Use this free NFL Rushing Average Calculator to calculate average rushing yards per attempt. Enter total rushing yards and rushing attempts to instantly calculate the rushing average.
What Is NFL Rushing Average?
NFL rushing average measures the average number of rushing yards gained per rushing attempt.
It is commonly expressed as yards per carry or yards per rushing attempt.
The calculation divides total rushing yards by total rushing attempts.
For example, if a player gains 100 rushing yards on 20 rushing attempts:
100 ÷ 20 = 5.00 yards per attempt
The player's rushing average is 5.00 yards per attempt.
NFL Rushing Average Formula
The basic formula is:
Rushing Average = Rushing Yards ÷ Rushing Attempts
For example:
150 ÷ 30 = 5.00
A player with 150 rushing yards on 30 attempts has a rushing average of 5.00 yards per attempt.
How to Calculate Rushing Average
You need two statistics to calculate rushing average:
- Rushing yards — the total rushing yards gained.
- Rushing attempts — the total number of rushing attempts.
Follow these steps:
- Enter the total rushing yards.
- Enter the total rushing attempts.
- Divide rushing yards by rushing attempts.
- Round the result to the desired number of decimal places.
Rushing Average Example
Suppose a running back records:
- 120 rushing yards
- 24 rushing attempts
Apply the formula:
120 ÷ 24 = 5.00
The rushing average is 5.00 yards per attempt.
NFL Rushing Average Examples
| Rushing Yards | Rushing Attempts | Rushing Average |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 20 | 5.00 |
| 150 | 30 | 5.00 |
| 120 | 24 | 5.00 |
| 80 | 20 | 4.00 |
| 200 | 40 | 5.00 |
| 95 | 25 | 3.80 |
| -10 | 5 | -2.00 |
What Does Rushing Average Mean?
Rushing average represents the average number of rushing yards gained for each rushing attempt.
For example, a rushing average of 4.50 yards means the player gained an average of 4.50 rushing yards per rushing attempt over the selected period.
A negative rushing average can occur when total rushing yards are negative over the selected number of rushing attempts.
It is a rate statistic rather than a total-yardage statistic.
Rushing Average vs. Rushing Yards
Rushing yards represent the total yards gained through rushing, while rushing average represents the average yards gained per rushing attempt.
For example:
- Player A: 1,000 rushing yards on 250 attempts = 4.00 average
- Player B: 800 rushing yards on 160 attempts = 5.00 average
The player with more total rushing yards does not necessarily have the higher rushing average because rushing attempts can differ.
Rushing Average vs. Rushing Attempts
Rushing attempts measure how many rushing attempts a player has, while rushing average measures the average yards gained on those attempts.
Rushing attempts are the denominator in the rushing-average formula.
Rushing Average vs. Yards Per Carry
In football statistics, rushing average and yards per carry generally describe the same basic calculation: rushing yards divided by rushing attempts.
For example:
500 rushing yards ÷ 100 rushing attempts = 5.00 yards per carry
Therefore, the rushing average is 5.00 yards per attempt.
Rushing Average vs. Yards Per Attempt
Rushing average is a rushing statistic based on rushing attempts. Passing yards per attempt is a separate passing statistic.
Rushing average:
Rushing Yards ÷ Rushing Attempts
Passing yards per attempt:
Passing Yards ÷ Passing Attempts
Although both are average-yardage statistics, they measure different types of plays.
Single-Game Rushing Average
To calculate a player's rushing average for one game, use the rushing yards and rushing attempts recorded in that game.
For example:
- 85 rushing yards
- 17 rushing attempts
Calculation:
85 ÷ 17 = 5.00
The player's rushing average for the game is 5.00 yards per attempt.
Season Rushing Average
For a full season, use total rushing yards and total rushing attempts for the season.
The formula remains:
Season Rushing Average = Total Rushing Yards ÷ Total Rushing Attempts
For example:
- 1,200 rushing yards
- 300 rushing attempts
Calculation:
1,200 ÷ 300 = 4.00
The season rushing average is 4.00 yards per attempt.
Do Not Simply Average Game Rushing Averages
When calculating a combined rushing average over multiple games, use the total rushing yards divided by the total rushing attempts.
Do not simply average individual game rushing averages when the games have different numbers of rushing attempts.
For example:
- Game 1: 100 yards on 20 attempts = 5.00
- Game 2: 40 yards on 10 attempts = 4.00
A simple average would be:
(5.00 + 4.00) ÷ 2 = 4.50
But the combined calculation is:
(100 + 40) ÷ (20 + 10) = 4.67
Therefore, the correct combined rushing average is 4.67 yards per attempt, not 4.50.
Can Rushing Average Be 0?
Yes. If a player records zero rushing yards with at least one rushing attempt, the rushing average is 0.00 yards per attempt.
For example:
0 ÷ 10 = 0.00
Can Rushing Average Be Negative?
Yes. A negative rushing average can occur when a player's total rushing yards are negative over the selected number of rushing attempts.
For example:
-10 ÷ 5 = -2.00
The rushing average is -2.00 yards per attempt.
Can Rushing Average Be a Decimal?
Yes. Rushing average commonly contains decimal values because total rushing yards do not always divide evenly by rushing attempts.
For example:
95 ÷ 25 = 3.80
The rushing average is 3.80 yards per attempt.
Can Rushing Average Be Greater Than 10 Yards?
Yes. A rushing average can mathematically be greater than 10 yards per attempt.
For example:
150 ÷ 10 = 15.00
This means the player gained an average of 15.00 yards for each rushing attempt in the selected statistics.
Can Rushing Attempts Be Zero?
No meaningful rushing average can be calculated with zero rushing attempts because division by zero is undefined.
This calculator therefore requires at least one rushing attempt.
Does Rushing Average Include Rushing Touchdowns?
Rushing touchdowns do not require a separate input for this calculation.
The calculation uses rushing yards and rushing attempts. A rushing touchdown may occur during a rushing attempt, but the touchdown itself is not added separately to the formula.
Does Rushing Average Include Passing Plays?
No. Rushing average is based on rushing statistics and does not use passing attempts or passing yards.
Passing plays are therefore not entered into this calculator.
Does Rushing Average Include Receiving Yards?
No. Receiving yards are separate from rushing yards and are not included in the rushing-average calculation.
Why Use an NFL Rushing Average Calculator?
This calculator provides a quick way to calculate rushing average without manually performing the division.
You can use it for:
- NFL player statistics
- Single-game rushing statistics
- Season rushing statistics
- Running back statistics
- Quarterback rushing statistics
- Football statistics research
- Fantasy football research
- Checking manual calculations
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about NFL rushing average and how this calculator works.
What is NFL rushing average?
NFL rushing average is the average number of rushing yards gained per rushing attempt. It is calculated by dividing rushing yards by rushing attempts.
What is the rushing average formula?
The formula is Rushing Yards ÷ Rushing Attempts.
What is 100 rushing yards on 20 attempts?
100 rushing yards on 20 attempts equals a rushing average of 5.00 yards per attempt.
What is 150 rushing yards on 30 attempts?
150 rushing yards on 30 attempts equals a rushing average of 5.00 yards per attempt.
Is rushing average the same as yards per carry?
Generally, yes. Both terms describe rushing yards divided by rushing attempts.
Can rushing average be 0?
Yes. Zero rushing yards with at least one rushing attempt produces a rushing average of 0.00 yards per attempt.
Can rushing average be negative?
Yes. A negative rushing average can occur when total rushing yards are negative over the selected number of rushing attempts.
Can rushing average contain decimals?
Yes. Rushing yards divided by rushing attempts can produce decimal values, such as 3.80 yards per attempt.
Can rushing average be greater than 10 yards?
Yes. There is no mathematical requirement that rushing average must be below 10 yards per attempt.
Can rushing attempts be zero?
No meaningful rushing average can be calculated with zero rushing attempts because division by zero is undefined.
Should you average rushing averages from each game?
No. For a combined period, add the rushing yards and divide by the combined rushing attempts.
Does rushing average include rushing touchdowns?
The touchdown itself is not entered separately. The calculation uses rushing yards and rushing attempts.
Does rushing average include receiving yards?
No. Receiving yards are separate from rushing yards and are not included in the rushing-average calculation.
Does rushing average include passing plays?
No. Rushing average is calculated using rushing yards and rushing attempts, not passing statistics.
Related NFL Calculators
You may also find these NFL and football calculators useful:
- NFL Yards Per Attempt Calculator
- NFL Completion Percentage Calculator
- NFL Passing Touchdown Percentage Calculator
- NFL Interception Percentage Calculator
- NFL Quarterback Rating Calculator
- NFL Passer Rating Calculator
- NFL Points Per Game Calculator
- NFL Point Differential Calculator
Final Thoughts
The NFL Rushing Average Calculator provides a quick way to calculate average rushing yards per attempt from total rushing yards and rushing attempts.
For a single game, use the rushing statistics from that game. For a season or multiple games, use the combined rushing-yard total and combined rushing-attempt total rather than simply averaging individual game rushing averages.