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2017 NFL Punter Rankings

Every NFL punter with enough work in the 2017 regular season (at least 30), ranked by punt points added. Each punt's expected-points result compared with an average punt from the same spot on the field, added up over the season. It puts distance, placement, coverage and returns on one scale.

Final 2017 regular-season numbers, updated October 23, 2026.

2017 NFL Leaders

Gross Punting Average

  1. Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans): 49.7 75 punts
  2. Shane Lechler (Houston Texans): 49.0 92 punts
  3. Drew Kaser (Los Angeles Chargers): 48.1 74 punts
  4. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 47.9 65 punts
  5. Britton Colquitt (Cleveland Browns): 47.6 81 punts

Full Gross Punting Average leaderboard

Net Punting Average

  1. Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans): 44.6 75 punts
  2. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 44.3 65 punts
  3. Marquette King (Las Vegas Raiders): 42.7 69 punts
  4. Rigoberto Sanchez (Indianapolis Colts): 42.6 85 punts
  5. Michael Palardy (Carolina Panthers): 42.4 71 punts

Full Net Punting Average leaderboard

Inside the 20 Percentage

  1. Chris Jones (Dallas Cowboys): 51.5% 34 of 66
  2. Sam Koch (Baltimore Ravens): 47.1% 40 of 85
  3. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 46.2% 30 of 65
  4. Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs): 44.6% 29 of 65
  5. Thomas Morstead (New Orleans Saints): 43.3% 26 of 60

Full Inside the 20 Percentage leaderboard

Longest Punts

  1. Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs): 77 yds
  2. Jon Ryan (Seattle Seahawks): 74 yds
  3. Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans): 74 yds
  4. Lac Edwards (New York Jets): 70 yds
  5. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 70 yds

Full Longest Punts leaderboard

Punt Points Added

  1. Marquette King (Las Vegas Raiders): +22.4 69 punts
  2. Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans): +15.6 75 punts
  3. Chris Jones (Dallas Cowboys): +14.2 66 punts
  4. Rigoberto Sanchez (Indianapolis Colts): +12.6 85 punts
  5. Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs): +11.6 65 punts

Full Punt Points Added leaderboard

Fair Catch Percentage

  1. Ryan Quigley (Minnesota Vikings): 46.5% 33 of 71
  2. Matt Bosher (Atlanta Falcons): 41.5% 22 of 53
  3. Jordan Berry (Pittsburgh Steelers): 37.5% 24 of 64
  4. Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs): 33.8% 22 of 65
  5. Justin Vogel (Green Bay Packers): 33.8% 24 of 71

Full Fair Catch Percentage leaderboard

Punt Touchback Percentage

  1. Ryan Quigley (Minnesota Vikings): 0.0% 0 of 71
  2. Bradley Pinion (San Francisco 49ers): 1.3% 1 of 75
  3. Britton Colquitt (Cleveland Browns): 2.5% 2 of 81
  4. Justin Vogel (Green Bay Packers): 2.8% 2 of 71
  5. Jordan Berry (Pittsburgh Steelers): 3.1% 2 of 64

Full Punt Touchback Percentage leaderboard

Touchbacks Avoided (STOP Rank)

  1. Ryan Quigley (Minnesota Vikings): +5.3 0 TB on 71 punts
  2. Bradley Pinion (San Francisco 49ers): +3.7 1 TB on 75 punts
  3. Sam Koch (Baltimore Ravens): +3.2 3 TB on 85 punts
  4. Jordan Berry (Pittsburgh Steelers): +2.2 2 TB on 64 punts
  5. Britton Colquitt (Cleveland Browns): +1.9 2 TB on 81 punts

Full Touchbacks Avoided (STOP Rank) leaderboard

Return Yards Allowed per Punt

  1. Rigoberto Sanchez (Indianapolis Colts): 1.0 80 yards
  2. Chris Jones (Dallas Cowboys): 1.1 75 yards
  3. Ryan Allen (New England Patriots): 1.8 105 yards
  4. Bradley Pinion (San Francisco 49ers): 1.9 144 yards
  5. Justin Vogel (Green Bay Packers): 2.3 164 yards

Full Return Yards Allowed per Punt leaderboard

Opponent Starting Field Position

  1. Chris Jones (Dallas Cowboys): 20.3 66 punts
  2. Marquette King (Las Vegas Raiders): 22.2 69 punts
  3. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 22.6 65 punts
  4. Drew Kaser (Los Angeles Chargers): 22.6 74 punts
  5. Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs): 22.9 65 punts

Full Opponent Starting Field Position leaderboard

Net Average in Opponent Territory

  1. Sam Koch (Baltimore Ravens): 35.3 18 punts
  2. Chris Jones (Dallas Cowboys): 34.6 22 punts
  3. Donnie Jones (Philadelphia Eagles): 34.3 12 punts
  4. Matt Haack (Miami Dolphins): 34.1 16 punts
  5. Andy Lee (Arizona Cardinals): 33.9 14 punts

Full Net Average in Opponent Territory leaderboard

Net Average in Wind

  1. Michael Palardy (Carolina Panthers): 46.6 18 punts
  2. Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams): 44.0 20 punts
  3. Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans): 42.4 21 punts
  4. Bradley Pinion (San Francisco 49ers): 41.2 31 punts
  5. Justin Vogel (Green Bay Packers): 41.2 19 punts

Full Net Average in Wind leaderboard

All 2017 NFL Punter Leaderboards

Punters by Points Added

32 punters qualify.

RkPlayerTeamPuntsAvgNetIn 20In 20 %TB %FC %Points
1Marquette KingLas Vegas Raiders6947.442.72841%9%22%+22.4
2Brett KernTennessee Titans7549.744.62837%7%12%+15.6
3Chris JonesDallas Cowboys6644.141.43452%8%30%+14.2
4Rigoberto SanchezIndianapolis Colts8544.842.62833%4%32%+12.6
5Dustin ColquittKansas City Chiefs6545.241.12945%8%34%+11.6
6Johnny HekkerLos Angeles Rams6547.944.33046%6%18%+11.3
7Bryan AngerTampa Bay Buccaneers6644.039.52436%8%32%+8.9
8Ryan AllenNew England Patriots5843.440.52441%5%24%+7.8
9Matt HaackMiami Dolphins8344.540.73036%6%24%+7.8
10Bradley PinionSan Francisco 49ers7543.441.23141%1%31%+7.6
11Colton SchmidtBuffalo Bills7944.740.52835%8%20%+6.3
12Drew KaserLos Angeles Chargers7448.141.32736%12%8%+2.8
13Pat O'DonnellChicago Bears8747.039.72731%7%17%+2.3
14Michael PalardyCarolina Panthers7146.042.42535%6%30%+1.3
15Sam KochBaltimore Ravens8544.840.34047%4%21%+0.7
16Donnie JonesPhiladelphia Eagles6845.340.62131%7%21%+0.2
17Thomas MorsteadNew Orleans Saints6047.042.22643%3%30%−0.7
18Shane LechlerHouston Texans9249.041.33235%5%24%−1.2
19Jordan BerryPittsburgh Steelers6443.239.82641%3%38%−1.7
20Justin VogelGreen Bay Packers7144.441.61927%3%34%−3.4
21Jon RyanSeattle Seahawks9245.038.82932%7%21%−4.3
22Matt BosherAtlanta Falcons5344.940.81936%4%42%−4.8
23Andy LeeArizona Cardinals8847.339.72933%9%15%−5.7
24Britton ColquittCleveland Browns8147.640.62430%3%16%−6.3
25Ryan QuigleyMinnesota Vikings7142.239.22941%0%46%−7.1
26Sam MartinDetroit Lions4143.437.61332%15%29%−9.4
27Riley DixonDenver Broncos7545.640.22331%4%32%−10.1
28Lac EdwardsNew York Jets9446.640.53335%4%24%−10.4
29Brad NortmanJacksonville Jaguars8844.138.92933%10%29%−10.8
30Kevin HuberCincinnati Bengals8946.640.83236%3%26%−12.1
31Tress WayWashington Commanders8345.739.03340%7%31%−12.4
32Brad WingNew York Giants9744.136.71920%9%21%−36.2

Ranked by points added: each punt's expected-points result compared with an average punt from the same spot, summed. Net subtracts return yards and 20 for touchbacks. TB % and FC % are shares of punts that were not blocked. Hang time is not recorded in public play-by-play, so fair-catch rate stands in for it. Minimum 30 punts.

Punter Rankings in Other Seasons

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Other 2017 NFL Rankings

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