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Thanks to Sports Info Solutions’ charting, we can break receiving DVOA and DYAR down into slot versus wide splits. Much of this data appears in Football Outsiders Almanac 2022, and we’re going to spend the next couple of weeks breaking down these splits, starting today with wide receivers. Yes, that means more Cooper Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase love, because when you’re coming off seasons like they had, you end up at the top of nearly every table you qualify for.
Before we get to the specifics, we should cover the generalities.
League-Wide Trends
Throwing to the slot continues to be more effective than throwing out wide on a per-play basis. In 2021, receivers working either tight or out of the slot had a 2.7% DVOA, while receivers split out wide were at -3.7%. The gap actually widens if you look at just wide receivers, from 4.1% to -4.2%. Getting a talented wideout lined up against a third or fourth corner is usually an advantage for the offense, and working out of the middle of the field also gives receivers more potential options for route running. Add in the ever-increasing amount of nickel defense opening space in the middle of the field, and it appears lining up in the slot is a small but persistent benefit for receivers. It’s not a huge gap, and the size varies from year to year, but it’s consistently there.
Last season, 56.3% of all receiver targets went to wideouts in the slot, and 26 teams saw over half their passes go to slot receivers. Those numbers are both slightly down from last year, but it’s still the predominant strategy for using wideouts. Every team saw at least 46% of its receiver targets go to the slot except for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which makes a little bit of sense when your top target out of the slot is Ray-Ray McCloud; more on him in a bit. Nearly every team with any degree of competency at wideout was finding ways to get targets to its guys inside.
When the entire league zigs, someone has to zag. In 2020, we didn’t have a single wide receiver with at least 80% of his targets split out wide. Well, wide receivers came back in 2021, with DeVante Parker, A.J. Green and Diontae Johnson essentially living outside. Fourteen different wideouts saw twice as many targets outside as inside, including some of the larger names in the sport. Who Dey? Well, you’ll just have to wait and see.
Individual Totals
The following table shows wide receiver target and performance splits in the slot and out wide in 2021. Those charting labels come from players’ locations on the field regardless of the positioning of their teammates. A receiver who was a few feet away from the offensive line was considered to be in the slot even if he was the widest receiver on that side. Receivers in motion were charted based on their original locations, which tends to be in the slot on jet motions. We have grouped targets from the traditional tight end spot in with slot targets because of their similarity, but that’s not a huge impact on the data; there were only 225 targets to wide receivers lined up tight, with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Cooper Kupp the only ones to hit double digits.
| Wide Receivers Slot vs. Wide, 2021 | |||||||||
| Player | Team | Slot/Tight | Wide | Slot% | DVOA Dif |
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| Tgt | DYAR | DVOA | Tgt | DYAR | DVOA | ||||
| Cooper Kupp | LAR | 156 | 560 | 32.8% | 23 | 40 | 9.0% | 87.2% | 23.8% |
| Justin Jefferson | MIN | 81 | 373 | 46.1% | 89 | 25 | -9.0% | 47.6% | 55.0% |
| Davante Adams | GB | 106 | 286 | 21.3% | 70 | 137 | 12.1% | 60.2% | 9.2% |
| Tyreek Hill | KC | 114 | 282 | 18.1% | 47 | 31 | -4.4% | 70.8% | 22.5% |
| Tyler Lockett | SEA | 67 | 257 | 35.9% | 44 | 55 | 3.8% | 60.4% | 32.1% |
| Deebo Samuel | SF | 82 | 234 | 25.1% | 35 | 16 | -6.8% | 70.1% | 31.8% |
| Christian Kirk | ARI | 81 | 230 | 23.9% | 20 | 64 | 27.7% | 80.2% | -3.8% |
| Hunter Renfrow | LV | 119 | 212 | 10.4% | 10 | 61 | 65.3% | 92.2% | -54.9% |
| Mike Williams | LAC | 45 | 203 | 43.0% | 87 | 31 | -8.1% | 34.1% | 51.2% |
| Chris Godwin | TB | 105 | 202 | 11.1% | 23 | 59 | 20.2% | 82.0% | -9.1% |
| Mike Evans | TB | 47 | 200 | 40.7% | 69 | 140 | 12.6% | 40.5% | 28.1% |
| Brandon Aiyuk | SF | 47 | 187 | 38.8% | 39 | 40 | 1.0% | 54.7% | 37.9% |
| Allan Lazard | GB | 51 | 186 | 32.5% | 10 | 9 | -0.7% | 83.6% | 33.2% |
| Tee Higgins | CIN | 42 | 186 | 42.3% | 73 | 148 | 14.3% | 36.5% | 28.0% |
| Byron Pringle | KC | 43 | 179 | 39.4% | 16 | 30 | 10.3% | 72.9% | 29.1% |
| Kendrick Bourne | NE | 50 | 159 | 29.1% | 19 | 73 | 40.8% | 72.5% | -11.7% |
| Cedrick Wilson | DAL | 57 | 159 | 22.6% | 5 | -5 | -24.9% | 91.9% | 47.5% |
| CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 66 | 137 | 13.3% | 58 | 66 | 1.8% | 53.2% | 11.5% |
| Bryan Edwards | LV | 32 | 133 | 40.3% | 30 | -20 | -21.3% | 51.6% | 61.5% |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | 92 | 132 | 5.8% | 19 | 51 | 20.9% | 82.9% | -15.1% |
| Tyler Boyd | CIN | 87 | 129 | 6.2% | 6 | -11 | -36.1% | 93.5% | 42.4% |
| Darnell Mooney | CHI | 101 | 129 | 3.8% | 42 | -74 | -33.6% | 70.6% | 37.4% |
| DeVonta Smith | PHI | 44 | 125 | 24.7% | 62 | 33 | -5.7% | 41.5% | 30.5% |
| Amari Cooper | DAL | 51 | 124 | 17.7% | 57 | 54 | -0.7% | 47.2% | 18.4% |
| Marquez Callaway | NO | 41 | 124 | 26.8% | 44 | -20 | -18.6% | 48.2% | 45.4% |
| Tim Patrick | DEN | 54 | 118 | 15.4% | 32 | 73 | 16.6% | 62.8% | -1.1% |
| Corey Davis | NYJ | 35 | 100 | 23.0% | 27 | -32 | -28.0% | 56.5% | 51.0% |
| Mecole Hardman | KC | 59 | 95 | 7.6% | 23 | 20 | -2.3% | 72.0% | 9.9% |
| K.J. Osborn | MIN | 57 | 93 | 9.8% | 26 | -1 | -12.9% | 68.7% | 22.7% |
| Keenan Allen | LAC | 122 | 91 | -3.5% | 35 | 47 | 5.1% | 77.7% | -8.6% |
| Keelan Cole | NYJ | 25 | 90 | 33.9% | 28 | 19 | -3.6% | 47.2% | 37.5% |
| Jalen Guyton | LAC | 23 | 88 | 34.7% | 25 | 46 | 12.7% | 47.9% | 22.0% |
| Chase Claypool | PIT | 36 | 88 | 18.5% | 74 | -19 | -16.0% | 32.7% | 34.4% |
| Stefon Diggs | BUF | 56 | 88 | 6.6% | 112 | 101 | -1.2% | 33.3% | 7.8% |
| Jarvis Landry | CLE | 58 | 83 | 5.9% | 28 | -53 | -38.4% | 67.4% | 44.3% |
| Gabriel Davis | BUF | 31 | 83 | 20.2% | 32 | 37 | 2.5% | 49.2% | 17.7% |
| Michael Pittman | IND | 65 | 83 | 3.9% | 66 | 126 | 12.1% | 49.6% | -8.2% |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | GB | 26 | 83 | 31.2% | 29 | -91 | -51.1% | 47.3% | 82.3% |
| Quez Watkins | PHI | 45 | 81 | 10.8% | 16 | 7 | -7.7% | 73.8% | 18.5% |
| Adam Thielen | MIN | 39 | 78 | 13.3% | 54 | 98 | 10.5% | 41.9% | 2.9% |
| Zay Jones | LV | 41 | 78 | 12.2% | 31 | 24 | -2.6% | 56.9% | 14.8% |
| Laquon Treadwell | JAX | 25 | 73 | 23.9% | 27 | 3 | -11.4% | 48.1% | 35.2% |
| Jaylen Waddle | MIA | 95 | 73 | -3.0% | 45 | 52 | 2.5% | 67.9% | -5.5% |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones | CLE | 29 | 70 | 18.5% | 32 | 52 | 8.3% | 47.5% | 10.2% |
| DK Metcalf | SEA | 39 | 70 | 10.0% | 92 | 50 | -5.7% | 29.8% | 15.6% |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN | 37 | 64 | 9.5% | 21 | 27 | 4.2% | 63.8% | 5.2% |
| Deonte Harris | NO | 36 | 63 | 11.8% | 21 | 81 | 37.3% | 63.2% | -25.5% |
| Odell Beckham | 2TM | 39 | 63 | 8.8% | 44 | -62 | -30.3% | 47.0% | 39.1% |
| Antonio Brown | TB | 20 | 62 | 25.5% | 43 | 65 | 6.6% | 31.7% | 18.9% |
| Ja’Marr Chase | CIN | 27 | 61 | 18.1% | 101 | 264 | 20.2% | 21.1% | -2.0% |
| Russell Gage | ATL | 68 | 60 | -1.1% | 25 | 45 | 11.1% | 73.1% | -12.2% |
| Courtland Sutton | DEN | 32 | 59 | 12.3% | 72 | 72 | 0.1% | 30.8% | 12.2% |
| Van Jefferson | LAR | 52 | 57 | 0.9% | 38 | 27 | -3.9% | 57.8% | 4.8% |
| Jerry Jeudy | DEN | 50 | 56 | 2.4% | 7 | -3 | -18.8% | 87.7% | 21.2% |
| DeAndre Hopkins | ARI | 15 | 53 | 34.3% | 48 | 166 | 31.3% | 23.8% | 3.0% |
| Marvin Jones | JAX | 58 | 45 | -2.9% | 62 | 43 | -3.6% | 48.3% | 0.7% |
| Emmanuel Sanders | BUF | 35 | 43 | 4.1% | 37 | 88 | 18.9% | 48.6% | -14.8% |
| Brandin Cooks | HOU | 77 | 40 | -5.9% | 63 | 132 | 13.8% | 55.0% | -19.7% |
| Nelson Agholor | NE | 26 | 38 | 6.2% | 43 | 22 | -5.8% | 37.7% | 12.0% |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | ATL | 34 | 37 | 1.1% | 19 | 36 | 11.5% | 64.2% | -10.4% |
| A.J. Green | ARI | 17 | 36 | 14.0% | 74 | 125 | 9.0% | 18.7% | 5.1% |
| Robert Woods | LAR | 48 | 28 | -5.3% | 22 | 111 | 52.3% | 68.6% | -57.5% |
| Calvin Ridley | ATL | 24 | 26 | 1.5% | 31 | -40 | -28.9% | 43.6% | 30.4% |
| Khalif Raymond | DET | 41 | 24 | -5.6% | 29 | 2 | -11.6% | 58.6% | 6.1% |
| Marquise Brown | BAL | 91 | 24 | -9.3% | 58 | -38 | -21.1% | 61.1% | 11.9% |
| Sterling Shepard | NYG | 42 | 23 | -5.4% | 14 | -20 | -29.9% | 75.0% | 24.5% |
| Josh Reynolds | 2TM | 21 | 20 | -0.5% | 30 | 38 | 4.0% | 41.2% | -4.5% |
| Rashod Bateman | BAL | 20 | 16 | -2.9% | 51 | 88 | 9.1% | 28.2% | -11.9% |
| Jamison Crowder | NYJ | 66 | 14 | -9.9% | 4 | -12 | -48.7% | 94.3% | 38.8% |
| Jakobi Meyers | NE | 112 | 14 | -11.1% | 17 | 7 | -7.3% | 86.8% | -3.8% |
| Rondale Moore | ARI | 50 | 12 | -9.4% | 11 | -20 | -34.6% | 82.0% | 25.2% |
| Terry McLaurin | WAS | 69 | 9 | -11.0% | 63 | 136 | 16.1% | 52.3% | -27.1% |
| A.J. Brown | TEN | 57 | 9 | -10.7% | 49 | 103 | 15.3% | 53.8% | -26.0% |
| D.J. Moore | CAR | 63 | 8 | -11.0% | 97 | -9 | -13.9% | 39.4% | 2.9% |
| Elijah Moore | NYJ | 49 | 5 | -11.2% | 28 | 18 | -4.3% | 63.6% | -7.0% |
| Jalen Reagor | PHI | 18 | 3 | -10.6% | 41 | -45 | -28.7% | 30.5% | 18.1% |
| DeVante Parker | MIA | 14 | 2 | -10.3% | 61 | 71 | 2.2% | 18.7% | -12.5% |
| Nico Collins | HOU | 22 | -1 | -13.2% | 40 | 25 | -4.7% | 35.5% | -8.5% |
| Cole Beasley | BUF | 98 | -1 | -12.8% | 14 | -44 | -52.8% | 87.5% | 40.0% |
| Diontae Johnson | PIT | 33 | -1 | -13.2% | 141 | 70 | -6.4% | 19.0% | -6.9% |
| Braxton Berrios | NYJ | 57 | -4 | -13.5% | 7 | 16 | 17.5% | 89.1% | -31.0% |
| Allan Robinson | CHI | 37 | -6 | -14.8% | 32 | 25 | -2.6% | 53.6% | -12.2% |
| Tre’Quan Smith | NO | 38 | -10 | -16.0% | 12 | 60 | 57.4% | 76.0% | -73.4% |
| Michael Gallup | DAL | 14 | -13 | -24.0% | 51 | 63 | 2.2% | 21.5% | -26.2% |
| Tyler Johnson | TB | 36 | -17 | -19.0% | 19 | -13 | -21.4% | 65.5% | 2.4% |
| Kadarius Toney | NYG | 34 | -18 | -19.6% | 21 | 39 | 10.9% | 61.8% | -30.4% |
| Adam Humphries | WAS | 56 | -25 | -18.5% | 7 | 13 | 14.1% | 88.9% | -32.6% |
| Darius Slayton | NYG | 16 | -26 | -34.0% | 44 | -82 | -37.0% | 26.7% | 3.0% |
| Robby Anderson | CAR | 60 | -45 | -22.2% | 49 | -125 | -47.3% | 55.0% | 25.1% |
| Kenny Golladay | NYG | 28 | -45 | -33.0% | 52 | 8 | -10.7% | 35.0% | -22.3% |
| Laviska Shenault | JAX | 64 | -51 | -23.0% | 32 | -49 | -34.9% | 66.7% | 11.9% |
| Zach Pascal | IND | 61 | -99 | -34.2% | 11 | 25 | 17.7% | 84.7% | -52.0% |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | PIT | 60 | -150 | -44.1% | 5 | -32 | -96.6% | 92.3% | 52.5% |
Super Disagreements
The team that targeted wide receivers the most frequently in the slot, once again, was the Los Angeles Rams. In 2020, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods had the second- and third-most slot targets in the league. The workload was more spread out in 2021, but Kupp, Woods and Van Jefferson all spent more time in the slot than otherwise. We’ll get to Kupp specifically in a moment, but I want to focus on the team level for just a moment here. Just like they have done every year during Sean McVay’s tenure, the Rams lined up in skinny formations and branched outward. The addition of Matthew Stafford at quarterback meant that they also branched downfield more than they had with Jared Goff—the average depth of target to a Rams receiver in the slot jumped from 7.9 to 11.5 yards last season—but the basic philosophy remained intact: Use narrow formations, line all your receivers in tight and then take advantage of the space on the field opened up by the defense narrowing itself in response. L.A. did this slightly less last season, ranking 28th in formation width after ranking 32nd in McVay’s first four seasons, but this is still a fairly fundamental aspect of most playcallers in the McVay/Shanahan mold.
“Most” is a very important word in that sentence, because the team with the least frequent targets to receivers in the slot was … well, it was the Steelers, but not far behind them were the Cincinnati Bengals, led by McVay protégé Zac Taylor. The Bengals buck the traditional McVay strategies and split themselves wide, with both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the top 10 in wide targets last season. Again, we’ll get to Chase specifically in a moment, but it’s striking just how different two coaches from the same tree lined up, even with both using essentially the same personnel groupings. The Rams’ three receivers tend to line up in bunches or trips; the Bengals were more traditional with each side featuring a wideout out wide.
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