Ball carries that advance the ball at least 10 yards toward the opponent's goal — measuring a player's ability to drive forward with the ball.
A progressive carry is defined (by FBref/Opta standard) as a ball carry that advances the ball at least 10 yards toward the opponent's goal, or a carry that ends in the opposition's penalty area. Progressive carries are a direct measure of a player's ability to drive the team up the pitch by running with the ball, bypassing the press without a pass.
Progressive carries are most associated with box-to-box midfielders, attacking midfielders, and inverted wingers — players who receive the ball in midfield and drive into the final third. Elite progressive carriers include players like Vinícius Jr., Phil Foden, and historically Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben.
High progressive carry numbers indicate a player who creates transition opportunities from midfield — bypassing the press and generating positional advantages for their team in advanced areas. This is particularly valuable in matches against high-pressing opponents, where the ability to carry out of pressure rather than play short reduces the effectiveness of the press.
For fantasy football, progressive carries correlate with key passes and xA — players who carry the ball forward frequently also tend to play more through balls and crosses as they enter advanced areas. Progressive carries per 90 is a useful filter for identifying creative midfielders who may be undervalued based on assist totals alone.
Progressive Passes
Passes that move the ball significantly closer to the opponent's goal — a key indicator of a team's attacking play style.
xA (Expected Assists)
A metric that measures the probability that a pass or cross will result in a goal, weighting each assist opportunity by the xG of the resulting shot.
xG (Expected Goals)
A metric that scores every shot by its probability of resulting in a goal, based on factors like shot location, angle, and assist type.
Inverted Winger
A wide player deployed on their weaker foot to cut inside onto their stronger foot and shoot or create, rather than cross.
PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action)
A measure of pressing intensity — how many opposition passes are allowed before a defensive action is made in the opponent's half.
For informational and educational purposes only. Disclaimer
