Skip to main content

Process Guide - Depth Charts

  • Updated

This article explains how depth charts are handled at a data level for each applicable sport.

Depth chart data is provided for the following sports and competitions:

NFL Depth Charts

Depth charts are a key piece of NFL information, offering insight into the key players in each position and who backs them up in case of injury, suspension, or absence. Our Depth Charts endpoint is the one to use.

Depth Charts Data Process

Data Gathering

SportsDataIO's operations staff monitor NFL news throughout the season and off-season to ensure up-to-date depth charts. While depth charts are generally set in stone for most of the season, injuries and inactives play a significant role in determining who actually plays in any given game. Additionally, players who demonstrate poor form (or, conversely, excellent practice form) may find themselves sliding down the depth chart. For this reason, the depth charts feeds are updated in real-time, several times per week, based on the latest news.

While official sources are always preferred, credible media reports are also used to determine the latest depth chart news.

Injuries and Inactives

There are significant interdependencies between Injuries and Inactives and Depth Charts. The following rules of thumb should be kept in mind:

  • Players on long-term injured reserve are not assigned a depth chart number.
  • Players who have an InjuryStatus of Questionable or Probable will be assigned a depth chart number, as it is not confirmed that they will miss the game.
  • Players who have a short-term injury, but are not on injured reserve, may have a depth chart number if they are likely to only miss one game. In these cases, however, the player will be marked as Out on any Injuries endpoint. This player will remain Active on Status; that, combined with being Out in InjuryStatus, means the player is "Gameday Inactive."
  • It is important, when using Depth Chart information, to cross-reference it against Injury status, to ensure that the most accurate depth chart is used for any given game.

Example:

Here is a purely hypothetical example, from noon on Saturday, ahead of a Sunday noon game:

  • We are looking at the Dallas Cowboys depth chart for the position of Quarterback.
  • Dak Prescott, the regular number one starter, is out with a long-term injury. He is on Injured Reserve, and therefore is not assigned a Depth Chart rank. Were he fit and healthy, it would be rank 1; he is out long-term, therefore it is null.
  • The regular backup quarterback, Cooper Rush, is Questionable ahead of the next game due to a minor injury. He is assigned a Depth Chart rank of 1. He is in top spot because Prescott is out long-term, and he is not removed because he may play in the next game.
  • Will Grier, the usual third choice quarterback, is fit and healthy, and is assigned a Depth Chart rank of 2.

We now fast forward to 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday.

  • In the pre-game injury report, it is revealed that Cooper Rush, the number 1 QB on the depth chart, will not play as he has not fully recovered from his injury. He is set to Gameday Inactive (i.e. InjuryStatus is Out, but his overall Status remains Active) and is this Out of the game. His depth chart position does not change as his injury remains short-term and he is expected to return for the following week.
    • It is key to use the Injuries information to determine that, even though he is still number 1 on the depth chart, he will not play in this game.
  • Will Grier, with a Depth Chart rank of 2, is Active for the game, and thus takes precedence.

Positions

Depth chart information is offered for all offensive and defensive positions, as well as special teams.

Depth Charts Definitions and Fields

The following fields should be consulted:

  • DepthChartID: A unique identifier corresponding to a  player in a position for a team. For example, the DepthChartID for Bryan Edwards of the Atlanta Falcons, a left wide receiver, is 346, while his teammate Damiere Byrd, also a left wide receiver, has the DepthChartID of 347.
  • Position: An abbreviation of position, such as LWR for left wide receiver. Position plus TeamID determines a particular depth chart's candidates.
  • DepthOrder: Where the DepthChartID is ranked versus other players of the same position. In this example, Edwards has a DepthOrder of 1, making him the preferred starter; Byrd has a DepthOrder of 2, making him the backup.

Pre-Season and Off-Season

  • During the off-season, depth charts are passively maintained to take player movement into account.
  • If a player leaves a team he will be removed from the team's depth chart.
  • If a player signs for a team and is expected to be part of the 53-man roster, he will be assigned a depth chart position.
  • Note that the pre-season squad, which includes up to 90 players, will not be reflected entirely; the depth chart will be the size of an expected Week 1 squad.
  • Depth charts will be finalized and solidified heading into Week 1.

Free agents are not assigned any depth chart places at all, no matter their reputation, because depth chart position is necessarily related to a team as well as an individual.

 

MLB Depth Charts

SportsDataIO offers real-time depth charts for all MLB teams during their active season for all positions on the field. These are available via the Depth Charts endpoint.

Depth Charts Data Process

Data Gathering

SportsDataIO's staff update MLB depth charts in real time based on news throughout the season. Injuries and suspensions are the most common reasons for depth charts to change, but high performers from the minor leagues may be called up to replace off-form players in the majors. Whenever one of these things occurs, our depth chart will be updated to reflect it.

While official sources are always preferred, credible media reports are also used to determine the latest depth chart news.

Injuries and Inactives

There are significant interdependencies between Injuries and Inactives and Depth Charts. The following rules of thumb should be kept in mind:

  • Players on long-term Injury Lists, such as the 60 Day Injury List, are not assigned a depth chart position.
  • Players who have an InjuryStatus of Questionable will be assigned a depth chart number, as it is not confirmed that they will miss the game.
  • Players who have a short-term injury, but are only on a short term Injury List (or no Injury List), may have a depth chart number if they are likely to only miss only one or a few games. In these cases, however, the player will be marked as Injured on any Injuries endpoint, and as such their backup on the depth chart should be considered "top" for the purpose of the immediate next game.
  • It is important, when using Depth Chart information, to cross-reference it against Injury status, to ensure that the most accurate depth chart is used for any given game.

Depth Charts Definitions and Fields

The following fields should be consulted:

  • DepthChartID: A unique identifier corresponding to a player in a position for a team. For example, Trea Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a shortstop, has a DepthChartID of 36. Gavin Lux, also a shortstop for the Dodgers, has a DepthChartID of 37.
  • Position: An abbreviation of position, such as SS for shortstop. See also PositionCategory: for SS this is IF (infielder.)
  • DepthOrder: Where the DepthChartID is ranked versus other players of the same position. In this example, Turner has a DepthOrder of 1, making him the preferred starter; Lux has a DepthOrder of 2, making him the backup.

Pre-Season and Off-Season

  • During the off-season, depth charts are passively maintained to take player movement into account.
  • If a player leaves a team he will be removed from the team's depth chart.
  • If a player signs for a team and is expected to be part of the major roster, he will be given a depth chart position.
  • All depth charts will be fully populated and solidified the day before opening day.

Free agents are not assigned any depth chart places at all, no matter their reputation, because depth chart position is necessarily related to a team as well as an individual.

 

NBA Depth Charts

SportsDataIO offers real-time depth charts for all NBA teams during their active season for all positions on the court. These are available in the Depth Charts endpoint.

Depth Charts Data Process

Data Gathering

SportsDataIO's staff update NBA depth charts in real time based on news throughout the season. Injuries and suspensions are the most common reasons for depth charts to change, but reasons of form and hot streaks can also bring changes. For this reason, depth charts are monitored throughout the season and updated on a frequent basis throughout the day.

While official sources are always preferred, credible media reports are also used to determine the latest depth chart news.

Injuries and Inactives

There are significant interdependencies between Injuries and Inactives and Depth Charts. The following rules of thumb should be kept in mind:

  • Players on long-term injury will have null values associated with their depth chart fields.
  • Players who are Probable, Questionable, or Doubtful - or in some cases Out, if they are likely to miss only a very small number of games - may still have a depth chart order associated with them.
    • In such cases it is important to cross-reference their depth chart information with their InjuryStatus - if someone is ranked top starter for a positiom, but has an InjuryStatus of Out, their spot on the depth chart will go to the next player down in ranking.
    • Another option is to use the EffectiveDepthOrder value, which takes into account the player's Status. For example, if Chris Paul has a DepthOrder rank of 1, but is injured, his EffectiveDepthOrder rank will be null. His backup, Cam Payne, will have a DepthOrderRank of 2, but an EffectiveDepthOrderRank of 1, making him the likely replacement.
  • It is important, when using Depth Chart information, to cross-reference it against Injury status, to ensure that the most accurate depth chart is used for any given game.

Depth Charts Definitions and Fields

The following fields should be consulted:

  • DepthChartPosition: For the purpose of comparison with other players on the same team, what the player's position is for the depth chart. For example, Kelly Olnyk of the Utah Jazz has a DepthChartPosition of C, corresponding to Center. Walker Kessler, his teammate, also has C.
  • DepthChartOrder: Where the DepthChartPosition is ranked versus other players of the same position. In this example, Olnyk has a DepthChartOrder of 1, making him the preferred starter; Kessler has a DepthChartOrder of 2, making him the backup.

Pre-Season and Off-Season

  • During the off-season, depth charts are passively maintained to take player movement into account.
  • If a player leaves a team he will be removed from the team's depth chart.
  • If a player signs for a team and is expected to be part of the major roster, he will be given a depth chart position.
  • All depth charts will be fully populated and solidified the day before the first game of the season
  •  

NHL Goalie Depth Charts

We offer goalie depth charts for the NHL and they can be found here.

Goalies Data Process

SportsDataIO monitors official team news, credible media reports, and above all past performance to denote who is likely the leading goalkeeper in a given team. Goalies may occupy slots on the depth chart either as undisputed solo goalies, or tandem, where two goalies of relatively even strength may rotate.

Goalies Definitions and Fields

Coming soon.

NHL Line Combos

For skater positions, the NHL does not offer depth charts per se. Instead, line combos are used to determine combinations of skaters in each position who tend to be on the ice at the same time.

There are two main ways of identifying line combinations: at the team level or the player level. Both are found in the Line Combinations By Season endpoint.

Line Combos Data Process

SportsDataIO monitors official team news, credible media reports, and above all past performance to denote who skates alongside whom in NHL games.

When all players are fit and healthy, teams tend to stick with winning line combos and as such they do not change very often mid-season; however, during injuries, suspensions, concerns over skater form etc. they can change. Consequently these are updated throughout the season.

Line Combos Definitions and Fields

Key fields that should be consulted:

  • EvenStrengthLines: When teams are skating five-on-five (or, in overtime, three-on-three), these are the line combinations of three forwards and two defencemen.
    • The LineType of EV indicates an even strength line. 
    • These are indicated by LineNumber, showing which player record corresponds to each line.
  • PowerPlayLines: When a team is on a power play (i.e. the opposing team is one or two skaters short due to penalties), these are the lines they will use to attack.
    • The LineType of PP indicates a power play line.

 

 

Comments

0 comments

Article is closed for comments.

Powered by Zendesk