What Rec 1stD is

Receiving first downs: catches that gained a first down. It separates the completions that moved the chains from the ones that didn't.

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

In 2019 the Falcons led at 16.13; the league average was 12.13.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

ATL · 16.13

League average

12.13

Best to worst

6.94

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	ATL	16.13	16
2	TB	15.25	16
3	NO	14.50	16
4	CAR	14.38	16
5	DAL	14.31	16
6	LAC	13.88	16
7	LAR	13.88	16
8	PHI	13.44	16
9	KC	13.19	16
10	MIA	13.19	16
11	HOU	12.69	16
12	NE	12.38	16
13	DET	12.25	16
14	SF	12.19	16
15	LV	12.13	16
16	CIN	11.94	16
17	GB	11.94	16
18	SEA	11.88	16
19	NYG	11.69	16
20	JAX	11.44	16
21	CLE	11.25	16
22	CHI	11.13	16
23	TEN	11.13	16
24	ARI	11	16
25	MIN	10.75	16
26	BAL	10.69	16
27	IND	10.31	16
28	DEN	10.19	16
29	BUF	10.13	16
30	NYJ	10.13	16
31	WAS	9.63	16
32	PIT	9.19	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

ATL · 16.13

League laggard

PIT · 9.19

League average

12.13

Spread (max − min)

6.94

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	ATL	16.13	4.00	100%
2	TB	15.25	3.12	96.8%
3	NO	14.50	2.37	93.5%
4	CAR	14.38	2.25	90.3%
5	DAL	14.31	2.18	87.1%
6	LAC	13.88	1.75	83.9%
7	LAR	13.88	1.75	80.6%
8	PHI	13.44	1.31	77.4%
9	KC	13.19	1.06	74.2%
10	MIA	13.19	1.06	71%
11	HOU	12.69	0.56	67.7%
12	NE	12.38	0.25	64.5%
13	DET	12.25	0.12	61.3%
14	SF	12.19	0.06	58.1%
15	LV	12.13	0.00	54.8%
16	CIN	11.94	-0.19	51.6%
17	GB	11.94	-0.19	48.4%
18	SEA	11.88	-0.25	45.2%
19	NYG	11.69	-0.44	41.9%
20	JAX	11.44	-0.69	38.7%
21	CLE	11.25	-0.88	35.5%
22	CHI	11.13	-1.00	32.3%
23	TEN	11.13	-1.00	29%
24	ARI	11	-1.13	25.8%
25	MIN	10.75	-1.38	22.6%
26	BAL	10.69	-1.44	19.4%
27	IND	10.31	-1.82	16.1%
28	DEN	10.19	-1.94	12.9%
29	BUF	10.13	-2.00	9.7%
30	NYJ	10.13	-2.00	6.5%
31	WAS	9.63	-2.50	3.2%
32	PIT	9.19	-2.94	0%

Does Rec 1stD matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 838–740–37 ATS (53.1%) across 2020–2025, #130 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (144–120, 54.5%); its worst 2021 (136–134, 50.4%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	137–117–2	53.9%
2021	272	136–134–2	50.4%
2022	271	144–120–7	54.5%
2023	272	140–118–14	54.3%
2024	272	138–125–9	52.5%
2025	272	143–126–3	53.2%

Rec 1stD in 2019 vs 2018

Falcons lead at 16.13 — they ranked #4 last year. Steelers are last at 9.19 — #2 last year.

The league average is 12.13, down 0.15 from 12.28 last year.

Biggest riser: Dolphins, #30 → #10. Biggest faller: Steelers, #2 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 6.94; 19 teams are within 1.68 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIA · +3.63

Biggest faller

PIT · −6.56

Most consistent

HOU · 0

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.15

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	MIA	13.19	9.56	+3.63
2	DAL	14.31	11.50	+2.81
3	ARI	11	8.56	+2.44
4	SEA	11.88	9.81	+2.06
5	BUF	10.13	8.50	+1.63
6	NO	14.50	13.13	+1.38
7	TEN	11.13	9.75	+1.38
8	ATL	16.13	14.88	+1.25
9	JAX	11.44	10.25	+1.19
10	CAR	14.38	13.31	+1.06
11	CIN	11.94	11.38	+0.56
12	LAC	13.88	13.38	+0.50
13	NYJ	10.13	9.81	+0.31
14	CHI	11.13	11.06	+0.06
15	HOU	12.69	12.69	0
16	WAS	9.63	9.81	−0.19
17	LV	12.13	12.38	−0.25
18	DET	12.25	12.56	−0.31
19	SF	12.19	12.63	−0.44
20	NE	12.38	12.88	−0.50
21	PHI	13.44	13.94	−0.50
22	CLE	11.25	11.81	−0.56
23	BAL	10.69	11.50	−0.81
24	LAR	13.88	14.75	−0.88
25	GB	11.94	13.06	−1.13
26	DEN	10.19	11.38	−1.19
27	TB	15.25	16.56	−1.31
28	NYG	11.69	13.06	−1.38
29	KC	13.19	14.94	−1.75
30	MIN	10.75	13.63	−2.88
31	IND	10.31	14.81	−4.50
32	PIT	9.19	15.75	−6.56

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

KC · 13.71

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 9.96

Biggest improver

CAR · +0.45/yr

Biggest decliner

TB · −1.06/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	KC	13.71	−0.92	16	15.71	16.06	12.71	12.88	11.12	11.50
2	DET	13.47	+0.27	13.81	11.41	13.41	13.41	14.24	13.24	14.80
3	DAL	13.30	−0.10	14.44	14.59	11.41	13.59	11.35	13.53	14.20
4	CIN	13.20	+0.22	12.56	12.24	13.81	12.29	14.94	12.53	14
5	LAR	12.91	+0.35	12.88	13.71	10.65	12.12	11.35	13.88	15.80
6	TB	12.68	−1.06	14.88	16.12	14.12	11.06	13.18	10.24	9.20
7	BUF	12.44	−0.75	15	14.24	13.25	11.76	10.65	11.59	10.60
8	SF	12.35	+0.00	13.56	11.76	11.06	12.24	12.06	13.94	11.80
9	LAC	12.15	−0.99	14.13	15.12	13.71	12	10.41	10.88	8.80
10	ARI	12.01	−0.05	13.31	12.65	11.12	10.24	11.24	12.71	12.80
11	GB	11.93	−0.45	13.56	13.94	11	12.41	10.06	10.71	11.80
12	LV	11.90	−0.10	12.88	12.76	11.35	10.71	12.29	9.53	13.80
13	MIN	11.80	−0.78	13.25	11.94	14.35	13	12.41	9.24	8.40
14	SEA	11.70	−0.08	13.63	9.76	12.12	11.12	12.41	10.65	12.20
15	MIA	11.63	−0.77	12.94	12.12	12.94	13.18	13	10.24	7
16	HOU	11.45	−0.04	14	9.59	9.41	12.65	11.65	10.88	12
17	JAX	11.43	−0.22	12.88	10.53	12.29	11.71	10.24	11.59	10.80
18	NO	11.28	+0.16	12.50	9.82	10.71	11.71	9.88	10.76	13.60
19	ATL	11.14	−0.62	15.31	11.65	8.71	10.71	11.71	10.88	9
20	IND	10.76	−0.23	12.56	9.88	11.35	10.47	9.47	11.76	9.80
21	CAR	10.74	+0.45	12.06	10.24	8.12	8.94	10.06	10	15.75
22	WAS	10.66	−0.25	11.50	10.65	10.82	11.18	11.29	9.41	9.80
23	PIT	10.66	−0.51	13	12	11.18	9.06	9.29	9.47	10.60
24	CHI	10.54	−0.02	13.63	10.59	6.47	9.94	10.18	11.18	11.80
25	NE	10.39	+0.20	9.94	11	9.82	9	9.82	12.18	11
26	BAL	10.38	+0.12	8.94	12.35	8.94	10.59	11.71	8.35	11.80
27	PHI	10.33	−0.34	11.13	9.88	11.47	11.59	9.88	9.76	8.60
28	CLE	10.16	−0.50	12.19	10.41	10.71	10.18	10.59	7.88	9.20
29	DEN	10.16	−0.14	11.06	10.53	9.76	9.12	10.12	11.53	9
30	NYG	10.03	−0.03	11.13	10.06	10	8.29	10.06	9.47	11.20
31	TEN	9.97	−0.57	12.69	11.41	9	9.29	9.65	9.18	8.60
32	NYJ	9.96	−0.26	9.13	11.47	11.29	9.18	11.82	8	8.80

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
LAR	12.88	13.71	10.65	12.12	11.35	13.88	15.80
CAR	12.06	10.24	8.12	8.94	10.06	10	15.75
DET	13.81	11.41	13.41	13.41	14.24	13.24	14.80
DAL	14.44	14.59	11.41	13.59	11.35	13.53	14.20
CIN	12.56	12.24	13.81	12.29	14.94	12.53	14
LV	12.88	12.76	11.35	10.71	12.29	9.53	13.80
NO	12.50	9.82	10.71	11.71	9.88	10.76	13.60
ARI	13.31	12.65	11.12	10.24	11.24	12.71	12.80
SEA	13.63	9.76	12.12	11.12	12.41	10.65	12.20
HOU	14	9.59	9.41	12.65	11.65	10.88	12
BAL	8.94	12.35	8.94	10.59	11.71	8.35	11.80
CHI	13.63	10.59	6.47	9.94	10.18	11.18	11.80
GB	13.56	13.94	11	12.41	10.06	10.71	11.80
SF	13.56	11.76	11.06	12.24	12.06	13.94	11.80
KC	16	15.71	16.06	12.71	12.88	11.12	11.50
NYG	11.13	10.06	10	8.29	10.06	9.47	11.20
NE	9.94	11	9.82	9	9.82	12.18	11
JAX	12.88	10.53	12.29	11.71	10.24	11.59	10.80
BUF	15	14.24	13.25	11.76	10.65	11.59	10.60
PIT	13	12	11.18	9.06	9.29	9.47	10.60
IND	12.56	9.88	11.35	10.47	9.47	11.76	9.80
WAS	11.50	10.65	10.82	11.18	11.29	9.41	9.80
CLE	12.19	10.41	10.71	10.18	10.59	7.88	9.20
TB	14.88	16.12	14.12	11.06	13.18	10.24	9.20
ATL	15.31	11.65	8.71	10.71	11.71	10.88	9
DEN	11.06	10.53	9.76	9.12	10.12	11.53	9
LAC	14.13	15.12	13.71	12	10.41	10.88	8.80
NYJ	9.13	11.47	11.29	9.18	11.82	8	8.80
PHI	11.13	9.88	11.47	11.59	9.88	9.76	8.60
TEN	12.69	11.41	9	9.29	9.65	9.18	8.60
MIN	13.25	11.94	14.35	13	12.41	9.24	8.40
MIA	12.94	12.12	12.94	13.18	13	10.24	7

Rec 1stD since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Buccaneers (16.56), 2019 Falcons (16.13).

The best season on record is Buccaneers 2018 at 16.56; the worst Bills 2018 at 8.50.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_receiving_rec_first_downs
Side: offensive
Family: Receiving
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.