Dedric Ward is a career quality starter — a receiver whose body of work places Ward in the top half of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Ward's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.

WRDAL#87CUT

Dedric Ward

Top 32% all-time WRsHigh-End Starter🌅 Early Bloomer · 2000Two-Way Profile

Height5'9"

Weight189 lb

BornSep 29, 1974

Age51

CollegeNorthern Iowa See College Stats

Rookie yr1997

Draft1997 · Rd 3, Pick 88 · NYJ

Archetype Intelligence

High-End StarterExplore archetypes →

A quality wide receiver with a above-average career — a legitimate starter who contributed meaningfully across their career.

Career Value · VORP

VORP 31 · #2620 · Role Player

Worth 31 points of value above a freely-available replacement receiver — top 57% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 3 of 7 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +10.3 on average.See board →

Seasons above replacement

3 cleared

4 replaced

Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it — adds 0, never a debit

Replacement

the KC-H bar

→

Seasons over

cleared the bar

+10.3

Avg surplus

peak +17

3 seasons × ~10.3 surplus ≈ VORP 31

Combined Season Grid

The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at once—no tab hopping.

4 grids split in one view

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Receiving									Rushing								Defense													Advanced (EPA)
Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Ctch%	Y/R	Y/Tgt	AirYd/T	1D	Att	Yds	TD	Y/A	TD%	1D	1D%	Fmb	Tkl	Solo	Ast	TFL	QBHits	Sk	Dis	Int	PD	FF	FR	TD	Sfty	Pass EPA	Rush EPA	Rec EPA	Pass AirYd	Rec AirYd
1997	—	NYJ	11	—	—	18	212	1	—	11.8	—	—	—	2	25	0	12.5	0.0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1998	—	NYJ	16	—	—	25	477	4	—	19.1	—	—	—	2	7	0	3.5	0.0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999	—	NYJ	16	—	54	22	325	3	40.7%	14.8	6.0	—	16	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999	—	LV	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	2	0	0	0	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	—	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
1999	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	-0.8	0	0
2000	—	NYJ	16	—	119	54	801	3	45.4%	14.8	6.7	—	39	4	23	0	5.8	0.0	0	0.0	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000	—	BAL	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4	4	0	0	0	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	—	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	-1.3	3.2	0	0
2001	—	MIA	13	—	40	21	209	0	52.5%	10.0	5.2	—	14	2	21	0	10.5	0.0	1	50.0	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.2	1.1	0	0
2002	—	MIA	15	—	39	19	172	0	48.7%	9.1	4.4	—	11	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2002	—	NYJ	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	3	3	0	0	0	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	—	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2002	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	-2.5	0	0
2003	—	NE	4	—	7	7	106	1	100.0%	15.1	15.1	—	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2003	—	HOU	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	1	0	0	0	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	—	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2003	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10.6	0	0
2004	—	DAL	2	—	1	1	5	0	100.0%	5.0	5.0	—	0	1	11	0	11.0	0.0	1	100.0	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2004	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.7	-0.8	0	0
Career		—	103	—	260	167	2,307	12	64.2%	13.8	8.9	—	84	11	87	0	7.9	0.0	2	18.2	0	10	10	0	0	0	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	—	0	0	—	0.7	10.9	0	0

Career EPA11.6·1 rushing · 11 receiving·1.9/season

Rushing

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	Y/A	TD%	1D	1D%	Fmb	VAL
1997	23	NYJ	11	—	2	25	12.5	0.0	—	—	—	4.8
1998	24	NYJ	16	—	2	7	3.5	0.0	—	—	—	9
2000	26	NYJ	16	—	4	23	5.8	0.0	0	0.0	0	10.8
2001	27	MIA	13	—	2	21	10.5	0.0	1	50.0	0	4.5
2004	30	DAL	2	—	1	11	11.0	0.0	1	100.0	0	—
Career			58		11	87	7.9	—	2	—	0	41.4

Receiving

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Ctch%	Y/R	Y/Tgt	AirYd/T	1D
1997	23	NYJ	11	—	—	18	212	1	—	11.8	—	—	—
1998	24	NYJ	16	—	—	25	477	4	—	19.1	—	—	—
1999	25	NYJ	16	—	54	22	325	3	40.7%	14.8	6.0	—	16
2000	26	NYJ	16	—	119	54	801	3	45.4%	14.8	6.7	—	39
2001	27	MIA	13	—	40	21	209	0	52.5%	10.0	5.2	—	14
2002	28	MIA	15	—	39	19	172	0	48.7%	9.1	4.4	—	11
2003	29	NE	4	—	7	7	106	1	100.0%	15.1	15.1	—	4
2004	30	DAL	2	—	1	1	5	0	100.0%	5.0	5.0	—	0
Career			93		260	167	2,307	12	64.2%	13.8	8.9	—	84

Defense

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tkl	Solo	Sk	Dis	FR
1999	25	LV	2	—	2	2	0.0	0.0	—
2000	26	BAL	4	—	4	4	0.0	0.0	—
2002	28	NYJ	3	—	3	3	0.0	0.0	—
2003	29	HOU	1	—	1	1	0.0	0.0	—
Career			10		10	10	—	—	—

Advanced (EPA)

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Pass EPA	Rush EPA	Rec EPA
1999	25	—	—	—	—	—	-0.8
2000	26	—	—	—	—	-1.3	3.2
2001	27	—	—	—	—	1.2	1.1
2002	28	—	—	—	—	—	-2.5
2003	29	—	—	—	—	—	10.6
2004	30	—	—	—	—	0.7	-0.8
Career					—	—	—

KV-H Anatomy

KV-H 54 · Solid

A solid career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 54 of 100, era-normalized against rec yds/g peers across 7 scored seasons.

Sustained

career value

×.6

Peak

best 3 seasons

×.4

×1

Longevity

career length

Blend 53.8 × longevity 1 = KV-H 54· confidence 93%

What builds the career mark of 51

On-field 33.3

Availability 17.7

On-field production Staying available

Season-by-season quality (era-relative rec yds/g)

1997bestavg 472003

All-Time Standing

how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position

Depth

of 100

Reached 11% of the all-time Receptions leader — a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.

11% of the all-time Receptions leader11

0 categories ≥25% of the all-time leader0

1.93 EPA/season over 6 seasons51

A 0–100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data — career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence — so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite ≥ 85 · Strong ≥ 65 · Solid ≥ 45 · Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 91%.

Career Aging Trajectory

vs. position group average · KV-H basis

Amber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average wide receivers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).

Playoff vs Regular Season

📊 Consistent

Yards / Reception: 13.8 regular season → 12.8 playoffs (2 playoff seasons)

-7%

vs reg season

Postseason Career

2 playoff games

Receiving

Tgt11Rec6Yds77Ctch%54.5%Y/R12.8Y/Tgt7.01D4

Advanced (EPA)

Rec EPA0.5

College Stats

Northern IowaCollege listed; stat table pending import

College stats are not imported for this profile yet.

StatVault has the verified college attribution (Northern Iowa), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.

Reference Graph

Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters — every name is linked.

1997 Draft Class· this player went #88

#73Jason TaylorOLB #74Michael HamiltonLB #75Denard WalkerCB #77Greg ClarkTE #78Stalin ColinetDE #80Derek M. SmithILB #84Ty HowardDB #86Bertrand BerryOLB #89Chris CarterDB #90Brett ConwayK #91Mike VrabelOLB #92Derrick RodgersOLB #94Kenny WheatonDB #95Brad MaynardP #96Brent SmithOT #98Derrick MasonWR

Franchise Succession

the room, before and after

Dedric inherited the New York Jets WR room from Keyshawn Johnson (1996–1999), and handed it to Laveranues Coles (2000–2008).

Lam Jones 1980–1984Jo-Jo Townsell 1985–1990Al Toon 1985–1992Chris Burkett 1989–1993Terance Mathis 1990–1993Rob Moore

Similar Players

Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0–100%).

Movementderived from season history

2004team change
Joined DAL (from NE)
2004final season
Last recorded season with DAL
2003team change
Joined NE (from MIA)
2001team change
Joined MIA (from NYJ)
1997draft
Drafted by NYJ — Round 3, Pick 88

Athletic & Unique Profile

verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts

5'9" / 189 lb

Frame

Knox

StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works →

Historical Knox · KV-H

Era-normalized career quality — z-scored against 7-season peers. See all →

peak 58

Season Report Cards· KV-H era-normalized per season

C1997

C+1998

C+1999

B2000

C2001

C2002

F2003

Availability

Career durability — games played vs. scheduled, across 8 seasons.

73%

Era Translator

Rec Yds translated to the 2025NFL — each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.

Season	Actual Rec Yds	Rec Yds/G	→ 2025 Rec Yds	→ 2025 /G
1997	212	19.3	321+109	18.9
1998	477	29.8	443-34	26.1
1999	325	20.3	297-28	17.5
2000	801	50.1	743-58	43.7
2001	209	16.1	123-86	7.2
2002	172	11.5	8-164	0.5
2003	106	26.5	279+173	16.4

Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:advanced-epa (CC-BY 4.0), wikipedia:season-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), nfl.com:official-stats (facts-only reference), espn.com:stats-api (games-played, facts-only reference) · multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle · updated 6/18/2026

Career Value · VORP

31 career value over replacement — #2620 all-time of 4,642. 4.4/season above a replacement-level WR.

Draft OutcomeValue ↑

Pick #88 (Rd 3) · NYJ · 1997 · +15.3 vs expected KV-H

54actual

38.7 expected · Δ+15.3

Fan Rating

Rate Dedric Ward — All-Time

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Compare Dedric Ward vs Player Report data error

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Archetype Intelligence

Career Value · VORP

Combined Season Grid

Rushing

Receiving

Defense

Advanced (EPA)

KV-H Anatomy

All-Time Standing

Career Aging Trajectory

Postseason Career

Receiving

Advanced (EPA)

College Stats

Reference Graph

Top Teammates

1997 Draft Class· this player went #88

Franchise Succession

Similar Players

Movementderived from season history

Athletic & Unique Profile

Knox

Era Translator

Career Geography