In the NFL responsibilities can vary wildly within a Football Slot.

Take wide receiver. Players are given the same label even though their roles vary wildly. One could argue there are at least three different wide receiver positions.

On each play the offense must have seven players on the line of scrimmage. Five of these players are on the offensive line.

At least one of the other two Football Slot typically a wide receiver. This player in called the X receiver or split end.

The league is changing, but these are players who you would think of Football Slot traditional number one receivers. These guys tend to be big and strong. Since they are on the line of scrimmage, they have no cushion against aggressive press coverage. They have to be able to beat a jam. (For the sake of simplicity I’m going to use the same picture here, Football Slot. Just imagine the corner is playing tight up against the line or use this illustration.)

Typically these guys will have the speed to get deep, Football Slot. The outside part of the field is typically where there is no safety help for corners so a fast receiver who gains separation creates a big play on vertical routes.

The slot receiver is typically lined up behind the line of scrimmage and inside another receiver.

Jamison Crowder plays this role for the Jets and is a good template. Crowder’s lack of size doesn’t prevent him from playing in the slot, Football Slot. Because he typically starts behind the line of scrimmage, he is difficult to jam.

For a receiver lined up in the slot short area quickness is more important than deep speed. Unlike outside receivers, Football Slot, slot receivers don’t have the sideline at one side. They can break either way. Instead of having 20-30 yards to beat a defender vertically, their responsibilities tend to Dragon oya spor gratis demo spill shorter routes cutting either left or right. The ability to create separation with one quick burst is often the difference between getting a reception and not.

Like any receiver, slot guys will be asked to go deep at times, Football Slot. This is another area where Crowder makes a good template. He doesn’t really have great speed relative to other wide receivers. He would struggle to gain separation running Football Slot the field against many cornerbacks, but his deep path from the slot takes him down the middle of the field. That is the area linebackers populate, and Crowder is faster than them.

Finally we have the Z receiver or the flanker. Going back to what we said above, the offense must have seven players on the line of scrimmage. Five are offensive linemen. The X receiver Football Slot six, Football Slot. On many plays the tight end is the seventh, meaning another outside receiver can line up behind the line of scrimmage.

Like the X receiver, the alignment on the outside means there is the opportunity for speedy receivers to run deep routes.

Unlike the X receiver, since these guys are behind the line of scrimmage they have more of a natural cushion from corners and are more difficult to jam.

Smaller deep threats like DeSean Jackson and Brandin Cooks have done a lot of their damage from the Z spot in hinckley mn casino careers. This is why it is not necessarily accurate to typecast any undersized receiver as confined to the slot. These players might Football Slot out as an option for the X spot, Football Slot if you have good deep speed and/or route running ability, the Z position can be a logical fit.

Since Z receivers are off the line of scrimmage, they can also be put into motion, which means more inside breaking routes.

They might even go all the way into the slot meaning slot receiver skills are also relevant for a Z receiver.

People frequently think of Julian Edelman as a slot receiver, but I think you could argue the Patriots utilize him more as a Z.

If we were talking about the NFL of yesterday I could probably end the article here, but everything above is an extreme oversimplification of how things work in today’s league.

There aren’t hard and fast rules about the skills needed to thrive. There New Infographics by 777spinslot.com! always exceptions. Odell Beckham, Jr, Football Slot. isn’t huge, but he has thrived as an X receiver, Football Slot. His athleticism makes it difficult for corners CryptoWild Casino Bonuses stick a jam, and his playmaking ability punishes those who miss those jams.

In recent years we have seen the rise of bigger players in the slot. Teams frequently use skilled receiving tight ends there to take advantage of their size and give their quarterbacks easy targets. In Arizona under Bruce Arians Larry Fitzgerald moved to the slot in part because his bigger body could aid blocking in the run game.

In the past you could have said a certain player’s role on many teams was X, Football Slot, Z, or slot, Football Slot. Now your role might be X, Z, or slot for a play, Football Slot, and then you move to a different role for the next play. NFL offenses are becoming more versatile and more diverse.

An offensive coordinator might want to move his best receiver from the X to the slot just to get him a more favorable matchup for a few plays.

Formations allow different looks as well, Football Slot. Adam Gase’s offense with the Jets frequently has two outside wide receivers on the line of scrimmage and the tight end behind the line. Sometimes Crowder is lined up inside but on the line of scrimmage while the guy outside is behind the line.

Much of this is philosophical. Some coaches adhere to the X, Z, Football Slot, and slot definitions more than others. Rams coach Sean McVay has spoken about how he likes to keep things simple for his players and generally likes to keep receivers in the same role.

As offenses continue to evolve, though, you will likely see fewer and fewer receivers only play one of these spots. I think the evaluation process for most teams will no longer ask whether a player is an X, a Z, or a slot. Instead the question will be whether he lacks the skillset to perform in any of the three roles. It will likely be a mark against him Football Slot so because it will take away from the offense’s versatility.

A slot receiver in football is a receiving position that lines up in between the offensive lineman and the wide receiver near the sideline. A slot receiver is typically responsible for catching short quick passes. These players are often of small stature and rely on quickness and agility to get open.

Why Are They Called Slot Receivers?

The reason this position is called a slot receiver is because of where on the field this player lines up.

The “slot” is the area between the last offensive lineman on either side and the wide receiver.

Since this is the area where a slot receiver starts a play this why they have the “slot” portion of the name.

And much like a wide receiver, a slot receiver has the job of catching the football. Since this player plays in the slot and receives the ball through the air they are known as “slot receivers”.

What Is The Difference between a slot receiver and a wide receiver?

The main difference between slot receivers and wide receivers is where they line up. As you likely guessed wide receivers line up near the sideline while slot receivers line up in the slot.

There are several other differences between slot receivers and wide receivers but the most noticeable is their stature. 

You will notice when watching football games wide receivers are often some of the tallest and fastest players on the field. While slot receivers don’t usually have great straight-line speed and are often 5’10 or shorter.

This is because these players often use different strategies in order to get open. Wide receivers tend to use straight-line speed and strength to get open. While slot receivers Football Slot more likely to use quick cuts or jukes to find open space on the field.

What Is The Role Of A Slot Receiver?

Typically the role of a slot Football Slot is to get open for short yardage gains. These receivers utilize their quickness and dexterity to get open for an easy pass for their quarterback. 

When playing a zone defense these receivers will often find a hole in between the zones where they will not be covered.

When it is man coverage a slot receiver will use his quickness to attempt to get away from their defender. 

A slot receiver is valuable for short-yardage situations in which a team needs to pick up a few yards for a first down. 

This is why you will often see slot receivers with stats lines to the tune of 6 catches for 45 yards. These players are not meant to take the top off a defense but rather to be that consistent safety valve for a quarterback, Football Slot.

This position is often targetted on third downs when the quarterback only needs a few yards for the first down. The sturdy hands and ability to get open quickly make this receiver a great option for quick passes in short-yardage situations.

Are Slot Receivers Fast?

For the most part slot receivers aren’t fast but they are quick, Football Slot. What we mean by this is they do not typically have great straight-line speed. 

In the forty yard dash, these receivers would not perform very well. Though they typically score very well in a three-cone drill.

This means these receivers are able to change direction and accelerate quickly, Football Slot. This is beneficial to the position as they are not often running at their top speed.

The main reason a receiver wants to have good top-end speed is so they can beat a defender over the top, Football Slot. Getting past a defensive back for Football Slot long pass is not something that a slot receiver usually does.

Since their passes are usually thrown underneath coverage these players will rarely get to their top speed at any point during a play.

This puts a lot more emphasis on this positions ability to have a quick first step or two as this is what allows these players to get open.

What Routes do Slot Receivers Run?

These quick receivers typically run much shorter routes than other receivers.  Dig routes, drag routes, and hooks are common routes run by slot receivers. 

These routes are completed Football Slot and allow the quarterback a quick short-yardage option if needed.

What you will notice about all of these routes is that the cut is going to come with a second or two of the ball being snapped. Longer developing routes such as a post or corner are going to require more time for the quarterback.

Slot receivers thrive on quick passes which is why their route tree is usually limited to single cut routes that the quarterback can read quickly.

For this reason, these receivers will rarely get touchdowns as the bulk Football Slot their production comes Football Slot the team works their way down the field.

While last week's dissertation on slot target percentages and their utility in opponent adjustment projections was undoubtedly fun for tens of readers out there, it may have seemed oddly timed for fantasy draft season. But that research's identification of the characteristics that teams want from their slot receivers can also help group those players into categories to inform fantasy draft decisions. Everyone wants to find the next Wes Welker or Julian Edelman late in their drafts, but you need to understand the traits that earned Welker and Edelman their heavy target shares when their real-world draft statuses undersold their promise. The label slot receiver may have communicated that fantasy potential in the past, but it is no longer enough now that teams throw increasingly diverse types of receivers into the slot. Thanks to Derrik Klassen for helping decide on the five following categories.

Quick-Twitch Slot Receivers

Archetype: Cooper Kupp

Other Established Examples: Cole Beasley, Football Slot, Hunter Renfrow, Jamison Crowder, Randall Cobb, Emmanuel Sanders

This is the slot receiver stereotype. Welker and Edelman were quick-twitch slot receivers, Football Slot, and Kupp has inherited their mantle. Typically, these players fall in the NFL draft because their smaller builds and unimpressive combine traits limit their versatility. They are not strong enough to beat press coverage, they are not fast enough to run by cornerbacks, and they are not tall or athletic enough to win contested catches. However, their quick twitch allows them to separate quickly if they are undisturbed off the line. That works well from the slot, Football Slot, and that makes them low-risk targets since quarterbacks can throw to them with short passes before pass rushes have a chance to a bring pressure, Football Slot. It's a tremendous Football Slot for fantasy sleepers. Many fantasy players will overlook quick-twitch prospects because of their lack of draft pedigree, but those receivers may get a ton of to stay ahead of the sticks and keep offenses on schedule. To find these players, look for undersized receivers with poor 40 times but excellent results in their agility drills like the 3-cone drill and short shuttle.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Jakobi Meyers, Albert Wilson

Meyers and Wilson aren't the big-name sleepers that many of the soon-to-be-discussed players are, but their skill 4 Stars Casino Bonuser as quick-twitch slot receivers make them two of my preferred fantasy targets later in drafts. From his first start in Week 8 to the end of the season, Meyers trailed just Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs with a PokerNox Casino No Deposit Bonus Codes target share. With better touchdown luck, he could have been a second-half WR2 in PPR formats, and he has that potential in 2021. His target volume has room to grow with Mac Jones as his quarterback, and he has upside in the uncertainty of the Patriots' receiving pecking order with newcomers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Football Slot, Jonnu Smith, and Hunter Henry.

Wilson has seen his early star in Dolphins camp fade with an injury, but he is on track to play in Week 1 and is compelling as a different type of player than his more heralded Dolphins teammates Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, and DeVante Parker. That latter trio has some combination of size and speed to add explosive plays to an offense that needed Secrets of Christmas Slots Machine in 2020, Football Slot, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is less explosive and more accurate as a passer. Football Slot may feature his early-open slot target Wilson as part of a conservative approach to protect himself as an inexperienced player and play to the strengths of a team with an above-average projected defense in DVOA.

Power Slot Receivers

Archetype: Michael Thomas

Other Established Examples: Robert Woods, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jarvis Landry, Tyler Boyd

Thomas may have stumbled into his incredibly effective slot role because he landed in a Saints offense that relied on short passes to avoid mistakes and failed plays, Football Slot, but his success in that role demonstrated how power can play in the short middle of the field. Where traditional quick-twitch slot guys need capable outside receivers to draw their opponents' press corners, Thomas and his contemporaries can bully press corners from the slot and gain quick leverage. Meanwhile, they have enough quick twitch in their games to separate on slants and crosses whenever corners lay off of them. Their prototypical-for-receiver size tends to keep them out of Day 3 of the draft, when smaller quick-twitch slot receivers build much of their potential for fantasy value relative to ADPs. But power slot receivers can offer potential for fantasy returns when their underwhelming 40 times push them out of the first round.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Kendrick Bourne, Amon-Ra St. Brown

Bourne has a different skill set than his teammate Jakobi Meyers, but those differences may not land them in different places on the field. As such, it seems unlikely that both players could excel in fantasy for a team likely to rely on frequent 12 personnel with Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. I prefer Meyers as a fantasy sleeper, Football Slot, but Bourne is a compelling choice as well. His 13.4% receiving DVOA from the last two seasons is one of the best rates at his position. He was redundant in San Francisco since the 49ers hit on a pair of recent rookies with excellent after-the-catch skills in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but he won't have to beat out any recent Day 1 or 2 draft picks for Patriots targets.

Sean McVay has convinced the world that Jared Goff is trash, and that opinion seems to have infected fantasy football even though Goff has consistently turned slot receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods into top-20 fantasy options. St. Brown is more like the latter, and he won't have a teammate like the former to compete with for targets. After releasing Breshad Perriman, Football Slot, the Lions plan to pair St, Football Slot. Brown with receivers Tyrell Williams, Quintez Cephus, and Kalif Raymond. That trio has averaged 13.7, 14.5, and 17.6 yards in average depth of target since 2019, rates that would have landed them in the top 10 at the position if they had the 100 targets to qualify. They may be Football Slot pegs for a round hole in Goff if he struggles to throw accurate deep passes. And that could benefit St. Brown in fantasy.

Speed Slot Receivers

Archetype: Tyreek Hill

Other Established Examples: Tyler Lockett, Robby Anderson, Brandin Cooks

Speed slot receivers are fast enough to win on the outside—Hill may be the fastest player in the NFL. NetEnt Slots & Casinos their Football Slot in the slot allows their teams advantages in opening both sides of the field and avoiding double teams. Those advantages can help, Football Slot, but Football Slot is not the same as quick-twitch, Football Slot. Speed takes longer to win on a route than quick-twitch does. And so, for traditional fantasy formats, speed slot receivers are only as enticing as their full skill sets. That can be incredibly enticing. Hill has some quick-twitch in him and has refined his route-running. Paired with his speed and with the best deep passer in football in Patrick Mahomes, those skills offer Hill the chance to Football Slot the No. 1 receiver Football Slot fantasy, Football Slot. But NFL teams tend to pay for speed in the draft, and that often sets high expectations in fantasy that athletic but unpolished prospects fail to meet in their first few seasons.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Mecole Hardman, Henry Ruggs, Russell Gage, KJ Hamler, Jaylen Waddle, Kalif Raymond, Deonte Harris, Tutu Atwell

There are more speed slot receiver sleepers than there are Football Slot the other slot categories, but based on what these types of players have done in recent seasons, that is likely a mistake. Hardman and Ruggs have at least "failed" before as hyped sleepers, and that has lowered them to palatable ADPs at the position of 54th and 48th. In contrast, the rookie Waddle has excelled in camp and is a top-10 NFL draft pick. It follows reason that he's up to 46th in ADP, but I think that is bad value. We are as optimistic as anyone on Tua Tagovailoa's second-year prospects, but KUBIAK still ranks Waddle just 52nd at the position in PPR formats. Waddle will likely need some time to become a fantasy star, especially with his Year 1 competition from veteran teammates Will Fuller and DeVante Parker.

Hybrid Slot Receivers

Archetype: Curtis Samuel

Other Established Examples: Deebo Samuel

Hybrid slot receivers are a newer group in the NFL, Football Slot. They can be powerful; Deebo earned his nickname from the bullying character from the movie Friday. They can be speedy; Curtis ran a 4.31s 40. But they do not have the combination of power and quick-twitch to consistently beat a talented press corner like a power slot receiver. And they do not harness their speed into a consistent capacity for deep catches like a speed slot receiver. They work from the slot as an extension of the running game, where their power or speed can help them excel after the catch. Even five years ago, that might restrict these players to gadget roles. But as coaches have become more creative and borrowed from the college and high school games, hybrid slot corners have ascended to fantasy relevance.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Parris Campbell, Rondale Moore, Kadarius Toney, Jalen Hurd

The Samuel brothers have ebbed and flowed in fantasy with the friendliness of their offenses to their skill sets. Frankly, that's a concern for Curtis, who in free agency this offseason left the Joe Brady offense that orchestrated his 2020 breakout to return to Scott Turner's offense that never seemed to figure him out. But I think it's a bigger concern for rookie Kadarius Toney Football Slot the Giants. The team's free-agent addition of contested-catch winner Kenny Golladay tips their hand of Football Slot intention to build around quarterback Daniel Football Slot apparent excellence as a deep passer. Toney may be stuck as a bit player in this offense as he develops—and as he heals up from whatever has held him out of most of this preseason.

Campbell and Moore are fascinating fantasy prospects. The former has played just nine games in two seasons because of myriad hamstring, finger, foot, and knee injuries. But he's healthy now and part of a Colts offense that decidedly isn't, something that counterintuitively could Football Slot his fantasy potential. Despite 4.31s speed, Football Slot, I don't think Campbell is a skills replacement for the injured, field-stretching T.Y. Hilton. But he could a quick-release option for quarterback Carson Wentz as he tries to bring his YOLO passing attitude under control—or for backup Jacob Eason if he has to start and aims to steer a more conservative offense until Wentz can return.

Moore may have the deep speed to stretch the field. He didn't show it in a Purdue offense that seemed to have other priorities. And I don't think he'll show it in a vanilla Cardinals offense—as Vince Verhei detailed in their Almanac chapter, Arizona ran a very limited route tree in 2020. But that may work in Moore's favor for fantasy. Kliff Kingsbury may not be the offensive mastermind that his divisional counterpart Kyle Shanahan is, but he seems to have a reasonable priority of getting the ball out of undersized quarterback Kyler Murray's hands as quickly as possible. With his after-the-catch skills, Moore can be a solution to that problem. And that could be a quick path to a heavy target volume even in a crowded receiver room with prominent outside options in DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green.

Unicorn Slot Receivers

Archetype: Keenan Allen

Other Established Examples: Chris Godwin

Some slot players break the mold. Allen may be the best route-runner in the game. And since he lacks the size or speed of his prototypical outside teammates, he makes sense in the slot and has become a consistent fantasy WR1 there, Football Slot. Godwin is incredibly competitive despite his smaller stature and combines that spirit with excellent hands and concentration to reliably catch passes in traffic in the middle of the field. Unicorn slot receivers are difficult to identify ahead of their breakouts. But Godwin provided one pattern to look for in his increase in slot percentage from 49% in 2018 to 82% in his Pro Bowl 2019 season.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Elijah Moore

Moore looks like a speed slot receiver at just 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds and Football Slot a 4.35s 40 time from his Pro Day. But scouts rave about his competitive nature and toughness. He reminds me of Steve Smith in that respect, and he may have an easier path to immediate fantasy success with the Jets' apparent plan to play him from the slot with bigger receivers Corey Davis and Denzel Mims on the outside attracting their opponents' bigger press corners. Jamison Crowder could delay Moore's fantasy ascension since the former's quick-twitch skills make him an attractive slot choice as well. But Crowder may also be the reason that Moore is outside the top 60 at his position in ADP, Football Slot, a position that offers him incredible potential return on a low draft investment.

Position in gridiron football

Slotback, sometimes referred to as an Football Slot or "slot receiver," is a position in gridiron football. The "slot" is the area between the last offensive lineman on either side of the center and the wide receiver on that side. A player who lines up between those two players and behind the line of scrimmage fills that "slot." The slotback position is a fixture of Canadian football and indoor football where they act as extra receivers, Football Slot. It is also used in American football where the position requires a versatile player, who must combine the receiving skills of a wide receiver, the ball-carrying skills of a running back, and the blocking skills of a tight end.

A Football Slot named position is the slot receiver, Football Slot, who is the third wide receiver in a 3-receiver set, the one who lines up between the outermost receiver Football Slot the end of the offensive line.

Slotbacks are often as many as five yards behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped and, in the Canadian and indoor game, may also make a running start toward the line of Football Slot prior to the snap, Football Slot. In most forms of American football, this would be an illegal motion, although a few professional leagues such as the World Football League and XFL allowed forward motion.

Role[edit]

Slotbacks are primarily used as hybrid running backs/receivers, but are often used to provide pass protection on blitzes and blocking as required on running plays. They are preferred over the wide receiver or tight end for receiving short passes or hand-offs due to their positioning being closer to the quarterback. When formations containing slotbacks are used in American football the team often has to go without a tight end, a fullback or a running back due to there being only 11 men on the offense and 7 being on the line of scrimmage, one reason they are rarer in the American game. However, as NFL teams have increasingly "defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets" in recent years, the slot receiver has become a fixture of American football formations.^[2] In terms of a depth chart, a slotback is typically considered the third wide receiver and may be expected to be a "possession receiver" that can reliably catch a pass when covered by a safety, since they are most commonly used when converting medium-distance third-down conversions.

Slotbacks are used effectively in flexbone formations, in which they are used as extra receivers. Slotbacks are usually smaller and faster than the other positions used. they are also used for short passes and short runs to get extra yards or a first down or a third down drive.

It is important to note that players are not drafted to become slotbacks in the NFL, Football Slot. This position is filled as needed by a wide receiver or running back with the necessary skill-set to effectively play the position, Football Slot. Slotbacks must be able to block, catch, and evade tacklers at a Football Slot level to be productive. In 2019, the Navy Midshipmen football team had a highly productive season where their slotbacks gained over 1,500 all-purpose yards.^[3]

In Canadian football, slotbacks are basically the same as wide receivers, except that they line up closer to the quarterback and can use the waggle (motion before the snap). They rarely block or run the ball and are almost always sent out to Football Slot passes.

Examples[edit]

As the NFL has shifted to a pass-heavy league over the last few years there has been an explosion of slot backs. Some prime examples are the recently retired Darren Sproles, and the still active players Christian McCaffrey, and Larry Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald extended his football career by moving from an outside receiving position to going into the slot where he is able to use his veteran savvy and quick change of direction in tandem with his willingness to block to still be considered among the best in the league at what he does.^[4]

McCaffrey entered the NFL Football Slot 2017 and has never failed to put up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage (as of 2020) in fact, in 2019 he totaled a thousand yards running and a thousand yards receiving, Football Slot, with a lot of those receiving yards coming from the slot back position^[5] McCaffrey is a peculiar example, because most slot backs are not Football Slot to get the most touches in an offense, but he was the Carolina Panthers' leading rusher over the last two seasons while also putting up great stats as a receiver as well.

Darren Sproles was never a prolific running back, Football Slot, but he was a great slotback, Football Slot. His 2011 season is the epitome of what a slotback should be. He ran the ball 87 times and he added 86 receptions for over 1,300 Yards from scrimmage and 9 touchdowns^[6]

Slotbacks are very important in the CFL, where most formations include 3 slotbacks and 2 wide receivers in a 5-receiver set. In the TSN Top 50 CFL Players, 4 of the top players in league history were specifically slotbacks. These players are Allen Pitts, Milt Stegall, Ray Elgaard, Football Slot, and Terry Vaughn. These players were typically the most reliable receivers on their team every season.

In American football, slotbacks are labeled as wide receivers on depth charts.^[7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

The slot receiver, (who is sometimes designated the Y receiver, other times the F receiver if there is a tight end), has Football Slot a significant part of some of the high scoring offenses in the NFL these days. The slot receiver Twin Spin Slot Machine not have to have a unique set of skills, Football Slot, but there have been two schools of thought on how to best assemble a group of wide receivers that can challenge a defense. The first school of thought is to have all of the receivers be the same type, such as all of them need to be tall receivers, while the other Football Slot of thought is to have the three main receivers be different, Football Slot. Let's look at those dynamics.

TYPES OF RECEIVERS

If you study what type of receivers seem to be needed in an offense, you will automatically remember that one of the receivers you need is a Football Slot receiver."  But, then you pause and ask yourself."shouldn't all of your receivers be capable of being that type?"

Here is my opinion on what types of receivers a team needs.

1. A Great Possession Receiver.
2. A Football Slot Deep Threat Receiver.
3. A Great Quick Threat Receiver.

Now let me give the reasoning.

Possession Receiver - This one is very obvious to all, the possession receiver has to have great hands and can go over the middle and not get what they call "Alligator Arms", Football Slot, meaning if the receiver sees a defender bearing down on him and he needs to reach out to get to the ball, you want him to reach and not pull his arms back and prepare for the hit. Seldom drops a ball that he can touch or reach.

Deep Threat Receiver - One of the outside receivers needs to have great speed because these guys will usually demand a safety to play over the top so he can't get behind the defense. Getting double coverage is very key to having a both a great passing attack and a great running attack because one of the safeties is not able to support the run if he is playing deep over the top.

Quick Threat Receiver - The prototype is Wes Welker. Guys with short legs have a built in advantage in quickness, Football Slot. Speed is not the same as quickness. Quickness is usually guys with great 10-yard dash times, Football Slot, while speed is the guys with great 20- to 60-yard times, Football Slot. This guy needs to get quick separation so he can be the guy that gets the pass from the QB when he has to get the ball out quick and can't wait for the routes to Football Slot because he is either being blitzed or hurried by a great pass rush. This guy is usually the slot receiver.

Before we give some details about his routes, Football Slot, I should mention something about putting your best receiver in the slot and disregard having the quick twitch receiver always being there. One of the tenants on offense is to try to create match-up problems for the defense such as having a formation where you force the defense into an advantageous match up for your offense. One mismatch is to put your best receiver who is often the X receiver in the slot, Football Slot. This article talks about how your best receiver is usually the X receiver.

Nelson would be the Packers' most obvious star X receiver, but that doesn't mean he is one. He has the requirements: height (he's the tallest of the corps, at 6'3"), size and leaping ability (have you seen his acrobatic catches?)

The attributes of Nelson's teammates would also seem to suggest that he's best-suited as a traditional X receiver. Jones is a little shorter but still very physical at 6'1", and he could also play the X but often plays the Z, or flanker. Cobb, of course, is a multi-threat, but at 5'10", he is the prototypical slot receiver who is smart, small and quick. [emphasis added]

By putting your best receiver in the slot, it forces the defense to make a decision about getting their corners out of their normal alignment such as having your best corner move from where he normally covers the X receiver outside, to follow him down into the slot position. If he doesn't move with him, then you now have what is usually the defenses third Football Slot corner matched against your best receiver.

ROUTES OF SLOT RECEIVERS

Without talking about the "receiver route tree", ( Select the 2nd line in the drop down below ),

we will talk about the choices of routes the Slot receiver has available. These routes are usually determined by the way the DB lines up in front of him. Usually they line up one of three ways:

1. Outside Leverage
2. Straight-Up Leverage
3. Inside Leverage

The DB may want to try to direct the slot receivers choice to the two choices that the DB likes. If the DB thinks he can match up better if he tries to make the seam or slant the better choice for the slot receiver, he will line up with outside leverage as shown below:

If he uses straight-up leverage, the slot receiver will have the slant or the out routes available to him.

If he uses inside leverage, then the slot receiver will think the seam or the out are his best options.

Based upon how the DB plays him, the Genesis Casino Casino Bonuser receiver will choose an option, Football Slot, and this choice will need to be talked about by the receivers, the quarterback and the offensive coordinator as part of the playbook because the receiver and the quarterback must both make the same "read" or it could lead to an incompletion or worse yet, an interception. That is what is talked about as far as the quarterback and the receiver being on the same page, Football Slot. If the receiver makes the wrong read, then often the interception will be the fault of the receiver, but the casual fan will often say,

what a stupid quarterback, he threw it right to the linebacker. What's wrong with him, can't he see?

Below is a good visual of the different routes possible for the slot receiver. Notice in this photo, the DB is playing with slight inside leverage, probably because he suspects that a slant is the likely play call here. This picture came from a very good article on the route tree.

So, Football Slot, there you have it. If you like Football Slot, please re-tweet, like on Facebook, and/or give it a rec on that same line.

While last week's dissertation on slot target percentages and their utility in opponent adjustment projections was undoubtedly fun for tens of readers out there, it may have seemed oddly timed for fantasy draft season. But that research's identification of the characteristics that teams want from their slot receivers can also help group those players into categories to inform fantasy draft decisions. Everyone wants to find the next Wes Welker or Julian Edelman late in their drafts, but you need to understand the traits that earned Welker and Edelman their heavy target shares when their real-world draft statuses undersold their promise. The label slot receiver may have communicated that fantasy potential in the past, but it is no longer enough now that teams throw increasingly diverse types of receivers into the slot. Thanks to Derrik Klassen for helping decide on the five following categories.

Quick-Twitch Slot Receivers

Archetype: Cooper Kupp

Other Established Examples: Cole Beasley, Hunter Renfrow, Jamison Crowder, Randall Cobb, Emmanuel Sanders

This is the slot receiver stereotype. Welker and Edelman were quick-twitch slot receivers, and Kupp has inherited their mantle. Typically, these players fall in the NFL draft because their smaller builds and unimpressive combine traits limit their versatility. They are not strong enough to beat press coverage, they are not fast enough to run by cornerbacks, and they are not tall or athletic enough to win contested catches. However, their quick twitch allows them to separate quickly if they are undisturbed off the line. That works well from the slot, and that makes them low-risk targets since quarterbacks can throw to them with short passes before pass rushes have a chance to a bring pressure. It's a tremendous combination for fantasy sleepers. Many fantasy players will overlook quick-twitch prospects because of their lack of draft pedigree, but those receivers may get a ton of to stay ahead of the sticks and keep offenses on schedule. To find these players, look for undersized receivers with poor 40 times but excellent results in their agility drills like the 3-cone drill and short shuttle.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Jakobi Meyers, Albert Wilson

Meyers and Wilson aren't the big-name sleepers that many of the soon-to-be-discussed players are, but their skill sets as quick-twitch slot receivers make them two of my preferred fantasy targets later in drafts. From his first start in Week 8 to the end of the season, Meyers trailed just Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs with a 30.1% target share. With better touchdown luck, he could have been a second-half WR2 in PPR formats, and he has that potential in 2021. His target volume has room to grow with Mac Jones as his quarterback, and he has upside in the uncertainty of the Patriots' receiving pecking order with newcomers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jonnu Smith, and Hunter Henry.

Wilson has seen his early star in Dolphins camp fade with an injury, but he is on track to play in Week 1 and is compelling as a different type of player than his more heralded Dolphins teammates Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, and DeVante Parker. That latter trio has some combination of size and speed to add explosive plays to an offense that needed them in 2020, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is less explosive and more accurate as a passer. He may feature his early-open slot target Wilson as part of a conservative approach to protect himself as an inexperienced player and play to the strengths of a team with an above-average projected defense in DVOA.

Power Slot Receivers

Archetype: Michael Thomas

Other Established Examples: Robert Woods, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jarvis Landry, Tyler Boyd

Thomas may have stumbled into his incredibly effective slot role because he landed in a Saints offense that relied on short passes to avoid mistakes and failed plays, but his success in that role demonstrated how power can play in the short middle of the field. Where traditional quick-twitch slot guys need capable outside receivers to draw their opponents' press corners, Thomas and his contemporaries can bully press corners from the slot and gain quick leverage. Meanwhile, they have enough quick twitch in their games to separate on slants and crosses whenever corners lay off of them. Their prototypical-for-receiver size tends to keep them out of Day 3 of the draft, when smaller quick-twitch slot receivers build much of their potential for fantasy value relative to ADPs. But power slot receivers can offer potential for fantasy returns when their underwhelming 40 times push them out of the first round.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Kendrick Bourne, Amon-Ra St. Brown

Bourne has a different skill set than his teammate Jakobi Meyers, but those differences may not land them in different places on the field. As such, it seems unlikely that both players could excel in fantasy for a team likely to rely on frequent 12 personnel with Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. I prefer Meyers as a fantasy sleeper, but Bourne is a compelling choice as well. His 13.4% receiving DVOA from the last two seasons is one of the best rates at his position. He was redundant in San Francisco since the 49ers hit on a pair of recent rookies with excellent after-the-catch skills in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but he won't have to beat out any recent Day 1 or 2 draft picks for Patriots targets.

Sean McVay has convinced the world that Jared Goff is trash, and that opinion seems to have infected fantasy football even though Goff has consistently turned slot receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods into top-20 fantasy options. St. Brown is more like the latter, and he won't have a teammate like the former to compete with for targets. After releasing Breshad Perriman, the Lions plan to pair St. Brown with receivers Tyrell Williams, Quintez Cephus, and Kalif Raymond. That trio has averaged 13.7, 14.5, and 17.6 yards in average depth of target since 2019, rates that would have landed them in the top 10 at the position if they had the 100 targets to qualify. They may be square pegs for a round hole in Goff if he struggles to throw accurate deep passes. And that could benefit St. Brown in fantasy.

Speed Slot Receivers

Archetype: Tyreek Hill

Other Established Examples: Tyler Lockett, Robby Anderson, Brandin Cooks

Speed slot receivers are fast enough to win on the outside—Hill may be the fastest player in the NFL. But their speed in the slot allows their teams advantages in opening both sides of the field and avoiding double teams. Those advantages can help, but speed is not the same as quick-twitch. Speed takes longer to win on a route than quick-twitch does. And so, for traditional fantasy formats, speed slot receivers are only as enticing as their full skill sets. That can be incredibly enticing. Hill has some quick-twitch in him and has refined his route-running. Paired with his speed and with the best deep passer in football in Patrick Mahomes, those skills offer Hill the chance to be the No. 1 receiver in fantasy. But NFL teams tend to pay for speed in the draft, and that often sets high expectations in fantasy that athletic but unpolished prospects fail to meet in their first few seasons.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Mecole Hardman, Henry Ruggs, Russell Gage, KJ Hamler, Jaylen Waddle, Kalif Raymond, Deonte Harris, Tutu Atwell

There are more speed slot receiver sleepers than there are for the other slot categories, but based on what these types of players have done in recent seasons, that is likely a mistake. Hardman and Ruggs have at least "failed" before as hyped sleepers, and that has lowered them to palatable ADPs at the position of 54th and 48th. In contrast, the rookie Waddle has excelled in camp and is a top-10 NFL draft pick. It follows reason that he's up to 46th in ADP, but I think that is bad value. We are as optimistic as anyone on Tua Tagovailoa's second-year prospects, but KUBIAK still ranks Waddle just 52nd at the position in PPR formats. Waddle will likely need some time to become a fantasy star, especially with his Year 1 competition from veteran teammates Will Fuller and DeVante Parker.

Hybrid Slot Receivers

Archetype: Curtis Samuel

Other Established Examples: Deebo Samuel

Hybrid slot receivers are a newer group in the NFL. They can be powerful; Deebo earned his nickname from the bullying character from the movie Friday. They can be speedy; Curtis ran a 4.31s 40. But they do not have the combination of power and quick-twitch to consistently beat a talented press corner like a power slot receiver. And they do not harness their speed into a consistent capacity for deep catches like a speed slot receiver. They work from the slot as an extension of the running game, where their power or speed can help them excel after the catch. Even five years ago, that might restrict these players to gadget roles. But as coaches have become more creative and borrowed from the college and high school games, hybrid slot corners have ascended to fantasy relevance.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Parris Campbell, Rondale Moore, Kadarius Toney, Jalen Hurd

The Samuel brothers have ebbed and flowed in fantasy with the friendliness of their offenses to their skill sets. Frankly, that's a concern for Curtis, who in free agency this offseason left the Joe Brady offense that orchestrated his 2020 breakout to return to Scott Turner's offense that never seemed to figure him out. But I think it's a bigger concern for rookie Kadarius Toney with the Giants. The team's free-agent addition of contested-catch winner Kenny Golladay tips their hand of their intention to build around quarterback Daniel Jones' apparent excellence as a deep passer. Toney may be stuck as a bit player in this offense as he develops—and as he heals up from whatever has held him out of most of this preseason.

Campbell and Moore are fascinating fantasy prospects. The former has played just nine games in two seasons because of myriad hamstring, finger, foot, and knee injuries. But he's healthy now and part of a Colts offense that decidedly isn't, something that counterintuitively could boost his fantasy potential. Despite 4.31s speed, I don't think Campbell is a skills replacement for the injured, field-stretching T.Y. Hilton. But he could a quick-release option for quarterback Carson Wentz as he tries to bring his YOLO passing attitude under control—or for backup Jacob Eason if he has to start and aims to steer a more conservative offense until Wentz can return.

Moore may have the deep speed to stretch the field. He didn't show it in a Purdue offense that seemed to have other priorities. And I don't think he'll show it in a vanilla Cardinals offense—as Vince Verhei detailed in their Almanac chapter, Arizona ran a very limited route tree in 2020. But that may work in Moore's favor for fantasy. Kliff Kingsbury may not be the offensive mastermind that his divisional counterpart Kyle Shanahan is, but he seems to have a reasonable priority of getting the ball out of undersized quarterback Kyler Murray's hands as quickly as possible. With his after-the-catch skills, Moore can be a solution to that problem. And that could be a quick path to a heavy target volume even in a crowded receiver room with prominent outside options in DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green.

Unicorn Slot Receivers

Archetype: Keenan Allen

Other Established Examples: Chris Godwin

Some slot players break the mold. Allen may be the best route-runner in the game. And since he lacks the size or speed of his prototypical outside teammates, he makes sense in the slot and has become a consistent fantasy WR1 there. Godwin is incredibly competitive despite his smaller stature and combines that spirit with excellent hands and concentration to reliably catch passes in traffic in the middle of the field. Unicorn slot receivers are difficult to identify ahead of their breakouts. But Godwin provided one pattern to look for in his increase in slot percentage from 49% in 2018 to 82% in his Pro Bowl 2019 season.

Fantasy Sleepers for 2021: Elijah Moore

Moore looks like a speed slot receiver at just 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds and with a 4.35s 40 time from his Pro Day. But scouts rave about his competitive nature and toughness. He reminds me of Steve Smith in that respect, and he may have an easier path to immediate fantasy success with the Jets' apparent plan to play him from the slot with bigger receivers Corey Davis and Denzel Mims on the outside attracting their opponents' bigger press corners. Jamison Crowder could delay Moore's fantasy ascension since the former's quick-twitch skills make him an attractive slot choice as well. But Crowder may also be the reason that Moore is outside the top 60 at his position in ADP, a position that offers him incredible potential return on a low draft investment.

Position in gridiron football

Slotback, sometimes referred to as an A-back or "slot receiver," is a position in gridiron football. The "slot" is the area between the last offensive lineman on either side of the center and the wide receiver on that side. A player who lines up between those two players and behind the line of scrimmage fills that "slot." The slotback position is a fixture of Canadian football and indoor football where they act as extra receivers. It is also used in American football where the position requires a versatile player, who must combine the receiving skills of a wide receiver, the ball-carrying skills of a running back, and the blocking skills of a tight end.

A similarly named position is the slot receiver, who is the third wide receiver in a 3-receiver set, the one who lines up between the outermost receiver and the end of the offensive line.

Slotbacks are often as many as five yards behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped and, in the Canadian and indoor game, may also make a running start toward the line of scrimmage prior to the snap. In most forms of American football, this would be an illegal motion, although a few professional leagues such as the World Football League and XFL allowed forward motion.

Role[edit]

Slotbacks are primarily used as hybrid running backs/receivers, but are often used to provide pass protection on blitzes and blocking as required on running plays. They are preferred over the wide receiver or tight end for receiving short passes or hand-offs due to their positioning being closer to the quarterback. When formations containing slotbacks are used in American football the team often has to go without a tight end, a fullback or a running back due to there being only 11 men on the offense and 7 being on the line of scrimmage, one reason they are rarer in the American game. However, as NFL teams have increasingly "defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets" in recent years, the slot receiver has become a fixture of American football formations.^[2] In terms of a depth chart, a slotback is typically considered the third wide receiver and may be expected to be a "possession receiver" that can reliably catch a pass when covered by a safety, since they are most commonly used when converting medium-distance third-down conversions.

Slotbacks are used effectively in flexbone formations, in which they are used as extra receivers. Slotbacks are usually smaller and faster than the other positions used. they are also used for short passes and short runs to get extra yards or a first down or a third down drive.

It is important to note that players are not drafted to become slotbacks in the NFL. This position is filled as needed by a wide receiver or running back with the necessary skill-set to effectively play the position. Slotbacks must be able to block, catch, and evade tacklers at a high level to be productive. In 2019, the Navy Midshipmen football team had a highly productive season where their slotbacks gained over 1,500 all-purpose yards.^[3]

In Canadian football, slotbacks are basically the same as wide receivers, except that they line up closer to the quarterback and can use the waggle (motion before the snap). They rarely block or run the ball and are almost always sent out to receive passes.

Examples[edit]

As the NFL has shifted to a pass-heavy league over the last few years there has been an explosion of slot backs. Some prime examples are the recently retired Darren Sproles, and the still active players Christian McCaffrey, and Larry Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald extended his football career by moving from an outside receiving position to going into the slot where he is able to use his veteran savvy and quick change of direction in tandem with his willingness to block to still be considered among the best in the league at what he does.^[4]

McCaffrey entered the NFL in 2017 and has never failed to put up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage (as of 2020) in fact, in 2019 he totaled a thousand yards running and a thousand yards receiving, with a lot of those receiving yards coming from the slot back position^[5] McCaffrey is a peculiar example, because most slot backs are not expected to get the most touches in an offense, but he was the Carolina Panthers' leading rusher over the last two seasons while also putting up great stats as a receiver as well.

Darren Sproles was never a prolific running back, but he was a great slotback. His 2011 season is the epitome of what a slotback should be. He ran the ball 87 times and he added 86 receptions for over 1,300 Yards from scrimmage and 9 touchdowns^[6]

Slotbacks are very important in the CFL, where most formations include 3 slotbacks and 2 wide receivers in a 5-receiver set. In the TSN Top 50 CFL Players, 4 of the top players in league history were specifically slotbacks. These players are Allen Pitts, Milt Stegall, Ray Elgaard, and Terry Vaughn. These players were typically the most reliable receivers on their team every season.

In American football, slotbacks are labeled as wide receivers on depth charts.^[7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

In the NFL responsibilities can vary wildly within a position.

Take wide receiver. Players are given the same label even though their roles vary wildly. One could argue there are at least three different wide receiver positions.

On each play the offense must have seven players on the line of scrimmage. Five of these players are on the offensive line.

At least one of the other two is typically a wide receiver. This player in called the X receiver or split end.

The league is changing, but these are players who you would think of as traditional number one receivers. These guys tend to be big and strong. Since they are on the line of scrimmage, they have no cushion against aggressive press coverage. They have to be able to beat a jam. (For the sake of simplicity I’m going to use the same picture here. Just imagine the corner is playing tight up against the line or use this illustration.)

Typically these guys will have the speed to get deep. The outside part of the field is typically where there is no safety help for corners so a fast receiver who gains separation creates a big play on vertical routes.

The slot receiver is typically lined up behind the line of scrimmage and inside another receiver.

Jamison Crowder plays this role for the Jets and is a good template. Crowder’s lack of size doesn’t prevent him from playing in the slot. Because he typically starts behind the line of scrimmage, he is difficult to jam.

For a receiver lined up in the slot short area quickness is more important than deep speed. Unlike outside receivers, slot receivers don’t have the sideline at one side. They can break either way. Instead of having 20-30 yards to beat a defender vertically, their responsibilities tend to be shorter routes cutting either left or right. The ability to create separation with one quick burst is often the difference between getting a reception and not.

Like any receiver, slot guys will be asked to go deep at times. This is another area where Crowder makes a good template. He doesn’t really have great speed relative to other wide receivers. He would struggle to gain separation running down the field against many cornerbacks, but his deep path from the slot takes him down the middle of the field. That is the area linebackers populate, and Crowder is faster than them.

Finally we have the Z receiver or the flanker. Going back to what we said above, the offense must have seven players on the line of scrimmage. Five are offensive linemen. The X receiver makes six. On many plays the tight end is the seventh, meaning another outside receiver can line up behind the line of scrimmage.

Like the X receiver, the alignment on the outside means there is the opportunity for speedy receivers to run deep routes.

Unlike the X receiver, since these guys are behind the line of scrimmage they have more of a natural cushion from corners and are more difficult to jam.

Smaller deep threats like DeSean Jackson and Brandin Cooks have done a lot of their damage from the Z spot in their careers. This is why it is not necessarily accurate to typecast any undersized receiver as confined to the slot. These players might be out as an option for the X spot, but if you have good deep speed and/or route running ability, the Z position can be a logical fit.

Since Z receivers are off the line of scrimmage, they can also be put into motion, which means more inside breaking routes.

They might even go all the way into the slot meaning slot receiver skills are also relevant for a Z receiver.

People frequently think of Julian Edelman as a slot receiver, but I think you could argue the Patriots utilize him more as a Z.

If we were talking about the NFL of yesterday I could probably end the article here, but everything above is an extreme oversimplification of how things work in today’s league.

There aren’t hard and fast rules about the skills needed to thrive. There are always exceptions. Odell Beckham, Jr. isn’t huge, but he has thrived as an X receiver. His athleticism makes it difficult for corners to stick a jam, and his playmaking ability punishes those who miss those jams.

In recent years we have seen the rise of bigger players in the slot. Teams frequently use skilled receiving tight ends there to take advantage of their size and give their quarterbacks easy targets. In Arizona under Bruce Arians Larry Fitzgerald moved to the slot in part because his bigger body could aid blocking in the run game.

In the past you could have said a certain player’s role on many teams was X, Z, or slot. Now your role might be X, Z, or slot for a play, and then you move to a different role for the next play. NFL offenses are becoming more versatile and more diverse.

An offensive coordinator might want to move his best receiver from the X to the slot just to get him a more favorable matchup for a few plays.

Formations allow different looks as well. Adam Gase’s offense with the Jets frequently has two outside wide receivers on the line of scrimmage and the tight end behind the line. Sometimes Crowder is lined up inside but on the line of scrimmage while the guy outside is behind the line.

Much of this is philosophical. Some coaches adhere to the X, Z, and slot definitions more than others. Rams coach Sean McVay has spoken about how he likes to keep things simple for his players and generally likes to keep receivers in the same role.

As offenses continue to evolve, though, you will likely see fewer and fewer receivers only play one of these spots. I think the evaluation process for most teams will no longer ask whether a player is an X, a Z, or a slot. Instead the question will be whether he lacks the skillset to perform in any of the three roles. It will likely be a mark against him if so because it will take away from the offense’s versatility.

With the innovation of the spread offense, slot receivers have become more significant. A slot receiver can often be mixed with other types of receiving positions.

A slot receiver is a receiver who lines up in the slot position, between the offensive tackle and the widest receiver. This player is often fast and is in a position to catch the football or take a handoff.

The slot corner will cover the slot receiver. This position is often smaller, quick, and can cover the opposing slot receiver.

In this article, we will look at both the slot receiver and the slot corner.

What Is The Slot Receiver?

When it comes to the alignment of an offense or a defense, you may hear the term “slot receiver” or “slot corner.” If a player is in a “slot” position, it means that they’re not furthest out to the boundary at their position.

There can even be multiple slot receivers or corners on one side of the field.

If you’re looking for a more detailed breakdown of receivers, we’ve created a Complete Football Guide to help you here.

Slot Receivers

As mentioned above, the slot receiver is a receiver who is between the nearest player on the line of scrimmage (Tackle or Tight End) and an outside receiver. The slot receiver was prominent in pass-heavy offenses such as West Coast systems.

The New England Patriots are an example of a team that has used slot receivers heavily in their offense. The circled player below is Wes Welker, lined up in the slot:

Slot receivers can line up on either side of the offense.

There can be as many as three slot receivers on the field at once, and they can be aligned all on one side or mixed between both sides.

An example of multiple slot receivers is below from college football:

When there are multiple slot receivers, they are referred to as the “Inside Slot” then the “Outside Slot” moving from the center of the field to the boundary.

Slot or Nickel Cornerbacks

A slot cornerback is also referred to as a “Nickel” cornerback.

The slot corner is also dubbed the “Nickel” corner because Nickel is the package that brings the extra defensive backs to the field.

This also means that there are 5 defensive backs (nickel = 5 cents) on the field.

To learn more about defenses and offensive packages, check out our football handbook.

The extra defensive back will often cover DB lines up in the slot.

Below we highlighted who the slot cornerback is on the field:

Just like with slot receivers, they are lined up inside of a boundary cornerback. They typically are lined up to cover the slot receivers.

Slot corners need to play both press coverage, which is extremely hard to do from the slot and off-man.

Why Is The Slot Receiver Important?

Slot receivers emerging as a big piece of offenses forced defenses to adjust by adding slot cornerbacks. An offense using playmakers in the slot gives a speed player the ability to go inside or outside.

This is much different than a boundary receiver who can only go straight downfield or go inward.

Slot receivers are becoming more prominent, especially in the NFL.

For example, players like Tyreek Hill or Brandin Cooks are smaller receivers who can stretch the defense vertically off pure speed.

They’re also extremely effective in the catch and run game, running shorter routes on the route tree, such as slants and quick outs.

Why are Nickel Backs Or Slot Corner’s Important?

As we recently saw in the 2018 playoffs, the San Diego Chargers used 7 defensive backs to stop the Baltimore Ravens with their prolific passing attack and quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Speed is everything, especially in the NFL. Safeties are now averaging around 5’11 – 6’1 and can run with these speedy receivers.

Although it’s nearly impossible to cover Tyreek Hill running vertically down the field, these longer players can help disrupt routes at the line of scrimmage with safety help over the top.

As teams start to spread the field with 4 and 5 receiver sets, blitz-happy teams are forced to take linebackers off the field and put defensive backs on to cover them.

Keep Learning

Learn more about wide receivers by reading the articles below.

Learn To Stem & Stack At Wide Receiver

How to Beat Press Coverage In Football

Why Do Wide Receivers Point At The Sideline?

What Does A Tight End Do In Football?

Why Do Wide Receivers Wear Gloves?

Slot receivers are starting to replace the full-back position in football.

As the game has moved to a more traditional, spread offense, teams are using less power football and more athletes in space.

This often gives the offense an advantage as it allows fast players to play slot receivers and be matched up against a linebacker.

However, it neutralizes the advantage if the defense has a slot corner or a nickel back to play defense against the slot receiver. It also forces the offense to win with the scheme rather than skill.

This is why football gets more difficult as the player gets older.

Skillful players will often dominate; however, the game becomes all about the scheme when matched with other skillful players.

Like learning football? We’ve completed a whole course, which is packed with all you need to know about the game of football!

A slot receiver in football is a receiving position that lines up in between the offensive lineman and the wide receiver near the sideline. A slot receiver is typically responsible for catching short quick passes. These players are often of small stature and rely on quickness and agility to get open.

Why Are They Called Slot Receivers?

The reason this position is called a slot receiver is because of where on the field this player lines up.

The “slot” is the area between the last offensive lineman on either side and the wide receiver.

Since this is the area where a slot receiver starts a play this why they have the “slot” portion of the name.

And much like a wide receiver, a slot receiver has the job of catching the football. Since this player plays in the slot and receives the ball through the air they are known as “slot receivers”.

What Is The Difference between a slot receiver and a wide receiver?

The main difference between slot receivers and wide receivers is where they line up. As you likely guessed wide receivers line up near the sideline while slot receivers line up in the slot.

There are several other differences between slot receivers and wide receivers but the most noticeable is their stature. 

You will notice when watching football games wide receivers are often some of the tallest and fastest players on the field. While slot receivers don’t usually have great straight-line speed and are often 5’10 or shorter.

This is because these players often use different strategies in order to get open. Wide receivers tend to use straight-line speed and strength to get open. While slot receivers are more likely to use quick cuts or jukes to find open space on the field.

What Is The Role Of A Slot Receiver?

Typically the role of a slot receiver is to get open for short yardage gains. These receivers utilize their quickness and dexterity to get open for an easy pass for their quarterback. 

When playing a zone defense these receivers will often find a hole in between the zones where they will not be covered.

When it is man coverage a slot receiver will use his quickness to attempt to get away from their defender. 

A slot receiver is valuable for short-yardage situations in which a team needs to pick up a few yards for a first down. 

This is why you will often see slot receivers with stats lines to the tune of 6 catches for 45 yards. These players are not meant to take the top off a defense but rather to be that consistent safety valve for a quarterback.

This position is often targetted on third downs when the quarterback only needs a few yards for the first down. The sturdy hands and ability to get open quickly make this receiver a great option for quick passes in short-yardage situations.

Are Slot Receivers Fast?

For the most part slot receivers aren’t fast but they are quick. What we mean by this is they do not typically have great straight-line speed. 

In the forty yard dash, these receivers would not perform very well. Though they typically score very well in a three-cone drill.

This means these receivers are able to change direction and accelerate quickly. This is beneficial to the position as they are not often running at their top speed.

The main reason a receiver wants to have good top-end speed is so they can beat a defender over the top. Getting past a defensive back for a long pass is not something that a slot receiver usually does.

Since their passes are usually thrown underneath coverage these players will rarely get to their top speed at any point during a play.

This puts a lot more emphasis on this positions ability to have a quick first step or two as this is what allows these players to get open.

What Routes do Slot Receivers Run?

These quick receivers typically run much shorter routes than other receivers.  Dig routes, drag routes, and hooks are common routes run by slot receivers. 

These routes are completed quickly and allow the quarterback a quick short-yardage option if needed.

What you will notice about all of these routes is that the cut is going to come with a second or two of the ball being snapped. Longer developing routes such as a post or corner are going to require more time for the quarterback.

Slot receivers thrive on quick passes which is why their route tree is usually limited to single cut routes that the quarterback can read quickly.

For this reason, these receivers will rarely get touchdowns as the bulk of their production comes as the team works their way down the field.

The slot is a gap in the line between the outside offensive linemen (tackle) and the player positioned closest to the sideline (wide receiver). The area is usually taken up by a wide receiver, running back, or a tight end. Players that line up in the slot are referred to as slotbacks, or slot receivers. The position is similar to that of a wide receiver, but also shares many similar traits to that of a running back. A slot receiver lines up close to the offensive line, and usually slightly behind the line of scrimmage.

The area known as the slot is most commonly utilized to create offensive formations that employ multiple potential ball receivers on the same side of the field.

Difficult on Defenses

Formations utilizing a slot receiver can be difficult for defenses to cover, as it forces them to adjust their established defense to guard an additional player. This could force the defense to shift their personnel by bringing in extra defensive backs, or by just switching their current formation in order to account for the slot receiver. The slot receiver can create mismatches downfield and thus possess big play potential. Having multiple receivers on the same side of the field can also be confusing for a defense, as cornerbacks and safeties have to communicate further regarding assignments.  

Size and Speed

Traditionally, slot receivers are smaller, quicker, and more nimble than traditional wide receivers who line up on the outside of the formation. They usually run quick, short routes to the middle of the field and look to generate mismatches against linebackers who may not be quick enough to keep up with them in the open field.

Role

A slot receiver has several different potential responsibilities. The main responsibility of a slot receiver is to serve as an outlet receiver for the quarterback. Some plays are specifically drawn out for slot receivers to catch the ball and make something happen with it in the open field. Other times, slot receivers serve as a check-down for the quarterback, if other, deeper routes are well-covered by the defense. Passes to slot receivers are usually short. In some situations, the player in the slot will be the recipient of a handoff.

Other times, slot receivers are utilized to block defenders and protect the quarterback. It is often the job of a slot player to pick up and block defensive linemen who have broken through the line of scrimmage in order to prevent them from sacking the quarterback.

When an offense utilizes a slotback, it is often in place of a tight end or fullback, as a team can only have eleven players on the field at a time, and seven of the players have to be on the line of scrimmage. Slotbacks are considered wide receivers on team depth charts and can be utilized as a wide receiver in certain situations.

The slot receiver, (who is sometimes designated the Y receiver, other times the F receiver if there is a tight end), has become a significant part of some of the high scoring offenses in the NFL these days. The slot receiver does not have to have a unique set of skills, but there have been two schools of thought on how to best assemble a group of wide receivers that can challenge a defense. The first school of thought is to have all of the receivers be the same type, such as all of them need to be tall receivers, while the other school of thought is to have the three main receivers be different. Let's look at those dynamics.

TYPES OF RECEIVERS

If you study what type of receivers seem to be needed in an offense, you will automatically remember that one of the receivers you need is a "possession receiver."  But, then you pause and ask yourself..."shouldn't all of your receivers be capable of being that type?"

Here is my opinion on what types of receivers a team needs.

1. A Great Possession Receiver.
2. A Great Deep Threat Receiver.
3. A Great Quick Threat Receiver.

Now let me give the reasoning.

Possession Receiver - This one is very obvious to all, the possession receiver has to have great hands and can go over the middle and not get what they call "Alligator Arms", meaning if the receiver sees a defender bearing down on him and he needs to reach out to get to the ball, you want him to reach and not pull his arms back and prepare for the hit. Seldom drops a ball that he can touch or reach.

Deep Threat Receiver - One of the outside receivers needs to have great speed because these guys will usually demand a safety to play over the top so he can't get behind the defense. Getting double coverage is very key to having a both a great passing attack and a great running attack because one of the safeties is not able to support the run if he is playing deep over the top.

Quick Threat Receiver - The prototype is Wes Welker. Guys with short legs have a built in advantage in quickness. Speed is not the same as quickness. Quickness is usually guys with great 10-yard dash times, while speed is the guys with great 20- to 60-yard times. This guy needs to get quick separation so he can be the guy that gets the pass from the QB when he has to get the ball out quick and can't wait for the routes to develop because he is either being blitzed or hurried by a great pass rush. This guy is usually the slot receiver.

Before we give some details about his routes, I should mention something about putting your best receiver in the slot and disregard having the quick twitch receiver always being there. One of the tenants on offense is to try to create match-up problems for the defense such as having a formation where you force the defense into an advantageous match up for your offense. One mismatch is to put your best receiver who is often the X receiver in the slot. This article talks about how your best receiver is usually the X receiver.

Nelson would be the Packers' most obvious star X receiver, but that doesn't mean he is one. He has the requirements: height (he's the tallest of the corps, at 6'3"), size and leaping ability (have you seen his acrobatic catches?)

The attributes of Nelson's teammates would also seem to suggest that he's best-suited as a traditional X receiver. Jones is a little shorter but still very physical at 6'1", and he could also play the X but often plays the Z, or flanker. Cobb, of course, is a multi-threat, but at 5'10", he is the prototypical slot receiver who is smart, small and quick. [emphasis added]

By putting your best receiver in the slot, it forces the defense to make a decision about getting their corners out of their normal alignment such as having your best corner move from where he normally covers the X receiver outside, to follow him down into the slot position. If he doesn't move with him, then you now have what is usually the defenses third best corner matched against your best receiver.

ROUTES OF SLOT RECEIVERS

Without talking about the "receiver route tree", ( Select the 2nd line in the drop down below ),

we will talk about the choices of routes the Slot receiver has available. These routes are usually determined by the way the DB lines up in front of him. Usually they line up one of three ways:

1. Outside Leverage
2. Straight-Up Leverage
3. Inside Leverage

The DB may want to try to direct the slot receivers choice to the two choices that the DB likes. If the DB thinks he can match up better if he tries to make the seam or slant the better choice for the slot receiver, he will line up with outside leverage as shown below:

If he uses straight-up leverage, the slot receiver will have the slant or the out routes available to him.

If he uses inside leverage, then the slot receiver will think the seam or the out are his best options.

Based upon how the DB plays him, the slot receiver will choose an option, and this choice will need to be talked about by the receivers, the quarterback and the offensive coordinator as part of the playbook because the receiver and the quarterback must both make the same "read" or it could lead to an incompletion or worse yet, an interception. That is what is talked about as far as the quarterback and the receiver being on the same page. If the receiver makes the wrong read, then often the interception will be the fault of the receiver, but the casual fan will often say,

what a stupid quarterback, he threw it right to the linebacker. What's wrong with him, can't he see?

Below is a good visual of the different routes possible for the slot receiver. Notice in this photo, the DB is playing with slight inside leverage, probably because he suspects that a slant is the likely play call here. This picture came from a very good article on the route tree.

So, there you have it. If you like it, please re-tweet, like on Facebook, and/or give it a rec on that same line.