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 2024 the Bengals led at 14.94; the league average was 11.25.

League snapshot — 2024

League leader

CIN · 14.94

League average

11.25

Best to worst

5.65

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CIN	14.94	17
2	DET	14.24	17
3	TB	13.18	17
4	MIA	13	17
5	KC	12.88	17
6	MIN	12.41	17
7	SEA	12.41	17
8	LV	12.29	17
9	SF	12.06	17
10	NYJ	11.82	17
11	ATL	11.71	17
12	BAL	11.71	17
13	HOU	11.65	17
14	DAL	11.35	17
15	LAR	11.35	17
16	WAS	11.29	17
17	ARI	11.24	17
18	BUF	10.65	17
19	CLE	10.59	17
20	LAC	10.41	17
21	JAX	10.24	17
22	CHI	10.18	17
23	DEN	10.12	17
24	CAR	10.06	17
25	GB	10.06	17
26	NYG	10.06	17
27	NO	9.88	17
28	PHI	9.88	17
29	NE	9.82	17
30	TEN	9.65	17
31	IND	9.47	17
32	PIT	9.29	17

At a glance — 2024

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CIN · 14.94

League laggard

PIT · 9.29

League average

11.25

Spread (max − min)

5.65

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CIN	14.94	3.69	100%
2	DET	14.24	2.99	96.8%
3	TB	13.18	1.93	93.5%
4	MIA	13	1.75	90.3%
5	KC	12.88	1.64	87.1%
6	MIN	12.41	1.17	83.9%
7	SEA	12.41	1.17	80.6%
8	LV	12.29	1.05	77.4%
9	SF	12.06	0.81	74.2%
10	NYJ	11.82	0.58	71%
11	ATL	11.71	0.46	67.7%
12	BAL	11.71	0.46	64.5%
13	HOU	11.65	0.40	61.3%
14	DAL	11.35	0.11	58.1%
15	LAR	11.35	0.11	54.8%
16	WAS	11.29	0.05	51.6%
17	ARI	11.24	-0.01	48.4%
18	BUF	10.65	-0.60	45.2%
19	CLE	10.59	-0.66	41.9%
20	LAC	10.41	-0.83	38.7%
21	JAX	10.24	-1.01	35.5%
22	CHI	10.18	-1.07	32.3%
23	DEN	10.12	-1.13	29%
24	CAR	10.06	-1.19	25.8%
25	GB	10.06	-1.19	22.6%
26	NYG	10.06	-1.19	19.4%
27	NO	9.88	-1.36	16.1%
28	PHI	9.88	-1.36	12.9%
29	NE	9.82	-1.42	9.7%
30	TEN	9.65	-1.60	6.5%
31	IND	9.47	-1.78	3.2%
32	PIT	9.29	-1.95	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 2024 vs 2023

Bengals lead at 14.94 — they ranked #8 last year. Steelers are last at 9.29 — #29 last year.

The league average is 11.25, up 0.14 from 11.11 last year.

Biggest riser: Jets, #27 → #10. Biggest faller: Packers, #7 → #25.

Spread between first and last: 5.65; 23 teams are within 1.39 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2024 vs 2023

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NYJ · +2.65

Biggest faller

GB · −2.35

Most consistent

WAS · +0.12

League trend 2024 vs 2023

▲ 0.14

Rank	Team	2024	2023	Δ
1	NYJ	11.82	9.18	+2.65
2	CIN	14.94	12.29	+2.65
3	TB	13.18	11.06	+2.12
4	NYG	10.06	8.29	+1.76
5	LV	12.29	10.71	+1.59
6	SEA	12.41	11.12	+1.29
7	BAL	11.71	10.59	+1.12
8	CAR	10.06	8.94	+1.12
9	ARI	11.24	10.24	+1
10	ATL	11.71	10.71	+1
11	DEN	10.12	9.12	+1
12	NE	9.82	9	+0.82
13	DET	14.24	13.41	+0.82
14	CLE	10.59	10.18	+0.41
15	TEN	9.65	9.29	+0.35
16	PIT	9.29	9.06	+0.24
17	CHI	10.18	9.94	+0.24
18	KC	12.88	12.71	+0.18
19	WAS	11.29	11.18	+0.12
20	MIA	13	13.18	−0.18
21	SF	12.06	12.24	−0.18
22	MIN	12.41	13	−0.59
23	LAR	11.35	12.12	−0.76
24	HOU	11.65	12.65	−1
25	IND	9.47	10.47	−1
26	BUF	10.65	11.76	−1.12
27	JAX	10.24	11.71	−1.47
28	LAC	10.41	12	−1.59
29	PHI	9.88	11.59	−1.71
30	NO	9.88	11.71	−1.82
31	DAL	11.35	13.59	−2.24
32	GB	10.06	12.41	−2.35

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

Rec 1stD since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Buccaneers (16.56), 2019 Falcons (16.13), 2020 Chiefs (16), 2021 Buccaneers (16.12), 2022 Chiefs (16.06), 2023 Cowboys (13.59), 2024 Bengals (14.94).

Buccaneers have led this stat 2 of 7 seasons.

The best season on record is Buccaneers 2018 at 16.56; the worst Bears 2022 at 6.47.

The league average has fallen from 12.28 in 2018 to 11.25 in 2024.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2024.

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.