StatVault

Player Archetypes

Career Profile Classification

Every player in the encyclopedia classified into a career archetype based on three signals: KV-H career quality percentile, per-snap production (SIS, when available), and durability score. From Franchise Cornerstone to Role Player — where does each career fit in the hierarchy?

7,168 players classified · 13 archetypes

All-Time Great57
Franchise Cornerstone76
Iron Legend271
Iron Man436
Elite Playmaker626
High-End Starter801
Reliable Starter615
Per-Snap Specialist17
Durable Contributor668
Efficient Reserve6
Solid Contributor1,118
Hidden Gem1
Role Player2,476

All-Time Great

Career value in the top 5% at their position — one of the greatest to ever play the game.

57

Franchise Cornerstone

Elite career value, elite snap efficiency, and durable — the rarest combination in professional football.

76

Iron Legend

All-time career value combined with exceptional availability — defined entire eras at their position.

271

High-End Starter

Upper tier career value — an important part of competitive teams.

801

Reliable Starter

Excellent availability and solid production over many seasons.

615

Per-Snap Specialist

Outstanding snap-for-snap efficiency, well above their position group — maximized every opportunity.

17

Durable Contributor

Iron availability over many seasons — teams counted on them to be there.

668

Efficient Reserve

Not a career-volume leader, but exceptional bang-for-buck per snap.

6

Solid Contributor

A professional career above league average at their position.

1,118

Hidden Gem

Low volume, high quality — produced at an elite per-snap rate despite limited opportunities.

1

Role Player

A professional career; provided value in a defined role.

2,476

Classification Methodology

KV-H percentile:era-adjusted career quality rank within the player's position group. Per-snap production (SIS): available for 2012+ players only — absence is honest silence, not a downgrade. Durability: composite availability + IR seasons score (0–100). The archetypes are hierarchical — Franchise Cornerstone requires elite scores across all three signals simultaneously. Representative players shown are from the HOF monitor set (top 500) — not all archetype members have sufficient data for the full cross-reference.