
17	ARI	890.88	-8.82	48.4%
18	JAX	893.28	-6.42	45.2%
19	SF	895.32	-4.38	41.9%
20	ATL	900.52	0.82	38.7%
21	BAL	901.18	1.48	35.5%
22	LAR	904.36	4.66	32.3%
23	BUF	912.84	13.14	29%
24	TB	914.72	15.02	25.8%
25	MIN	927.43	27.73	22.6%
26	CAR	927.60	27.90	19.4%
27	KC	938.09	38.39	16.1%
28	LAC	942.43	42.73	12.9%
29	HOU	942.68	42.98	9.7%
30	PIT	947.85	48.15	6.5%
31	NE	954.29	54.59	3.2%
32	CLE	963.39	63.69	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 2023 vs 2022

Broncos lead at 851.75 — they ranked #29 last year. Browns are last at 963.39 — #11 last year.

The league average is 899.70, down 0.11 from 899.80 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #32 → #2. Biggest faller: Browns, #11 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 111.64; 20 teams are within 29.05 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CLE · +80.39

Biggest faller

WAS · −104.57

Most consistent

GB · −0.10

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -0.11

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	CLE	963.39	883.00	+80.39
2	NE	954.29	885.73	+68.56
3	LAC	942.43	875.99	+66.44
4	MIN	927.43	865.17	+62.26
5	KC	938.09	885.96	+52.13
6	ATL	900.52	851.61	+48.91
7	CIN	890.05	842.05	+48.00
8	BUF	912.84	871.25	+41.59
9	CHI	884.11	844.98	+39.13
10	HOU	942.68	904.53	+38.15
11	JAX	893.28	874.60	+18.68
12	PIT	947.85	931.64	+16.21
13	DET	869.67	859.55	+10.12
14	LAR	904.36	895.77	+8.59
15	ARI	890.88	885.20	+5.68
16	GB	864.27	864.37	−0.10
17	NYG	890.86	895.77	−4.91
18	SEA	873.32	878.43	−5.11
19	CAR	927.60	940.85	−13.25
20	BAL	901.18	917.49	−16.31
21	SF	895.32	911.80	−16.48
22	LV	878.60	896.71	−18.11
23	IND	866.10	884.44	−18.34
24	DAL	889.45	914.60	−25.15
25	MIA	884.87	910.67	−25.80
26	NO	889.82	930.73	−40.91
27	TB	914.72	959.22	−44.50
28	TEN	882.61	935.92	−53.31
29	NYJ	887.32	947.46	−60.14
30	PHI	868.45	940.03	−71.58
31	DEN	851.75	941.51	−89.76
32	WAS	862.15	966.72	−104.57

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

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), 2023 Broncos (851.75).

Bengals have led this stat 2 of 6 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 899.70 in 2023.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.