The EPA map
In the 2026 season the most efficient offense by EPA per play belongs to the San Francisco 49ers (+0.180), and the best defense to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-0.164 allowed). Among quarterbacks with at least 120 dropbacks, Brock Purdy leads in EPA per dropback (+0.306).
Which NFL team has the best offense in 2026?
By EPA per play (regular season): San Francisco 49ers (+0.180), Jacksonville Jaguars (+0.148) and Cincinnati Bengals (+0.142).
Which NFL team has the best defense in 2026?
By EPA allowed per play (lower is better): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-0.164), Minnesota Vikings (-0.149) and Jacksonville Jaguars (-0.128).
Who is the best quarterback by EPA in 2026?
EPA per dropback, minimum 120: Brock Purdy (SF, +0.306, CPOE +4.9), Trevor Lawrence (JAX, +0.279, CPOE +2.8), Joe Burrow (CIN, +0.261, CPOE +9.7), Josh Allen (BUF, +0.253, CPOE +4.0) and Jared Goff (DET, +0.201, CPOE +1.3).
What is EPA in football?
Expected points added: how much a play changes the number of points the offense is expected to score on the drive, given down, distance, field position and time. Positive EPA means the play helped the offense. We use the open nflverse model; full method at /methodology.
Cite this page
Pigskin Nightly, “NFL EPA rankings 2026”, https://pigskinnightly.com/epa (updated 2026-11-10).
↳Bottom lineJaguars have the best balance (+0.275 net per play). Best offense: 49ers (+0.180); stingiest defense: Buccaneers (-0.164 allowed). 8 of 32 teams are above average on both sides.
?How to read this chart
- One logo = one team.
- Left to right is its offense: EPA per play, the expected points each snap adds. Further right = a better offense.
- Bottom to top is its defense,
- measured as EPA allowed per play. For a defense lower is better, so the scale is flipped: the higher a logo sits, the less its defense gives up.
- The dashed lines
- are the league average on each side. Top right = above average on both; bottom left = below average on both.
- Tap a logo
- to open the team. The table below has the same numbers; switch it to “All columns” for the dropback and rush splits.
good defenseBad offense
good defenseBad offense
bad defenseGood offense
bad defense-0.20-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.10+0.050.00-0.05-0.10-0.15
All 32 teams
Default order: net EPA per play (offense minus defense). Tap a column to sort. Overview columns: pick “All columns” above for the splits.| # | ? | ? | ? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaguars6-2 | +0.275 | +0.148 | -0.128 | 8 |
| 2 | 49ers7-1 | +0.253 | +0.180 | -0.073 | 8 |
| 3 | Chiefs6-2 | +0.198 | +0.131 | -0.067 | 8 |
| 4 | Rams5-4 | +0.152 | +0.041 | -0.111 | 9 |
| 5 | Bills7-1 | +0.150 | +0.140 | -0.010 | 8 |
| 6 | Bengals6-2 | +0.137 | +0.142 | +0.005 | 8 |
| 7 | Packers6-3 | +0.114 | +0.038 | -0.076 | 9 |
| 8 | Bears7-2 | +0.086 | +0.037 | -0.049 | 9 |
| 9 | Buccaneers3-6 | +0.057 | -0.107 | -0.164 | 9 |
| 10 | Texans3-5 | +0.057 | +0.060 | +0.003 | 8 |
| 11 | Seahawks5-4 | +0.056 | -0.040 | -0.096 | 9 |
| 12 | Steelers6-2 | +0.047 | -0.027 | -0.074 | 8 |
| 13 | Giants5-2-1 | +0.033 | +0.003 | -0.030 | 8 |
| 14 | Lions6-2 | +0.022 | +0.102 | +0.080 | 8 |
| 15 | Panthers3-5 | +0.012 | +0.042 | +0.030 | 8 |
| 16 | Cowboys4-5 | +0.006 | +0.097 | +0.091 | 9 |
| 17 | Patriots5-4 | -0.002 | +0.041 | +0.043 | 9 |
| 18 | Broncos7-2 | -0.006 | -0.014 | -0.008 | 9 |
| 19 | Vikings6-2 | -0.013 | -0.162 | -0.149 | 8 |
| 20 | Ravens4-5 | -0.032 | -0.015 | +0.017 | 9 |
| 21 | Jets2-7 | -0.036 | +0.003 | +0.039 | 9 |
| 22 | Commanders2-5-1 | -0.053 | -0.029 | +0.024 | 8 |
| 23 | Browns5-4 | -0.063 | -0.084 | -0.020 | 9 |
| 24 | Falcons3-6 | -0.075 | -0.073 | +0.002 | 9 |
| 25 | Saints3-5 | -0.087 | -0.037 | +0.049 | 8 |
| 26 | Raiders4-5 | -0.107 | -0.015 | +0.092 | 9 |
| 27 | Cardinals3-6 | -0.109 | -0.036 | +0.073 | 9 |
| 28 | Titans1-7 | -0.158 | -0.088 | +0.069 | 8 |
| 29 | Dolphins1-7 | -0.180 | -0.064 | +0.116 | 8 |
| 30 | Colts2-7 | -0.200 | -0.125 | +0.075 | 9 |
| 31 | Eagles2-7 | -0.230 | -0.146 | +0.084 | 9 |
| 32 | Chargers0-8 | -0.248 | -0.245 | +0.003 | 8 |
EPA (expected points added) values each play by how much it changed the expected points of the drive, given down, distance, field position and time. Dropback EPA covers passes, sacks and scrambles; rush EPA covers designed runs only. Success rate counts plays with positive EPA. PROE is pass rate over expected: how often a team throws compared with what an average team would do in the same spot. Regular season only, two-point tries included as in the season totals. Home and away, score and last-4 filters apply from each team's side: a defense's “leading” plays are the ones its team led before the snap. The score before each snap comes from the ESPN play log. Source: nflverse play-by-play.