Here are some summary statistics based on the data I recently posted on yardage totals for each of the NFL teams. What I found particularly interesting was how few top RB1 seasons cracked the 1,000 yard barrier. Just 59.4% crossed that milestone, and, in a 16-game season, I know I was under the impression that it should be much easier to do than that stat demonstrates. Even expanding the cut-off to 900+ yards only brings the percentage to 67.2%.
The numbers for 1,000 yard receivers are even worse, and given this Golden Age of Passing, I am more surprised. Fewer than half (48.4%) of the WR1 seasons crossed to 1,000 yard marker. Expanding that 1,000 yard receiver to include WR2 worsens the number to 29.7% as just 7 in 64 seasons have done so.
For TEs, there has just been Antonio Gates' 2005 season that was over 1,000 yards, and only three 900+ seasons (Gates in 2006 and Tony Gonzalez in both years.) Even at a much lower threshhold of value (450+ yards), we only capture 43.8% of the seasons.| Stat | TM Rushing Yd | RB1 | TM Passing YD | WR1 | WR2 | WR3 | TE1 | RB1 | SumTop3WR |
| Seasons | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| Average | 1841 | 1095 | 3495 | 993 | 658 | 387 | 459 | 318 | 2038 |
| ">1000 Yd" | 38 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64 | ||
| >900 Yd | 43 | 39 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 64 | ||
| >700 Yd | 56 | 56 | 25 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 64 | ||
| >450 Yd | 64 | 64 | 51 | 18 | 28 | 11 | 64 | ||
| MIN | 1129 | 451 | 2190 | 506 | 217 | 85 | 76 | 138 | 1336 |
| MAX | 2939 | 1880 | 4723 | 1563 | 1402 | 740 | 1101 | 806 | 3243 |