Last updated: 3 August 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Makin, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Yards per carry is total rushing yards divided by the number of carries. It is the primary measure of a running back's efficiency. A YPC of 4.0 is roughly league average in the NFL; 4.5–5.0+ is strong for a featured back. Context matters — a dominant offensive line inflates YPC, while a weak line suppresses it. Yards per game adds a volume dimension: a back with 3.8 YPC on 25 carries contributes more than one with 5.0 on 10.
Key points
- Total yards ÷ carries
- 4.0 = roughly NFL average
- Context (O-line quality) matters hugely
- YPC + volume (ypg) gives full picture
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