Again, Slayton does the basic job necessary to run his route and make a play, but doesnt employ any subtlety or counters to beat a CB as athletic as he is. At 61 and 211 lbs, he also has very good (though not elite) size for a WR. Who are the most impactful tight ends in the NFL right now? Jeffery is just a bit less gifted in each of these areas than an elite player like Julio Jones, and isnt really elite in any area. However, he fared better against those CBs than Amari Cooper. McLaurin again does a good job catching the ball away from his body (and away from Slay), keeping it safe. Evan Engram is the best TE. Love was smart enough to avoid being fooled by the route, allowing little separation and having enough physicality to prevent getting boxed out. But in todays NFL, it is better to be quick with great acceleration out of a break or a cut. This ability combined with the fact that less athletic DBs give him plenty of cushion to guard against deep routes makes Cooper very good at getting open on high-completion crossing, out, and curl routes. Washington Football Team Terry McLaurin has solidified himself as one of the best young receivers in the NFL. 4 in the division but have several talented pass-catchers. Indeed, the only games where he had less than a 50% catch rate were against the Patriots and Lions, where he was shadowed by Stephon Gilmore and Darius Slay respectively. This is a play that could have benefited from a fake inside before starting the route though, and notice this is again a body catch. Our daily series examining the NFC East from a positional perspective with the help of league personnel sources moves on to the position in which the Eagles spent the most time on in the offseason . At 61 and 211 lbs, he also has very good (though not elite) size for a WR. Lattimore is so fast that he closes in for a tackle as soon as the ball arrives, but Cooper does a great job making the catch through contact and keeping his feet in bounds for the reception. As an aside, I think this play also highlights problems with how the Eagles scheme up their secondary. The NFC East is STACKED at receiver. Oh, and adding CeeDee Lamb to the mix certainly does not hurt. Richardson is very much a team player, and will always do his part in a play, even if the ball isnt going his way. It should be extremely worrying when Daniel Jones is the only guaranteed player who will start for their franchise next season. His only obvious weakness is as a blocker in run support, where he doesnt quite have the strength and physicality to excel. Though hes only 511, Reagors leaping ability allows him to go up pretty high to make a catch. HONORABLE MENTION: Terry McLaurin, Commanders; Tee Higgins, Bengals; Garrett Wilson, Jets; Chris Olave, Saints. I think smart, physical CBs will give JJ trouble in the NFL as well, at least early in his development. Then he makes a tremendous leaping catch, using his long arms and sure hands to highpoint the ball and secure it away from the CB for a TD. Of course, no position group consists of just one or two players. Also, the fact that the Lions had Slay shadow McLaurin all game, even traveling with him into the slot, shows the respect they had for him. Corey Coleman, Cody Lattimer and Russell Shepard all have a chance to make an impact, though 5th round draft pick Darius Slayton will possibly keep one of them off the roster this season. [7:50] Cooper again lines up top of screen opposite Mike Hughes. Although he is a bit undersized for a boundary WR at 60 and 208 lbs, he has good agility (7.01s 3-cone), good quickness (4.15s 20 yard shuttle), and elite deep speed (4.35s 40 yd dash), as well as impressive strength (18 BP reps). The second-year wideout has been the Lions focal point in high-leverage situations, gaining a first down on 15.2 percent of his routes on third and fourth down this season (third-highest rate, min. The 2018 version of this article focused on players like Odell . Still, this was overall a very positive play for Reagor. This play shows excellent route running ability, strength, and effort, though it would be nice if he trusted his hands enough to make the catch without using his body to corral the ball. The Cowboys receivers may have the most talent and productivity potential of any group in the NFC East, but, with the Cowboys run-centered offense, and Dak Prescotts limited pass production (he averages 3,625 yards and 25 TDs per season in his career), this group is unlikely to put up truly big numbers in 2019. Former Jacksonville Jaguar Allen Hurns, who hasnt been able to break 500 yards in a season since 2015, when he put up 1,031 yards and 10 TDs, is probably the headliner of the bottom half of the depth chart. In his rookie year in the NFL, he did an excellent job reaching out and catching the ball away from his body (hands-catching), which is critical to keep the ball safe from DBs that rarely allow as much separation as in college. New York Giants tight end Evan Engram is a more talented overall player than both but the 3rd year TE is struggling with his catch percentage(it is sub 60%) as an offense safety blanket Engram has been a disappointment this year. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! It also shows how much teams have to respect his deep-threat ability and how that opens up opportunities for short passes. Gilmore starts close to the line and runs with Slayton, looking back to see when Slayton cuts back for a curl route. Los Angeles' running backs are in . 1 receiver. They bring two DBs down to bracket Slayton (bottom of screen). Lets get a closer look at some of the wide receivers of the NFC East. Whenever defenses left him 1-on-1 against non-elite CBs, he was able to get open for a big play, though he was often missed by inaccurate Redskins QBs early in the season. In this section, well offer a look at a few of the top players in the division, with an analysis of their styles, skills and limitations written by Andrew York, who has volunteered to help me with this series. Up today: Receivers 1. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. The New York Giants have a desperate need at the wide receiver position this offseason. SB Nation CFB. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Although hes a big, physical WR who is good at contested catches, he is also fast enough to blow past some DBs when going vertical. He is an excellent route-runner, excellent (and prolific) at selling fakes, and has elite change-of-direction ability to shake DBs loose in order to get open or break tackles. Vikings top "player team report card," and . Terry McLaurin flashes elite traits, but has enough problems in his tape that I can see why he fell to the 3rd round. Hes a high effort blocker, but his technique and power are below average. As miserable as that 2020 season was for the Cowboys, he still had 92/1,114/5. Tate gets wide open and signals Wentz for the TD. This play showcases his deep speed and big play ability, but also his ability to locate the ball and adjust to the throw. As miserable as that 2020 season was for the Cowboys, he still had 92/1,114/5. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. These traits were evident in his game tape as well; he plays more fast than quick, and uses physicality or deep speed to get open more often than agility. The Cowboys are 6-1 with an NFL-leading average of 35.7 points per game since Dak Prescott returned from injury in Week 7. Since entering the league in 2021, Chase leads the NFL with +720 receiving yards over expected, as he has consistently been among the leagues best players at his position. This play really shows off Slaytons physical traits; hes got speed, acceleration, and quick change-of-direction ability for days. The Dallas Cowboys could sign their division rival's top wide . The 2018 version of this article focused on players like Odell Beckham Jr., Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jamison Crowder, Terrance Williams, Allen Hurns, Cole Beasley, Nelson Agholor and Mike Wallace - none of whom will be discussed in this article, just two years later. Im not sure the skill level is lower now than it was before, but the marquee power seems to have fallen off a bit. And Humphries comes over from Tennessee, where he was once a very productive player. NFC East Positional overview. Tate is rarely asked to block in the run game, but is a willing and physical blocker when put in that role. NFC East. McLaurin also breaks his route at around the first down line, ensuring that he has a good chance of getting the first down if he makes the catch. He makes the catch (though its a body catch, not a hands catch) and shows great strength and body control breaking the initial tackle to run for several more yards. Play man, get dusted. The formula uses each individual's percentile score across a series of key metrics to create one composite score, indicating which players at that position performed best. Kupp averaged nine receptions and 101.6 receiving yards per game in the eight contests he started and finished this season, providing a bright spot for a Rams offense that has struggled all year. This time, instead of Mike Hughes, Cooper (top of screen) is facing off against Darius Slay. As Slayton makes the reception, he stops on a dime and cuts so hard back outside that the CB whiffs on the tackle. I expect that wont be an issue with Wentz throwing to him, but its worth noting that Reagor has a temper and it showed on the field. The Redskins seem to have a very high-quality group on the field, though the only well-known name in the bunch is Terry McLaurin, and his fame doesnt extend far beyond the fantasy football communityyet. I wanted to include this play for 2 reasons. Reagor dealt with some poorly thrown balls and did an amazing job adjusting to them as shown earlier, but he also had too many easy misses and drops like the one shown here. He is a capable deep threat, not quite as fast as DeSean Jackson or Terry McLaurin, but fast enough to break big plays and force defenses to respect the deep pass. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. [1:04] This time the defense is running man coverage. Love is draped all over JJ, trying to muscle him even having the awareness to reach out when the ball is in the air to break up the pass. He shows excellent ability to redirect himself, locate the ball in the air, and great leaping ability to go up to get the ball. At 63, 216 lbs, and running a 4.48s 40 yard dash, he checked a lot of the boxes for a WR1 in the NFL. With defenses afraid to leave a corner on an island, the Vikings have faced the lowest rate of single-high coverages this season (45 percent). When St. Brown has been missing, Goffs EPA per dropback becomes negative (-0.10). March 1, 2023 6:03 am USAToday PanthersWire. So far we have looked at: 1. Gilmore held Cooper to no catches on 2 attempts (one of which went for an interception). Cooper again lines up opposite Hughes, this time at the bottom of the screen. But he is good in all of these areas, and is a very reliable WR - one a quarterback can throw to in almost any situation, particularly in the red zone. McLaurin seems to try to fake outside, but Slay doesnt bite, instead following McLaurin as he releases inside. It also helped the other players on offense by giving them easier matchups and complicating the Lions defense (if Slay had to travel, then other DBs had to travel or adjust their responsibility accordingly). It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Just a few years ago, the NFC East was chock-full of high profile wide receivers. Building on his success earlier in the game, Cooper fakes another deep route down the sideline, then stutter-steps inside on a slant route. He is also an ace gunner on special teams and the Skins reportedly had him ranked as the number 1 ranked special teams player in the draft. He does a great job turning on a dime to locate the ball in the air, then boxes out the deep safety Marcus Gilchrist to keep him out of the play (though Gilchrist isnt able to change direction in time anyway). He shows enough effort and skill in route running that I think he will develop into a capable NFL starter under good coaching, but I think his immediate value will be on special teams, where he already has the ability to make an impact. McLaurin is an ideal Z receiver, though not quite big enough to play X and not able to consistently beat the best CBs in the NFL. There doesnt seem to be just one reason he is so good at this, but rather a combination of factors that all work together. Meanwhile, the veteran wideout has scored a league-high eight touchdowns on deep targets for his new team, two more than any other player. He has surprising physicality for his size, often fighting through contact on a contested catch to get extra yards. This year, were going to do it again. . Washington Commanders. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 300 routes run). It's difficult to separate the top two receivers in 2022, but when taking into account career production and capability, Jefferson just barely gets the top spot. Hughes gives a generous initial cushion to prevent getting beat deep, which allows Cooper to get an easy reception for a first down and then some. Although Reagor is a deep threat, I think hes similar to Amari Cooper in that hes a bit more quick than fast; defenses have to respect his deep speed, but his suddenness in changing direction is actually more of a threat than his ability to take the top off a defense. 1. [2:08] Here is another example of using excellent body-positioning to box an opponent out, but this time against a much better opponent: Julian Love (taken by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2019 draft). CB #21 (Ronald Darby) looked fast enough to run with Slayton and almost caught him at the end. At the bottom of the depth chart, Watkins, Hightower and J.J. Arcega-Whitesid might be in a battle. A touch under $40 million was fully guaranteed at signing, with another $17.221 million becoming guaranteed at the start of the 2023 league year. Tate is a good route runner, an extremely reliable catcher (2nd fewest drops among WRs in 2018), and most importantly is one of the NFLs best WRs at getting yards after catch (YAC). Ross has been a disappointment in the NFL but anything the Giants get out of him will simply be a bonus. Safeties play a critical role in today's NFL. He lines up on the boundary at the top of the screen opposite Vikings CB Mike Hughes. Although he suffered from poor QB play in 2019 (40.2% of passes thrown his way were uncatchable, 3rd worst in this years draft class), he also had a terrible 9.8% drop rate, one of the highest in this years draft class. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. He will break down film of some of the top receivers in the division: Click here to read the 2019 review of wide receivers which includes Golden Tate, Alshon Jeffrey and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside as well as last years look at Cooper and McLaurin. Here, the CB decides to take the flag on pass interference rather than risk Jeffery getting loose behind the secondary. The NFC East was a historically bad division in 2020, which is why all four teams were in the race deep into the season. And Lamb came out of the gate with a 74-catch rookie season.

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