Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Perhaps most problematic, he is more of a body catcher than a hands catcher. This is almost a right of passage and wide receivers must show the ability to win at the line of scrimmage and make defensive coordinators pay for playing them in this manner. Who's the more explosive ball-carrier, Justin Fields or Lamar Jackson? 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. That number drops to only 21.9 for wide receivers in the 30-34 bracket. This was the TD that tied Walter Paytons career rushing TD record, and Adrian Peterson gave Terry the ball after the play because he knew the TD wouldnt have been possible without his blocking. Expect the QB play to dramatically improve next year as teams either move onto new starters or double down on weapons for their existing starters. [5:06] The Eagles had no answer for Slayton in this game and it may point to why they prioritized adding speed to their defense in the offseason. [9:18] Tate lines up outside this time, fakes an out route, but then redirects to run deep and accelerate quickly while CB Anthony Browns head is turned to the QB, allowing him to get yards of separation and an easy catch that he turns into a TD. The more I learn about certain recent Eagles draft picks, the more it seems like they are perfect long-term replacements for some of the star players on the Eagles roster. In addition, his strengths are still his strengths. Still, he forces teams to respect the deep game, and I often saw him get an easy completion on a crossing or out route because the DB gave him a lot of cushion in order to defend the deep routes. The Giants are expected to add wide receivers in the draft and free agency, given their current depth chart at the position. But the ball is perfectly placed where only JJ can get it, and he again reaches out and uses his long arms and sure hands to secure the ball beyond the reach of the CB for a tough TD catch. However, JJ has tremendous ability to stay open even when covered, using his big body, long arms, and good hands-catching ability to reach out and grab the ball out of the CBs reach, even with very little separation. Cooper working with Dalton and practice squad players has put up respectable numbers while McLaurin working with a revolving door of quarterbacks has emerged as a leader and playmaker in the culture Ron Rivera is trying to implement. Playing like this opens up the risk of Cooper getting behind them if he wins the foot race on a deep route, which is why only equally fast DBs can play him this way. Often at the college level, receivers see very little in-your-face physical man coverage, so watching what we can and analyzing it very closely is extremely important. However, I think Slayton has a very high ceiling and could be really good if he continues to develop. The NFL's top 16 wide receivers Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West Broncos Chargers Chiefs. [5:16] Cooper lines up outside and fakes a break outside, causing Jalen Mills to bite hard on the fake, and leaving Cooper wide open when he redirects inside. Reagor again runs a good route, faking outside as if to run down the sideline and getting the CB to turn outside, but then breaking inside to take advantage of the cushion with nobody near him. 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. 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. Hes still only an average run blocker, but thats a step up from what he was and traditionally means a lot to the Cowboys offense. The Next Gen Stats analytics team reveals its ranking of the 10 best edge rushers entering Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, with the Browns' Myles Garrett leading a list of star defenders. The NFC East has three new head coaches and a young group of quarterbacks; its probably no surprise that it has more young and promising receivers than older established veteran receivers. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Not only did the Giants sign Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract this offseason, but they also used their first-round pick on Toney, the explosive rookie wideout from Florida. Basically everything about this matchup is tilted in McLaurins favor, and I think its the type of matchup he isnt likely to receive now that teams have had a look at him. The Allen-Diggs connection leads all QB-receiver duos with +61.0 expected points added this season, helping the Bills surge to the top spot in the AFC entering Week 15 and giving both players plenty to be thankful for. But against NFL-caliber talent, it might not be enough. One major reason for that success has been Lambs consistency, as the third-year wideout has posted 70-plus receiving yards in five of those seven games. Up next in the divisional depth chart review is the NFC East wide receivers. [4:15] This is a well designed and executed pick play where Richardson springs Vernon Davis open for a huge gain. Ball Skills is a combination of how a pass-catcher uses his body to shield defenders and put himself in the best position to haul in the football combined with showing soft, reliable hands to catch the ball away from his frame. DeVonta Smith is an instant star for the Eagles and a true No. Having a terrific big muscular body for the position and running a great 40-yard dash time are wonderful attributes, but it doesnt always translate to success in the league. 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. The CB starts to close the distance, but cant stop JJ, who does a great job locating and tracking the ball in the air and catching it. 2. Best Wide Receiver Duo (Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports) There are many potential choices for the best receiver pair in the game today. Also, Im not sure how much this will translate to the NFL, but I literally saw Reagor yelling at his QB after some plays where he expected a different read or better ball placement. One of the first things a receiver needs to do at the NFL level is to win against outstanding press man coverage. Playing well through injury is one way scouts measure football character. I also think hes not especially physical and will have trouble against press coverage. Sure, there are ways to use formation and motion offensively to help receivers get away from press. -- Mike Band, Keegan Abdoo and Cole Jacobson contributed to this piece. [1:04] This time the defense is running man coverage. Sterling Shepard, the Giants 2016 second-round pick, has probably not yet lived up to the high expectations that surrounded him when he was drafted, but he went for 872 yards and 4 TDs in 2018. Who's the Best Wide Receiver in the NFL? [3:05] This was the play that introduced McLaurin to a lot of us. Giving him an easy pass like this and clearing his way also makes things easy on their freshman QB. I still think New York should target the position, even if the team has to reach a . His only obvious weakness is as a blocker in run support, where he doesnt quite have the strength and physicality to excel. [1:46] This play is one of two that is very representative of how Cooper gets open. In 2018 tape I thought he was severely lacking as a run blocker, sometimes just phoning it in or getting brushed aside by a DB, but in 2019 he looked much improved in both effort and technique. 1. Although McLaurin isnt able to get much separation from Slay, he is able to body Slay out and break open just as the ball reaches him. Richardsons injury history served as prologue to his time in the NFL. But he hasn't spent more than three years with any team over the course of his career. During his first two seasons, McLaurin has proven himself as a true No. Jonathan Mingo - Mississippi Feb 2, 2023; Mobile, AL,. NFC East . By releasing Golladay, the Giants save $6.7 million against their salary cap. 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. 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. Goedert has a high catch percentage showing he is performing well as the teams safety blanket. Paul Richardson Jr was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL draft. [1:32] This is an example of being open when covered. However, Cooks is a. He is a very good runner, his routes are crisp and he does a very good job breaking them deep enough to ensure a first down if he makes the reception on most plays. On the short end of the NFC East receivers, the Giants and Eagles have an average height of 72.2 inches, or 6 feet. New York Giants. DAVANTE ADAMS, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS The former Green Bay Packer is at the top of his game as he makes the move to the Las Vegas Raiders. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay's time with the Giants is reportedly coming to an end.Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Giants will cut Golladay when the new league year begins on March 15. They really don't have a choice, as Hill's yards-per-route figure jumps to 4.2 against man coverage and 4.6 when left on an island against single-high coverages. Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen could be a surprise cut this offseason with the Los Angeles Chargers sitting at $19.9 million over the salary cap.It was a luxury to have both Allen and Mike Williams on the same team, but the time might have finally arrived for the Chargers to settle in with one player being the No. Overall, I think Reagor is a skilled, explosive playmaker who can stretch the field vertically while also taking short passes or handoffs for big gains, using his sudden cuts and quick acceleration to juke defenders and get yards after the catch. He loses close to the line of scrimmage to CBs like Josh Norman who are even more physical than he is. 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. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Waddle has reached 20+ mph on four offensive touches this season, tied for the third-most among all wide receivers (behind Christian Watson and teammate Tyreek Hill). [10:15] Richardson absolutely blows past his CB running deep. He primarily uses a combination of route running, short-area quickness, and savvy (with fakes/misdirection and ability to find the soft spot in zones) to get open and make plays. However, he has a limited route tree and doesnt show much subtlety in terms of using fakes, counters, leverage, body-positioning, or physicality to get open. 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. Cooper does a good job after the catch of fighting hard and leaning forward for a few extra yards, despite having already made the first down. NOTE: The composite score for each player is based on a series of advanced receiving metrics, courtesy of Next Gen Stats. Derek Barnett has a very similar skillset to Brandon Graham. Lastly, he is more physical than one might expect from an undersized WR and never gives up on a play, so he will often drag a tackler for several yards and excels at improvising after a play breaks down to get open when other players thought the play was dead. The Packers' offense has faltered for most of the season without Adams to create explosive plays. 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. Last month, the former LSU star surpassed another legendary Vikings receiver -- none other than Hall of Famer Randy Moss -- for the most receiving yards in a player's first three seasons, and he has only added to that total over the last couple weeks. The Eagles belong at the bottom of this list but that doesnt mean there isnt potential. He also doesnt use deception and fakes as aggressively as he could in his routes, possibly because he is accustomed to simply running past opponents. Eagles fans were decrying their lack of receivers in the latter half of 2019, and hope that the addition of first-round pick Jalen Reagor will be a partial answer to their concerns, even as they hold out hope that the light will come on for last years second-round selection J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, and that the aging speedster Desean Jackson can remain healthy for more than the opening week game against the Redskins. Here, well take a look at the top of the depth chart for each team the pool of players from which the ones on the final 53 seem likely to be chosen. Despite not getting much separation, Reagors use of inside leverage keeps him open and he does a great job highpointing the ball, bodying the CB out of the play and catching it away from him, so theres no chance for the CB to make a play on the ball. Watching Reagor play, I would describe him as explosive, sudden, fast, smart (good at recognizing coverages and exploiting soft spots in zones), and a good route runner. Hes a high effort blocker, but his technique and power are below average. Known as a jump ball and contested catch specialist, he was a favorite target of Jay Cutler, who often didnt care about throwing into double and triple coverage so long as he trusted his WR. This division has new faces all around, and some of the best talent in all of football. Then Richardson makes a great leaping catch, highpointing the ball and securing it at maximum extension away from the DB. The NFC East was a historically bad division in 2020, which is why all four teams were in the race deep into the season. It could happen, but it requires a lot of things to go right for Washington that didnt go right in 2018. NFL Wide Receivers 2021 : For a division that is considered one of the weakest in the history of the NFL, the NFC East boasts one of the best receiving groups in the whole league. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles. Jared Goffs comeback season has been a lot prettier when St. Brown has been on the field -- he averages +0.22 EPA on those dropbacks, a number that would only trail Patrick Mahomes in the category this season. He got off to a strong start to the season thanks to his dominance in the short game, as his 457 receiving yards on passes of fewer than 10 air yards from Weeks 1 to 9 were 68 more than any other player recorded in that span. Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper edges out the competition to place as the NFC East's best receiver. [12:06] This is the second of two plays that are representative of how Cooper gets open on many occasions. In addition to football, in high school he was all-state in basketball and placed highly in track. Tier 1: Elite 1. Jefferson caught 128 passes for . Richardson also has good hands, and I think his somewhat low career catch percentage (58.7%) is more a function of running deep routes than any lack of pass catching ability. Watching tape of McLaurins 2019 season, it became clear that other teams saw him as the number one threat in the Redskins passing game. Its difficult to overthrow Alshon Jeffery, he can often jump over a DB to make the catch. He committed to Stanford, and although red shirted in his freshman year, became an increasingly important part of the offense after that, catching 63 passes for 1,059 yards in 2018 (top 5 in the nation). Although his deep speed is only good (not great), he has elite quickness/acceleration and change-of-direction ability. Chase ranks in the top 10 in both receiving yards over expected (+157) and yards after catch over expected (+122), even though hes only played in nine games. There's one NFC East receiver on the list, and the problem . Up today: Receivers 1. This play showcases McLaurins acceleration, route running, hands-catching ability, and top-end speed. Reagor was selected by the Eagles in the 1st round of the 2020 draft. Richardson is a very smart WR, aware of the field and good at improvising to keep himself open as a viable option when the play breaks down (he made a similar TD off of improvisation against the Panthers last year). So far we have looked at: 1. 4. The NFC East in 2020 has been described as the most atrocious division in NFL history. Oh, and adding CeeDee Lamb to the mix certainly does not hurt. March 1, 2023 2:19 pm PT. He primarily (though not exclusively) seemed to be used as a deep threat option in Seattle. The Hill-Waddle duo has been a handful for defenses all season long, and as a result, Miami has a chance to earn its first playoff berth since 2016. In addition to showing Tates change-of-direction ability yet again, this play shows his improvisational ability and persistence. Just a few years ago, the NFC East was chock-full of high profile wide receivers. Many make the mistake that if a wide receiver is big and fast that he immediately becomes a top NFL prospect. Here are the current preseason depth charts at wide receiver for teams in the NFC East & NFC South. However, Richardson is also a good route runner and is quick and nuanced enough to operate well on all routes in the route tree. With Dak Prescott healthy, this offense could be fun to watch. 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. NFC East Positional overview. He has enough deep speed that opposing DBs have to respect the deep pass and will often sell out to defend it, giving Cooper a good amount of cushion. Unlike many other speedy WRs, McLaurin is tough and physical enough to support the run game. 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. If they want to plug him into the slot, theyre getting a sure-handed guy who can move the chains. [1:05] Tate lines up in the slot on a crossing route, but sees the play break down as Wentz breaks the pocket and changes directions so quickly that CB Greg Stroman slips on the grass trying to cover him. 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). McLaurin seems to try to fake outside, but Slay doesnt bite, instead following McLaurin as he releases inside. Jeffery is the closest thing to a WR1 on the Eagles offense. Reagor also looks a bit like a running back with the ball in his hands, juking and finding running lanes to get yards after catch. [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). As an aside, I think this play also highlights problems with how the Eagles scheme up their secondary. Panthers saddled with another odd pick in latest NFL.com mock draft. He ran an unofficial 4.28 second 40 time at a private Pro Day after dropping some of that weight. 0 Comment. Los Angeles' running backs are in . 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. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The wide receiver landscape in the NFC East has changed dramatically over the past couple of seasons. Lastly, no discussion of Terry McLaurin is complete without discussing his blocking and special teams value. 1. See where he lands in the Next Gen Stats analytics team's ranking of the top 10 slot receivers right now. Like Jefferson in Minnesota, Hill's presence forces defenses to become more predictable and one dimensional. The addition of Brown has helped Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense reach new heights, as Hurts has a league-high nine TD passes on go routes this season with Brown being responsible for an NFL-best five of them. CD Lamb is the best Wide Receiver in the NFC East . In an unusual season that, due to global pandemic, may turn out to be unlike any other, the wide receiver position seems to offer an interesting and potentially exciting year to fans of the NFC East. 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. The 6-foot-3, 229-pound Ole Miss product was one of the best wide receivers in the league against man coverage. I respectfully disagree with one aspect of this otherwise fine gallery Jeff Chadiha has put together of the NFL's top 10 wide receivers. Right now Slayton is relying almost entirely on his athletic traits to find success, which is enough to get him pretty far against some teams, but limits his versatility and allows him to be shut down by the more athletic CBs in the NFL. He had two years remaining on his $72 million contract. A good balance between raw production and catch efficiency sees him lead the pack. Before we dive in, though, a note on our methodology: To help create quantifiable rankings, we have devised a formula that yields a Next Gen Stats percentile score, which measures how a player is performing relative to his peers. This makes fitting the run more difficult for defenses, helping Josh Jacobs run away with the rushing title (so far) this season. CeeDee Lamb is running away with this award. McLaurin again does a good job catching the ball away from his body (and away from Slay), keeping it safe. Slayton has all the athletic traits of a very good WR, but needs a lot of refinement added to his game to allow him to win when athleticism isnt enough. Doug Pederson trusts Alshon more than any other WR to be his TD threat in the red zone. Cowboys: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb, Cedric Wilson, Simi Fehoko That top three of Cooper, Gallup and Lamb might be the best trio in the NFL. Featured Promo: Get any full-season NFL Premium Pass for 50% off and win big in 2023. [1:17] Arcegna-Whiteside makes a great fake outside to over-commit the CB, then uses quick feet to explode inside and get great initial separation. March 1, 2023 6:03 am SBNation TomahawkNation. This play really shows off Slaytons physical traits; hes got speed, acceleration, and quick change-of-direction ability for days. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. JJ has an extensive bag of tricks, using good fakes and foot quickness to get open at the release and good body positioning to make tough, contested catches. East Carolina: R: NAME: TEAM: COLLEGE: Complimenting his speed, Reagor shows good ball-tracking ability and ability to adjust to the ball once its in the air. [3:49] This time, Love wins the matchup, getting a hand in to break up the pass. The score is calculated by scaling each metric to a percentile (from 0 to 100) relative to all wide receivers who have played at least 150 offensive snaps through Week 14 of the 2022 season. Running a sub-4.4 40 time himself, Slay isnt afraid of getting beat deep, and keeps his eyes moving between Cooper and Dak the entire time he runs with Cooper. Note that Reagor got injured earlier in this game and looked to be in a lot of pain, but came back and played through it very effectively (as shown here). Behind every great quarterback, there's an excellent wide receiver, or two, or three. 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. 1. 0 Rate. 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. He doesnt need a lot of subtlety here though, his athletic traits are what allow him to win. Andrew is a self-taught film analyst with a pretty impressive resume. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. PanthersWire. Every team has at least one . The only times I saw Cooper struggle were in press man coverage against fast and experienced DBs. However, when healthy, Richardson is a very capable pass catcher. He does a good job of positioning his body to box out CBs and gives himself the leverage advantage in making plays on the ball. Good luck. 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. He has NFL bloodlines as his father, Paul Richardson, played several years as an NFL wide receiver as well. [7:06] Very clever play design by Doug Pederson. Cooper did a poor job on the few plays I saw him used as a blocker, and seemed to get pulled from the field by the coaching staff on many running plays. 1 receiver. 1. Despite the down year, Reagor had a pretty good Combine, measuring in at 511, 206 pounds, and running a 4.47 second 40 yard dash. This is a perfect example of why hands-catching is necessary against NFL-caliber talent, where the few inches of separation created by catching the ball arms length away is the difference between a big catch and an incompletion. Which game is featured at the top of NGS's unlikeliest victory rankings? And J.J. Arcega-Whiteside seems like he was chosen to be the eventual replacement for Alshon Jeffery. The Indiana DB matched up on him seems to sniff out the run play right away and immediately tries to break through for the tackle. 3. Slay held Cooper to 3 catches on 8 attempts for 38 yards (a 38% catch rate). He also tested extremely well at the combine, achieving a 95th percentile SPARQ score. Marshon Lattimore buys it at first, and gives enough cushion to allow Cooper to get open when he redirects outside. Former Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall made a plea to the Packers star via Instagram on Tuesday, during which he implored Rodgers to drift on into retirement. 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