We took a look at cornerbacks yesterday; today we'll look at the wide receiver position — specifically, the 10 highest-graded wide receivers in the NFL in regard to PFF receiving grade through Week 3 of the 2020 season. Note that this top 10 is solely based on 2020 — nothing from past years is taken into account. In 2019, 56.9% of receiver targets went to players lined up in the slot, up from 51.8% in 2016. It's fairly universal, too, rather than one or two outlier teams pumping up the numbers. Eighteen teams saw more than 55% of their wideout targets go to players in the slot, and only three (Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Carolina) ended with more passes out. The point is, slot defenders are tested in new and vicious ways in the modern league, and their skill sets to defend speed, option routes and increased uses of receiver space are unique. Most great outside cornerbacks want to stay outside for those exact reasons. 2019 Outlook: Tyler Boyd is one of the best slot receivers in the NFL and should once again be utilized that way. However, Boyd's numbers did take a hit last season without A.J. Green, including. LOOK: The top slot receivers in the NFL, per Touchdown Wire. Share this article 24 shares share tweet text email link Jess Root. August 4, 2020 12:07 am. The Arizona Cardinals have one of the.
- Top Slot Receivers 2019 Nfl Draft
- Top Slot Receivers Nfl 2019
- Top Slot Receivers In Nfl 2019
- Top Slot Receivers In Nfl 2019
Eureka casino dining. A few years back, when I asked Doug Baldwin — one of the pre-eminent slot receivers of the last decade — about the importance of the position, he summed it up pretty well.
'The slot receiver's kind of the quarterback of the receivers,' he said in 2015. 'More so because the slot receiver has more responsibilities in terms of reading coverages and different adjustments based on what coverages you're seeing. It's a lot more complicated. … You have to know a lot more. You have to stay within the confines and the framework of the offense — you have a lot of freedom because you have a little bit more space, but at the same time, your job is usually to get someone else open, or to get open on a crucial down where it's one-on-one. You have to be versatile, and you have to understand how your route goes into the concept, based on the different coverages you can see.'
10. Adam Humphries | 9. Golden Tate | 8. Dante Pettis | 7. Cooper Kupp | 6. Jarvis Landry | 5. Julian Edelman | 4. Adam Thielen | 3. JuJu Smith-Schuster | 2. Antonio Brown | 1. Tyreek Hill
It was an apt description in 2015, and though Baldwin has retired, the role of the slot receiver is quite similar to what it was then — and in 2019, one could argue that it's even more important now. Three- and four-receiver sets are now the norm in the NFL, which means that teams will have double slot packages in which big and small receivers work together. And there's no shame to the position — it's not just for the Wes Welkers of the world anymore. Dream casino codes 2019. Guys who can win outside just fine find themselves in the slot quite frequently, and you'll find a few names that will rank highly on our upcoming list of outside receivers on this list as well.
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So, here are the 11 best slot receivers in the NFL as we head into the 2019 season.
When watching Jacksonville's 2018 passing offense, two things are abundantly clear — Jaguars receivers had one heck of a time with consistent production with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler throwing the ball all over the place, and the acquisition of Nick Foles was a necessity to give those receivers any chance of improvement. Among those receivers, Westbrook may have the most potential, as he brought in 59 slot receptions on 83 targets for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for a second-year receiver who's never had a lot of help from his quarterbacks at the NFL level.
Westbrook uses nimble feet and an impressive catch radius to make contested catches, and he has a good knack for getting open in zones. His drop rate was a problem at times, but with a credible quarterback at the helm, Westbrook could be a rising star in a big hurry.
Even a decade ago, your average slot defender was just that — average. A smaller guy without the speed to take outside receivers up the post routes and down the sideline. But as NFL offenses have defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets, the nickel and dime defender has not only become a de facto starter, but also as important as any other defensive back on the field.
Imagine you're a slot cornerback in today's NFL. One week, you have to deal with Minnesota's Adam Thielen and his array of precise routes — not to mention his ability to streak downfield for a huge play if you make any hint of a mistake. The next week, you're up against the Eagles' Zach Ertz, getting bodied out by a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in devilish route combinations. The next week, you may have to face Antonio Brown in a week when his coaches decide to make him a primary slot receiver. Good luck with that.
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Top Slot Receivers 2019 Nfl Draft
But hey, at least Rob Gronkowski retired, so that's one slot nightmare out of the way.
The point is, slot defenders are tested in new and vicious ways in the modern league, and their skill sets to defend speed, option routes and increased uses of receiver space are unique. Most great outside cornerbacks want to stay outside for those exact reasons. As Richard Sherman once told me, the boundary is your friend, and if you have open space on both sides of your coverage, it isn't a lot of fun.
Top Slot Receivers Nfl 2019
So, here are the best slot defenders in the business coming into the 2019 season, and what makes each one of them special.
Top Slot Receivers In Nfl 2019
Other Top 11 lists: Tight ends | Centers | Guards | Offensive tackles | Edge defenders | Interior defensive linemen | Linebackers | Safeties | Outside cornerbacks | Slot defenders
So, here are the 11 best slot receivers in the NFL as we head into the 2019 season.
When watching Jacksonville's 2018 passing offense, two things are abundantly clear — Jaguars receivers had one heck of a time with consistent production with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler throwing the ball all over the place, and the acquisition of Nick Foles was a necessity to give those receivers any chance of improvement. Among those receivers, Westbrook may have the most potential, as he brought in 59 slot receptions on 83 targets for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for a second-year receiver who's never had a lot of help from his quarterbacks at the NFL level.
Westbrook uses nimble feet and an impressive catch radius to make contested catches, and he has a good knack for getting open in zones. His drop rate was a problem at times, but with a credible quarterback at the helm, Westbrook could be a rising star in a big hurry.
Even a decade ago, your average slot defender was just that — average. A smaller guy without the speed to take outside receivers up the post routes and down the sideline. But as NFL offenses have defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets, the nickel and dime defender has not only become a de facto starter, but also as important as any other defensive back on the field.
Imagine you're a slot cornerback in today's NFL. One week, you have to deal with Minnesota's Adam Thielen and his array of precise routes — not to mention his ability to streak downfield for a huge play if you make any hint of a mistake. The next week, you're up against the Eagles' Zach Ertz, getting bodied out by a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in devilish route combinations. The next week, you may have to face Antonio Brown in a week when his coaches decide to make him a primary slot receiver. Good luck with that.
Top Slot Receivers 2019 Nfl Draft
But hey, at least Rob Gronkowski retired, so that's one slot nightmare out of the way.
The point is, slot defenders are tested in new and vicious ways in the modern league, and their skill sets to defend speed, option routes and increased uses of receiver space are unique. Most great outside cornerbacks want to stay outside for those exact reasons. As Richard Sherman once told me, the boundary is your friend, and if you have open space on both sides of your coverage, it isn't a lot of fun.
Top Slot Receivers Nfl 2019
So, here are the best slot defenders in the business coming into the 2019 season, and what makes each one of them special.
Top Slot Receivers In Nfl 2019
Top Slot Receivers In Nfl 2019
Losing Bryce Callahan to the Broncos in free agency was a blow for Chicago's defense, but it would have been far worse had McManis not established himself as an estimable slot cornerback in his own right. The 31-year-old veteran doesn't have top-end speed, but he understands defensive spacing and placement — he's one of those guys who always seems to be around the ball. In 2018, McManis allowed just 12 receptions on 22 slot targets for 80 yards, 42 yards after the catch, no touchdowns and an opponent passer rating of 62.7. You want to see a larger sample size of targets before moving him up this list, but 2018 was a step in the right direction.
