Nate Bailey, Harvard WR: the 2026 season story
Nate Bailey is a freshman wide receiver for Harvard (Ivy). He ranks 143rd of 988 wide receivers in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every wide receiver on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Knowing the one or two things a player does best, and where he is ordinary, says more than any single total. Nate Bailey's strongest measure is catch rate at 81%, 14th of 485 (the average is 61%). His weakest is yards per target at 6.4, 397th of 485 (the average is 8.2).
Season production
Why it matters. Totals reward staying healthy and getting the ball; per-game numbers show how much he really carries each week. His receiving yards per game, 53, ranks 122nd among 485 ranked wide receivers.
Against every wide receiver
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of wide receiver he is. Among ranked wide receivers he sits, on average, in the 85th percentile for volume, 71st for efficiency and 54th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. A season average can hide a player who is great one week and absent the next; game by game shows how dependable he is. Over 8 games, Nate Bailey's best came in week 5 against Colgate and his quietest in week 7 against Holy Cross.
When it matters
Why it matters. Plenty of players produce in easy situations; the ones who keep it up on third down and against good teams are the ones coaches trust.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. Where and how a player makes his plays shows how his team uses him and what a defense has to take away.
National and conference
Why it matters. A national rank shows how a player stacks up beyond his own league, where the competition can be very different. Nate Bailey is 25th of 503 FCS wide receivers and 3rd of 27 in the Ivy. Next up nationally is Michael Trovarelli of Central Connecticut, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Wide receivers like him
Why it matters. Comparing a player with his closest statistical matches puts his season in context beyond the rankings. His closest match this season is Jason Palmieri of Sacred Heart.
