NFL running backs are getting richer contracts. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social explores whether front offices are making the right calls. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl...

Are the NFL's Highest-Paid Running Backs a Good Investment? | Opta Analyst

It's been an active offseason for NFL running backs with new deals. Are front offices making the right calls?

theanalyst.com

Little in an NFL preseason camp commands the same attention as a QB competition. Of course, who’s running the show on the field is tied to who’s doing the same off it. That’s why @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social is weighing a lot of factors with the 2026 preseason battles. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl...

NFL QB Battles: Who Has the Edge and Why Heading Into Training Camps | Opta Analyst

With NFL QB battles, who’s running the show on the field is tied to who’s doing the same off it. A lot of factors weigh into the decisions.

theanalyst.com

As NFL teams build their rosters for the 2026 season, we’re using a data-driven power index to isolate pure unit talent and identify who possesses the best collection of defensive players at certain positional groups. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social details the picks. theanalyst.com/articles/bes...

Which Teams Have the Best Defensive Units Entering the 2026 NFL Season? | Opta Analyst

As NFL teams finalize rosters for the 2026 season, we’re using a data-driven power index to identify the best defensive positional units.

theanalyst.com

As NFL teams work on their 2026 rosters, we’re using a data-driven power index to isolate pure unit talent and identify who possesses the best collections of weapons and linemen at certain offensive positional groups. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social details the picks. theanalyst.com/articles/bes...

Which Teams Have the Best Offensive Units Entering the 2026 NFL Season? | Opta Analyst

As NFL teams finalize rosters for the 2026 season, we’re using a data-driven power index to identify the best offensive positional units.

theanalyst.com

An increase in NFL teams using two- and three-tight end sets in 2025 was followed by an increase of draft selections at the position. Does that indicate teams will be going “heavy” even more during the 2026 season? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social explores the scenario. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl...

The NFL's Multi-Tight Ends Offensive Trend is on the Rise, but is It Here to Stay? | Opta Analyst

NFL teams are utilizing two, three, even four tight ends on more plays. Will it remain an offensive trend or is it just a fad?

theanalyst.com

A “Help Wanted” sign was up before the 2026 NFL Draft for teams that needed to quickly fill roster holes. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social details who fulfilled that goal the most for a pass catcher, pass defense, pass rush, pass block, run block and run defense. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl...

Mission Accomplished: Teams That Filled Their Biggest Need in the 2026 NFL Draft | Opta Analyst

A “Help Wanted” sign was up before the 2026 NFL Draft for teams that needed to quickly fill roster holes. Here's who succeeded.

theanalyst.com

The 2026 NFL Draft may not have the most balanced group of prospects, but the storylines are fascinating. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social takes a look at five things to know about the class. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl...

The Top 5 Things to Know About the 2026 NFL Draft Class | Opta Analyst

The 2026 NFL Draft may not have the most balanced group of prospects, but these five things to know offer fascinating storylines.

theanalyst.com

Super important topic that is talked about a lot but not in the right ways. This is the right way to talk about.

Hannah Keyser@hannahrkeyser.bsky.social · 7mo ago

For @cnn.com, a story about gambling addiction, gambling sobriety and how that changes many young men’s relationships to friends, family, and sports fandom. www.cnn.com/2026/02/01/s...

They’ve faced vastly different schedules en route to Santa Clara. But how the Patriots and Seahawks finish will mean more than how they've gotten there. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social looks at the historical data to determine how much SOS matters in the Super Bowl. theanalyst.com/articles/patr...

Traveling Different Paths to Super Bowl 60, Either Patriots or Seahawks Will Find Validation | Opta Analyst

They’ve faced very different schedules en route to Super Bowl 60. How the Patriots or Seahawks finish will mean more than how they got there.

theanalyst.com

Every team in the 2025 NFL playoffs has lost in different ways, and each has vulnerabilities that could be exploited in the postseason. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social identifies the one main Achilles Heel each team has heading into the postseason. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl-...

NFL Playoffs: The One Thing That Could Derail Every Team in the Field | Opta Analyst

All of the playoff teams have lost in different ways, and each has vulnerabilities that could be exploited in the postseason.

theanalyst.com

Whenever you're annoyed with Bluesky, click over to LinkedIn remember things can be much, much dumber.

The Bears have had one of the NFL's easiest schedules and the underlying data isn't impressive, but teams don’t win by accident in this league. So how are they doing it and what does the supercomputer say? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social on the Bears. theanalyst.com/articles/chic...

True or False? The Chicago Bears Are the Best Team in the NFC | Opta Analyst

The Bears are doing a lot right on both sides of the ball. But the underlying data isn't impressive. So are they for real?

theanalyst.com

A running back hasn’t won the league’s MVP honors since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Should that change this season? Jonathan Taylor is making a strong case. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social tries to put the Colts star's season in some perspective. theanalyst.com/articles/jona...

Is It Time a Running Back Finally Wins the NFL's MVP Award Again? | Opta Analyst

A running back hasn't won the league's MVP honors since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Jonathan Taylor is making a strong case.

theanalyst.com

Nothing is working the way it should for the Packers offense, and it’s creating inconsistent mayhem every week. Is there a way to fix it? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social a closer look at the team that was an NFC favorite just two weeks ago. theanalyst.com/articles/what...

Fallen Favorites: Why the Packers Are Suffering From an Identity Crisis on Offense | Opta Analyst

Nothing is working the way it should for the Green Bay offense, and it's creating inconsistent mayhem every week. Is there a way to fix it?

theanalyst.com

With a new coach and a young emerging quarterback, the Patriots have been one of the NFL's biggest surprises of 2025. But that leads us into the age old question: Are they an NFL contender or pretender? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social searches for answers. theanalyst.com/articles/are-...

2010s Again: Are the Patriots Back Among the NFL's Elite? | Opta Analyst

With a new coach and a young emerging quarterback, New England is the surprising leader of the AFC East. Are they an NFL contender or pretender?

theanalyst.com

For anyone wondering if Jonathan Taylor can win NFL MVP this year, I wrote about RBs and MVPs last year for @optaanalystus.optajoe.com within the context of Saquon: theanalyst.com/articles/saq...

Dropped passes, tipped balls, bad snaps or miscommunication can stymie good passing attacks. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social looked at the “sloppy” plays committed and divided them by total plays run to determine which teams have the highest “sloppy play rate.” theanalyst.com/articles/slop...

Who’s Shooting Themselves in the Foot? The NFL’s Sloppiest Passing Offenses | Opta Analyst

We've tracked the “sloppy” plays through Week 7 and divided them by total plays run to determine which teams have the highest “sloppy play rate.”

theanalyst.com

Unlike 2024, there’s no single NFL team dominating on the ground and no sure way to predict which backs or offenses will thrive. There's a whole new set of team and individual rushing leaders. And @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social breaks down some of the reasons why. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl-...

Power (Game) Outage: Where Have All the NFL's Elite Running Teams Gone? | Opta Analyst

Unlike 2024, there’s no single team dominating on the ground, no obvious pattern of excellence, and no sure way to predict which backs or offenses will thrive.

theanalyst.com

The keys to what has made the Ravens great – sensational quarterback play, a great running game and strong defense – haven’t been there so far. Off to the team's worst start since 2015, @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social breaks down what's going wrong in Baltimore. theanalyst.com/articles/what...

Purple Pain: What’s Wrong With the Ravens and Can They Recover? | Opta Analyst

The key hallmarks of what has made Baltimore great haven’t been there in the 2025 NFL season. Will they appear?

theanalyst.com

It's not easy to make the playoffs after an 0-2 start in the NFL. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social explores which 0-2 teams still have a shot at the postseason and which ones might as well start thinking about next year. theanalyst.com/articles/whic...

Checking the Panic Meter: Which 0-2 Teams Still Have Time to Make a Postseason Run? | Opta Analyst

There aren't many teams that start 0-2 and make the playoffs. Which teams should already be looking to next season?

theanalyst.com

The Micah Parsons trade sent shockwaves through the NFL, with much of the discussion around how much the Packers improved. But is it a good idea to pay a pass rusher big money? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social breaks down the trade and addresses that very question. theanalyst.com/articles/mica...

The Micah Parsons Trade: Should the Packers Have Paid the Star Edge Rusher? | Opta Analyst

The Micah Parsons trade dramatically alters the NFL landscape. Here's how it will change the Packers, Cowboys and the league as a whole.

theanalyst.com

By trading for Micah Parsons, the Green Bay Packers cemented themselves as true contenders. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social breaks down just how dangerous the Packers can be and what the trade means for the Cowboys and the rest of the league. theanalyst.com/articles/mica...

How the Micah Parsons Trade Affects the Packers, Cowboys and 2025 NFL Season | Opta Analyst

The Micah Parsons trade dramatically alters the NFL landscape. Here's how it will change the Packers, Cowboys and the league as a whole.

theanalyst.com

For my own edification, I wanted to see if Jacory Croskey-Merritt would have be a true candidate for this piece if I had looked at his 2023 stats from New Mexico. The answer: Yes. Day 3 pick: ✅ Non-elite stats: ½✅ (1,190 yards, 17 TDs) Vision/hands: ✅ Athleticism: ✅ Path to play: ✅

Opta Analyst US@optaanalystus.optajoe.com · last yr.

Bucky Irving proved to be a late-round rookie gem last year – similar to Isiah Pacheco two years earlier. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social attempted to find the next diamond in the rough from the 2025 running back class given the five rules laid out in years prior. theanalyst.com/articles/buck...

Mahomes, Allen, Lamar and Hurts represent the top tier of QBs in the NFL. But who is in the next wave of ascending quarterbacks? @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social dipped into our QB EVE ratings to find out who could be on the verge of a breakout. theanalyst.com/articles/quar...

The Next Wave: Three Quarterbacks Who Appear on the Verge of a Breakout Season | Opta Analyst

Mahomes, Allen, Lamar and Hurts represent the top tier of QBs in the NFL. But who is in the next wave of ascending quarterbacks?

theanalyst.com

It would be easy to tab Cam Ward and Travis Hunter as the most important rookies heading into 2025. Because they probably are ... but @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social takes a look at the other first-year players who could be in that category next season. theanalyst.com/articles/most...

Which Newcomers Could End Up Being the Most Important Rookies of the 2025 NFL Season? | Opta Analyst

We're breaking down first-year players who will undoubtedly play large roles – and could be the difference between a big year and a down one for their teams.

theanalyst.com

There are some key factors that can help identify potential NFL stars-in-the-making, including production, efficiency and situation. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social looked at those factors and the advanced data to find six breakout players to watch for in 2025. theanalyst.com/articles/brea...

Stars of Tomorrow: Which NFL Players Appear Poised for a Breakout 2025 Season? | Opta Analyst

The NFL season is almost upon us. Here are some players whose 2024 data suggests could be primed for a breakout.

theanalyst.com

Based on recent history, another receiving triple-crown season might be just around the corner in the NFL. But who has the best chance to accomplish it? To find out, @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social dug into the numbers. theanalyst.com/articles/who...

Which NFL Playmakers Have the Best Chance to Win the Receiving Triple Crown in 2025? | Opta Analyst

Based on recent NFL history, a third triple-crown season might be just around the corner. But who has the best chance to accomplish it?

theanalyst.com

Though our model projects some teams to finish where most people expect, there are a few surprises among the best and worst NFL teams from last season. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social pinpoints some of the key takeaways from 2025 projected standings. theanalyst.com/articles/nfl-...

NFL Predictions: Five Takeaways From Opta Analyst’s 2025 Projected Standings | Opta Analyst

Though a few teams finish in expected spots, there are some surprising landing spots among the best and worst teams from 2024.

theanalyst.com

Nine NFL teams plan to hand over the offensive keys to a new starting quarterback in 2025. @tylergreenawalt.bsky.social assesses which QBs will hit the ground running and which may struggle in the season ahead. theanalyst.com/articles/new-...

Which NFL Team's New Starting Quarterback is Poised to Succeed or Falter? | Opta Analyst

Nine quarterbacks are expected to be the new starter for their respective team in 2025. We analyze how they’re positioned for success.

theanalyst.com