RAPTOR (Robust Algorithm using Player Tracking and On/off Ratings) was FiveThirtyEight's all-in-one player impact metric. It combined traditional plus-minus data with player tracking inputs (movement, speed, positioning) to estimate per-100-possession impact. RAPTOR was notable as the only major public metric to explicitly incorporate tracking data into its estimation framework.
Only major public metric with tracking-data inputs in its methodology. Strong predictive validity. Historical database maintained from 2014 forward.
FiveThirtyEight ceased operations in 2023. RAPTOR is no longer updated. The historical archive exists but no current-season values are produced.
RAPTOR's exclusion from APEX is a loss, not a deliberate design choice — it was the best available tracking-informed public metric until FiveThirtyEight's closure. Finding a maintained public replacement with tracking-data inputs is explicitly listed as a V2 Roadmap Tier 1 priority. The current APEX Impact pillar — EPM, LEBRON, DARKO DPM — approximates RAPTOR's intent through regularized plus-minus, but lacks the direct tracking-data component. This is documented in APEX's Known Limitations.