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)
YearPlayerNoYardsAvgTD
2010Danny Amendola, St.L.856898.13
2019Albert Wilson, Mia.433518.21
2011Hines Ward, Pitt.463818.32
2013Davone Bess, Cle.423628.62
2010Chansi Stuckey, Cle.403468.70
2016Cordarrelle Patterson, Min.524538.72
2016Anquan Boldin, Det.675848.78
2016Tavon Austin, LAR585098.83
2017Jarvis Landry, Mia.1129878.89
2019Mohamed Sanu, Atl.-N.E.595208.82
2014Jarvis Landry, Mia.847589.05
2015Golden Tate, Det.908139.06
2017Jordy Nelson, G.B.534829.16
2015Tavon Austin, St.L.524739.15
2019Russell Gage, Atl.494469.11
2014James Jones, Oak.736669.16
2018Chester Rogers, Ind.534859.22
2011Mike Thomas, Jac.444159.41
2014Wes Welker, Den.494649.52
2014Percy Harvin, Sea.-NYJ514839.51
2013Ace Sanders, Jac.514849.51
2011Austin Collie, Ind.545149.51
2016Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.1071,0239.66
2015Davante Adams, G.B.504839.71
2013Mohamed Sanu, Cin.474559.72
2016Tyreek Hill, K.C.615939.76
2018Danny Amendola, Mia.595759.71
2012Kendall Wright, Ten.646269.84
2010Wes Welker, N.E.868489.97
2017Randall Cobb, G.B.666539.94

—Ian Allan