A slot receiver is a wide receiver who lines up behind the line of scrimmage in a slot area, essentially the middle area between the outside wide receivers and the offensive linemen. A slot receiver has the ability to make plays with his hands and speed, but he also needs a great deal of awareness of the field and a high level of discipline when it comes to blocking.
Traditionally, slot receivers have been a key part of offenses that play a run-heavy style of football. They help quarterbacks stretch the field and attack all three levels of the defense. This is especially true for teams that use the 3-1 receiver/back formation, which requires them to be able to catch the ball in the open field and move their feet in space.
The slot receiver position is one that has become increasingly important in recent years. In fact, slot receivers have been targeted on almost 40 percent of all passing attempts over the past few seasons, and there are many NFL teams that heavily utilize them.
Some of the best slot receivers in the league include Tyreek Hill, Cole Beasley, Keenan Allen, Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods, and Juju Smith-Schuster. They all have a knack for making big plays and earning their stripes in the slot.
They aren’t always the most effective, though; they are also susceptible to fumbles and dropped passes. The key to success for a slot receiver is being able to absorb contact on the line of scrimmage, which can be challenging. They must be fast and strong enough to blow past defenders and catch the ball in the air.
When they catch the ball, slot receivers need to be able to get up quickly and get into the running motion. This is essential if they want to make any sort of play, whether it’s a reception or a run.
To do this, they need to be strong and tough enough to take on a variety of challenges, and they need to be able to maintain their balance when in the running motion. They should also have good hands, as they’ll be receiving a lot of contact and need to be able to keep their hands in the air for long periods of time.
There are several routes that slot receivers can run, including go routes and flat routes. They’ll often run a route that involves running up the middle of the field and then running out to the sideline or outside. They may also run a shallow drop, which is when they drop down to the ground and run toward the end zone.
Their initial blocking on running plays is usually more important than that of the outside receivers, since their alignment will force them to block nickelbacks and outside linebackers. This helps the offensive line seal off the outside and keep them out of the backfield, which makes running plays that target the outside much more effective.
