What Is Cardio Percentage?
Cardio Percentage measures the share of a team's pass plays on which a player runs a route but is not targeted. It combines two NFL advanced stats into one number: Route Participation, how often a player is out running routes, and Targets per Route Run, how often those routes draw a throw. Cardio Percentage equals Route Participation multiplied by one minus Targets per Route Run, so the leaders, the NFL's Cardio Kings, are every-down receivers and tight ends who log heavy route volume while seeing few targets. A high Cardio Percentage can flag a player whose role outpaces his production, a decoy or clear-out option in his offense, or a buy-low fantasy candidate whose route share has not yet turned into targets. A low Cardio Percentage points to either a part-time route runner or a player who earns a target on a large share of the routes he runs.