Separation against press coverage: Highlighting the league's best receivers at beating press coverage

2MA4A5P Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) warms up before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Rashod Bateman has been tough to defend: Bateman has created separation on a league-high 72.73% of snaps against press coverage. The next-closest receiver is at 61.54% after five weeks.

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes


It’s never too early to start preparing for next season, and for PFF, that means looking at ways to improve PFF Premium Stats. One way we’re looking to enhance the experience is by introducing more data into the mix.

Building on the popularity of our Separation Report, we decided to look only at plays where a receiver faces press coverage to highlight the league's best at creating separation from the snap.

Here is how the league's pass-catchers have fared after five weeks of action. We have also included 2023 numbers for historical context.

What is Separation Percentage?

Separation percentage measures how often a receiver beats the coverage to get open rather than benefiting from a defense more focused on limiting yards after the catch or stopping them short of the first down.

This metric is not limited to just targeted routes. Instead, it looks at all routes run where a defense tries to prevent a receiver from getting open.

Separation vs. press in 2024 (Min. 10 opportunities)

Receiver Pos. Offense Snaps with separation Opportunities Separation %
Rashod Bateman WR BLT 8 11 72.73%
Demario Douglas WR NE 8 13 61.54%
Gabe Davis WR JAX 6 10 60.00%
Nico Collins WR HST 6 10 60.00%
Mark Andrews TE BLT 7 12 58.33%
Mike Evans WR TB 9 16 56.25%
Brandon Aiyuk WR SF 17 32 53.13%
Jaylen Waddle WR MIA 11 22 50.00%
Tyler Lockett WR SEA 8 16 50.00%
George Pickens WR PIT 6 12 50.00%
Andrei Iosivas WR CIN 8 17 47.06%
Demarcus Robinson WR LA 14 30 46.67%
Brandin Cooks WR DAL 8 18 44.44%
DJ Moore WR CHI 10 23 43.48%
Diontae Johnson WR CAR 8 19 42.11%
Jauan Jennings WR SF 8 19 42.11%
Michael Pittman Jr. WR IND 5 12 41.67%
Mike Gesicki TE CIN 5 12 41.67%
Christian Kirk WR JAX 5 12 41.67%
Xavier Legette WR CAR 5 12 41.67%
K.J. Osborn WR NE 7 17 41.18%
Tyreek Hill WR MIA 6 15 40.00%
Courtland Sutton WR DEN 6 15 40.00%
Michael Wilson WR ARZ 6 15 40.00%
Jalin Hyatt WR NYG 4 10 40.00%
Drake London WR ATL 5 13 38.46%
Mike Williams WR NYJ 4 11 36.36%
Darius Slayton WR NYG 4 11 36.36%
Cade Otton TE TB 4 11 36.36%
Terry McLaurin WR WAS 5 14 35.71%
Tyquan Thornton WR NE 5 14 35.71%
CeeDee Lamb WR DAL 11 31 35.48%
Rome Odunze WR CHI 6 17 35.29%
Jonathan Mingo WR CAR 6 17 35.29%
Marvin Harrison Jr. WR ARZ 6 17 35.29%
Garrett Wilson WR NYJ 8 23 34.78%
Tee Higgins WR CIN 6 18 33.33%
Ja'Marr Chase WR CIN 6 18 33.33%
Stefon Diggs WR HST 4 12 33.33%
Zay Flowers WR BLT 4 12 33.33%
D.K. Metcalf WR SEA 6 20 30.00%
Tommy Tremble TE CAR 3 10 30.00%
Trey McBride TE ARZ 4 14 28.57%
Jalen Tolbert WR DAL 5 18 27.78%
Van Jefferson WR PIT 3 11 27.27%
Rashid Shaheed WR NO 3 11 27.27%
Allen Lazard WR NYJ 4 15 26.67%
Ja'Lynn Polk WR NE 6 23 26.09%
George Kittle TE SF 3 12 25.00%
Colby Parkinson TE LA 3 14 21.43%
Deebo Samuel WR SF 3 15 20.00%
Tyler Conklin TE NYJ 2 10 20.00%
Theo Johnson TE NYG 2 11 18.18%
Justin Jefferson WR MIN 3 18 16.67%
Tyler Johnson WR LA 2 17 11.76%
Wan'Dale Robinson WR NYG 1 10 10.00%
Keon Coleman WR BUF 2 21 9.52%
Amari Cooper WR CLV 1 12 8.33%

Separation vs. press in 2023 (Min. 20 opportunities)

Receiver Pos. Offense Opportunities Snaps with separation Separation %
Mike Evans WR TB 56 37 66.07%
CeeDee Lamb WR DAL 60 36 60.00%
Keenan Allen WR LAC 40 24 60.00%
Brandin Cooks WR DAL 45 26 57.78%
Darren Waller TE NYG 26 15 57.69%
Travis Kelce TE KC 28 16 57.14%
Jalen Tolbert WR DAL 20 11 55.00%
Justin Watson WR KC 24 13 54.17%
Darius Slayton WR NYG 34 18 52.94%
Chris Olave WR NO 42 22 52.38%
Chris Godwin WR TB 44 23 52.27%
Adam Thielen WR CAR 73 38 52.05%
Tee Higgins WR CIN 27 14 51.85%
Rashid Shaheed WR NO 27 14 51.85%
Tutu Atwell WR LA 27 14 51.85%
Hunter Henry TE NE 29 15 51.72%
Cooper Kupp WR LA 29 15 51.72%
Garrett Wilson WR NYJ 70 36 51.43%
A.J. Brown WR PHI 39 20 51.28%
Nico Collins WR HST 37 18 48.65%
Jordan Addison WR MIN 58 28 48.28%
Cole Kmet TE CHI 23 11 47.83%
Christian Kirk WR JAX 21 10 47.62%
Wan'Dale Robinson WR NYG 28 13 46.43%
Calvin Ridley WR JAX 61 28 45.90%
George Kittle TE SF 24 11 45.83%
Trey Palmer WR TB 24 11 45.83%
Rondale Moore WR ARZ 22 10 45.45%
Cedric Tillman WR CLV 22 10 45.45%
DJ Moore WR CHI 62 28 45.16%
Demario Douglas WR NE 20 9 45.00%
Tyreek Hill WR MIA 43 19 44.19%
Josh Reynolds WR DET 39 17 43.59%
Mark Andrews TE BLT 23 10 43.48%
George Pickens WR PIT 23 10 43.48%
Amon-Ra St. Brown WR DET 28 12 42.86%
Michael Thomas WR NO 21 9 42.86%
Evan Engram TE JAX 26 11 42.31%
Jaylen Waddle WR MIA 34 14 41.18%
Isaiah Hodgins WR NYG 22 9 40.91%
Ja'Marr Chase WR CIN 54 22 40.74%
Stefon Diggs WR BUF 70 28 40.00%
Zay Flowers WR BLT 30 12 40.00%
Zay Jones WR JAX 25 10 40.00%
Joshua Palmer WR LAC 20 8 40.00%
Tyler Higbee TE LA 23 9 39.13%
Sam LaPorta TE DET 23 9 39.13%
D.K. Metcalf WR SEA 55 21 38.18%
Jonathan Mingo WR CAR 61 23 37.70%
Curtis Samuel WR WAS 24 9 37.50%
Deebo Samuel WR SF 24 9 37.50%
Demarcus Robinson WR LA 30 11 36.67%
DeVonta Smith WR PHI 33 12 36.36%
Mike Gesicki TE NE 22 8 36.36%
Justin Jefferson WR MIN 22 8 36.36%
Drake London WR ATL 39 14 35.90%
Marquise Brown WR ARZ 28 10 35.71%
Xavier Gipson WR NYJ 28 10 35.71%
Tyler Lockett WR SEA 34 12 35.29%
Brandon Aiyuk WR SF 43 15 34.88%
Trey McBride TE ARZ 26 9 34.62%
Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR SEA 26 9 34.62%
Odell Beckham Jr. WR BLT 29 10 34.48%
Rashee Rice WR KC 35 12 34.29%
Romeo Doubs WR GB 60 20 33.33%
Gabe Davis WR BUF 51 17 33.33%
Amari Cooper WR CLV 42 14 33.33%
Michael Pittman Jr. WR IND 39 13 33.33%
Jake Ferguson TE DAL 33 11 33.33%
Jayden Reed WR GB 24 8 33.33%
Kendrick Bourne WR NE 21 7 33.33%
Tommy Tremble TE CAR 21 7 33.33%
Skyy Moore WR KC 21 7 33.33%
Alec Pierce WR IND 52 17 32.69%
K.J. Osborn WR MIN 56 18 32.14%
Noah Brown WR HST 25 8 32.00%
Davante Adams WR LV 47 15 31.91%
Puka Nacua WR LA 69 22 31.88%
Tyler Boyd WR CIN 22 7 31.82%
Courtland Sutton WR DEN 36 11 30.56%
Robert Woods WR HST 23 7 30.43%
Elijah Moore WR CLV 30 9 30.00%
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine WR TEN 20 6 30.00%
Van Jefferson WR LA 24 7 29.17%
Cedrick Wilson Jr. WR MIA 24 7 29.17%
Darnell Mooney WR CHI 28 8 28.57%
Jakobi Meyers WR LV 25 7 28.00%
Allen Lazard WR NYJ 36 10 27.78%
Michael Wilson WR ARZ 33 9 27.27%
Jahan Dotson WR WAS 52 13 25.00%
Tyler Conklin TE NYJ 29 7 24.14%
Terry McLaurin WR WAS 59 14 23.73%
DeAndre Hopkins WR TEN 60 14 23.33%
Logan Thomas TE WAS 35 8 22.86%
Quentin Johnston WR LAC 61 13 21.31%
DeVante Parker WR NE 47 10 21.28%
DJ Chark Jr. WR CAR 53 11 20.75%
Jerry Jeudy WR DEN 25 5 20.00%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR KC 27 5 18.52%
Braxton Berrios WR MIA 27 5 18.52%
Donald Parham Jr. TE LAC 26 4 15.38%
Michael Gallup WR DAL 51 7 13.73%
Cade Otton TE TB 21 2 9.52%
Adam Trautman TE DEN 22 2 9.09%

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