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Factoid

Kelvin Benjamin

Will jumbo receiver be a starter in 2019?

Kelvin Benjamin likely will become an unrestricted free agent, and I wonder what kind of interest he’ll receive. If any.

Benjamin is a former first-round pick. He’s huge. He was listed at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds last year. He’s occasionally used that size to win on contested throws. He potentially can create matchup problems against smaller defensive backs.

But Benjamin has had problems with getting too heavy (even back at Florida State), and two different teams have decided to move on from him – both the Panthers and Bills. He ended up as a lightly-used reserve last year for Kansas City.

Even when in shape, Benjamin doesn’t have much speed. Against most defensive backs, he has problems getting open. He needs to rely on his size and catch radius, and it’s hard to be consistently successful on those kinds of throws.

The league now places tracking chips on all the players. They use those to keep track of some obscure stats. That includes average separation. That is: How open is a receiver on balls thrown to him?

In the last three years, Benjamin has been the worst receiver in the league at getting open. His average separation has been 1.8, 2.0 and 1.7 yards. Since 2016, only four other players have averaged under 2 yards per pass play.

This is a newer stat, by the way, and one that I’m still getting used to. I notice that most of the players with low numbers tend to be larger receivers, and that makes sense. Teams are more willing to throw to those players even when they’re covered. DeAndre Hopkins didn’t have a great separation number in 2017, and nobody’s suggesting he isn’t assume.

Below is the list all of all players with separation numbers of 2.2 yards or lower in the last three years. Mike Evans and Marvin Jones also show up all three years. Alshon Jeffery, Allen Robinson and Donte Moncrief all show up twice.

SEPARATION ON ROUTES (2016-18)
YearPlayerTeamAvg
2018Kelvin BenjaminBUF-KC1.7
2017• Alshon JefferyPHI1.8
2016Dez BryantDAL1.8
2016Kelvin BenjaminCAR1.8
2016• Allen RobinsonJAC1.9
2018Chad WilliamsARI1.9
2017Kelvin BenjaminBUF2.0
2017Dontrelle InmanCHI2.0
2016Devin FunchessCAR2.0
2018David MooreSEA2.0
2018A.J. GreenCIN2.0
2016• Marvin JonesDET2.0
2018• Allen RobinsonCHI2.0
2016Tajae SharpeTEN2.1
2017Roger LewisNYG2.1
2018Mike WilliamsLAC2.1
2017Kamar AikenIND2.1
2018Josh GordonNE2.1
2016Demaryius ThomasDEN2.1
2017DeAndre HopkinsHOU2.1
2017• Mike EvansTB2.1
2018• Mike EvansTB2.1
2018TreQuan SmithNO2.2
2016Rishard MatthewsTEN2.2
2017Michael CrabtreeOAK2.2
2017Marquise GoodwinSF2.2
2017Kenny GolladayDET2.2
2016Julio JonesATL2.2
2017Josh DoctsonWAS2.2
2018John RossCIN2.2
2018Courtland SuttonDEN2.2
2017Chris GodwinTB2.2
2016Brian QuickLAR2.2
2016Brandon MarshallNYJ2.2
2016• Mike EvansTB2.2
2017• Marvin JonesDET2.2
2018• Marvin JonesDET2.2
2017• Donte MoncriefIND2.2
2018• Donte MoncriefJAC2.2
2016• Alshon JefferyCHI2.2

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index