It seems like there are more wide receivers nowadays who are operating primarily around the line of scrimmage, catching quick short passes for modest gains. These guys tend to play in the slot, and rarely do you see them even try to get downfield.
Albert Wilson and Mohamed Sanu combined for 102 catches last year, and they both averaged under 9 yards per catch. Russell Gage replaced Sanu (after the trade with New England) and in his nine games in that role, he also averaged under 9 yards per reception.
In the last 10 years, only 30 wide receivers have caught over 40 passes and averaged under 10 yards per catch. (So I guess the big picture, 2019 wasn’t too wildly out of whack – 3 out of 30 is 10 percent of the total, which is exactly what you would expect, but these three were all well under 10 yards.)
With these kind of players (and we can put Danny Amendola, Hunter Renfrow and others in this group) they can make some sense as depth picks in the late rounds of PPR drafts. You tend to be playing for the catches rather than yards or touchdowns. Gage (pictured) averaged 5 catches in his nine games in a starting-type role last year, albeit with just one touchdown.
SHORT-RANGE RECEIVERS (last 10 years) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Yards | Avg | TD |
2010 | Danny Amendola, St.L. | 85 | 689 | 8.1 | 3 |
2019 | Albert Wilson, Mia. | 43 | 351 | 8.2 | 1 |
2011 | Hines Ward, Pitt. | 46 | 381 | 8.3 | 2 |
2013 | Davone Bess, Cle. | 42 | 362 | 8.6 | 2 |
2010 | Chansi Stuckey, Cle. | 40 | 346 | 8.7 | 0 |
2016 | Cordarrelle Patterson, Min. | 52 | 453 | 8.7 | 2 |
2016 | Anquan Boldin, Det. | 67 | 584 | 8.7 | 8 |
2016 | Tavon Austin, LAR | 58 | 509 | 8.8 | 3 |
2017 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 112 | 987 | 8.8 | 9 |
2019 | Mohamed Sanu, Atl.-N.E. | 59 | 520 | 8.8 | 2 |
2014 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 84 | 758 | 9.0 | 5 |
2015 | Golden Tate, Det. | 90 | 813 | 9.0 | 6 |
2017 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 53 | 482 | 9.1 | 6 |
2015 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 52 | 473 | 9.1 | 5 |
2019 | Russell Gage, Atl. | 49 | 446 | 9.1 | 1 |
2014 | James Jones, Oak. | 73 | 666 | 9.1 | 6 |
2018 | Chester Rogers, Ind. | 53 | 485 | 9.2 | 2 |
2011 | Mike Thomas, Jac. | 44 | 415 | 9.4 | 1 |
2014 | Wes Welker, Den. | 49 | 464 | 9.5 | 2 |
2014 | Percy Harvin, Sea.-NYJ | 51 | 483 | 9.5 | 1 |
2013 | Ace Sanders, Jac. | 51 | 484 | 9.5 | 1 |
2011 | Austin Collie, Ind. | 54 | 514 | 9.5 | 1 |
2016 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 107 | 1,023 | 9.6 | 6 |
2015 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 50 | 483 | 9.7 | 1 |
2013 | Mohamed Sanu, Cin. | 47 | 455 | 9.7 | 2 |
2016 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 61 | 593 | 9.7 | 6 |
2018 | Danny Amendola, Mia. | 59 | 575 | 9.7 | 1 |
2012 | Kendall Wright, Ten. | 64 | 626 | 9.8 | 4 |
2010 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 86 | 848 | 9.9 | 7 |
2017 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 66 | 653 | 9.9 | 4 |
—Ian Allan