The NFL’s top 11 slot receivers
In the 2021 season, per Sports Info Solutions, NFL teams targeted their slot receivers on 39.7% of all passing attempts (7,496 of 18,881). 43.1% of all catches (5,481 of 12,731) came from the slot, as well as 35.6% of all receiving yards (49.737 of 139,619), 51.7% of all yards after the catch (35,567 of 68,802), 49.7% of all yards after contact (12,025 of 24,176), and 36% of all passing touchdowns (320 of 889).
The point? Slot receivers are more important than they’ve ever been before. As the NFL moves to more and more 3×1 formations, offenses don’t just rely on one slot receiver — there are now multiple slot weapons per team, serving different roles. Whether those slot targets are smaller receivers, bigger receivers, running backs, or tight ends, if you’re not attacking opposing defenses (which are trending far more to nickel and dime sets to counter all this), you’re not doing the most you can do as a play-designer.
If the first thing you thought after reading this was, “I bet the Seahawks don’t do enough to attack opposing defenses in the slot,” you would be correct. Seattle had the NFL’s fewest slot targets by far in the 2021 season, with 164. The Vikings, 49ers, Bills, and Saints rounded out the bottom five.
As for the top five, the Buccaneers ranked first in slot targets with 347, followed by the Chiefs, Raiders, Falcons, and Dolphins. As we’re about to discuss, the Dolphins appear to be in place to set an all-time record for slot targets heading into the 2022 season.
The top five receivers in slot targets last season were about as different as you could imagine. From top-tier receivers with both volume and production (Cooper Kupp), to high-volume receivers with limited production (Cole Beasley), to amazing tight ends (Mark Andrews) to uber-fast YAC monsters who create undefendable formations with their presence (Tyreek Hill) to underrated slot technicians (Tyler Boyd), there isn’t one type of slot weapon. It takes all kinds, in all kinds of offenses, to lay waste to coverage with slot concepts.
Here are Touchdown Wire’s 11 best slot receivers, regardless of position — and all our position lists, leading up to our list of the 101 best players in the NFL today.
The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders
The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks
The NFL’s top 11 edge defenders
The NFL’s top 12 interior defensive linemen
The NFL’s top 11 offensive guards
The NFL’s top 11 offensive tackles
(All advanced metrics courtesy of Sports Info Solutions, Pro Football Focus, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).
11. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)
Godwin was as happy as anybody when Tom Brady returned to the Buccaneers after a brief flirtation with retirement.
“It changes everything,” Godwin told the NFL Network in March. “Everybody knows the player that Tom is. It’s like the Brady effect. Guys want to come and play with him. They want to come here and have that opportunity to win championships. Honestly, we have great guys here already. We have great players here already on offense, on defense, great leaders. Then you add that piece back in the mix, and it’s like now who else wants to come be a part of it? I was elated. I was gassed up. I’m still gassed up. Shoot, we’ve already been at this two years, and it’s only going to keep going up from here.”
March was also the month in which Godwin signed a new three-year, $60 million deal with $40 million guaranteed. That took him off the franchise tag, so not a bad streak for the veteran.
Godwin was the Bucs’ defined slot weapon in their high-volume passing game last season, with 60 catches on 79 slot targets 722 yards and two touchdowns. Not a lot of explosive plays there — Godwin caught four of six slot targets of 20 or more air yards last season — but when you’re in a Tom Brady offense, you had best be where you’re supposed to be when the ball comes, or you will get the Brady Death Stare, and the next step is your disappearing act. Godwin works so well with Brady because he understands how to exploit openings in coverage vulnerabilities.
On this 23-yard catch against the Bills’ Cover-3, deep safety Micah Hyde stayed deep to roll with Cyril Grayson, which allowed Godwin (No. 14) to jet past linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and get open in the middle of the field.
Godwin did all this before suffering a torn ACL in Week 15, and he may or may not start the 2022 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Whenever he does return to the team, it’ll be great news for Brady, and the Bucs’ passing game.
10. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
As mentioned in the intro to this article, the Seahawks didn’t do a lot from the slot last season. When they did, however, Lockett — who has been one of the NFL’s more underrated receivers for a while now — was the pointman for opponent destruction. This was especially true on deep passes from the slot. Overall, Lockett caught 30 of 40 slot targets for 510 yards and three touchdowns. But on passes of 20 or more air yards, he was especially dangerous, with 12 catches for 408 yards, 299 air yards, and all three touchdowns. Only Cooper Kupp had more deep slot catches last season, and Kupp had far more opportunities, with 144 total slot targets.
As was the case with Doug Baldwin for several years, the Seahawks trust Lockett to break off his routes when things get random in and out of the pocket for the quarterback, because each receiver would find a way to get open. On this 48-yard play against the Cardinals in Week 11, watch how Lockett (No. 16) zaps linebacker Isaiah Simmons at the start of his route, and then ties up safety Jalen Thompson (normally a highly assignment-correct player in coverage) on the back half.
The Seahawks seriously downgraded at quarterback this offseason after trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos, and going with the winner of the upcoming training camp “battle” between Drew Lock and Geno Smith. At least Seattle’s 2022 quarterback — and the high 2023 draft quarterback this team will probably bag after this season — will have the benefit of Lockett’s technique-perfect game.
9. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
(Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports)
Andrews may or may not have been the NFL’s most explosive slot receiver among tight ends in 2021 — we have one tight end ahead of him on this list — but he was certainly the most prolific slot target at his position in the league. Only Cooper Kupp had more slot targets than Andrews’ 104, and he caught 67 passes from the slot for 868 yards and five touchdowns. Andrews did catch five of 14 slot targets of 20 or more air yards for 147 yards, and 123 air yards, but his real function was to create after the catch. Among tight ends in the slot, only Travis Kelce had more YAC than Andrews’ 277.
Andrews is so effective in part because he has the size to make things tough for safeties, and the speed to put linebackers on edge. On this Week 14 touchdown pass against the Browns, Andrews (No. 89) just motors right by linebacker Malcolm Smith from the inside slot, and it’s an easy score.
Andrews’ status as the Ravens’ top receiver is assured, because their actual receiver corps is… not great. That makes him as valuable as any tight end in the league from any point in the formation.
8. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Some may see Samuel as a gadget player, but he’s a fully-formed, versatile receiver capable of just about anything when his quarterback can get him the ball. This proved true when Samuel was in the slot last season, though it didn’t happen often. He caught 33 of 43 slot targets for 507 yards and three touchdowns, and as has been the case when Jimmy Garoppolo is on the field, you have to do as much managing the completions that should have happened and didn’t as you do analyzing what actually transpired.
But when Samuel was given the opportunity to excel from the slot, he did just that. Here, against the Rams’ Cover-3 in Week 10. Samuel (No. 19) takes a quick slant from Garoppolo, winds through the coverage, turns on the jets, and it’s a 40-yard touchdown on fourth-and-9.
If Trey Lance is Samuel’s quarterback in 2022 and beyond, that’ll probably be better for Samuel — and there’s the matter of the contract to work out. Regardless, Samuel will continue to be one of the NFL’s most dangerous receivers, no matter where he’s aligned.
7. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
(Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Last season, the Dolphins ranked fifth in the NFL in slot targets with 268. Waddle. selected sixth overall in the 2021 draft out of Alabama, led the team with 79 of those slot targets, catching 62 passes for 494 yards and four touchdowns. Waddle’s air yards and yards after the catch were about equal, which says more about the reductive nature of Miami’s passing game in 2021 than it does about Waddle’s abilities. In this RPO-in-a-can offense, Waddle (No. 17) was able to use his speed to motion his way into openings, though he’s far more than just a gadget receiver. This touchdown catch against the Patriots in Week 18 does show how well he can use movement to get open.
How the Dolphins’ offense will shake out under new head coach Mike McDaniel is a mystery, especially with Tagovailoa’s limitations to date, but Waddle did as much as he possibly could in his rookie season with what he was given.
6. Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders
(Syndication: The Indianapolis Star)
2021 was a rough season for the Raiders — between the Henry Ruggs situation and the Jon Gruden drama, one might not have blamed the team for folding up early. But under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia, the Raiders won their last four games of the regular season, finished 10-7, and made the playoffs. One primary reason for this was the effort of receiver Hunter Renfrow, who finished his season with 111 catches on 135 targets for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns. Renfrow led the team in all those statistics, and just because Davante Adams is now part of that offense, don’t assume that Renfrow will be relegated to the back seat. What Renfrow might see is more slot targets. In 2021, he caught 61 of 77 passes from the slot for 637 yards and three touchdowns, and he used his impressive route-running acumen to slice and dice some pretty good defenders.
Renfrow’s knack for the nuances show up on this 24-yard reception against the Colts in Week 17. Renfrow is inside an elongated bunch set, and Kenny Moore — one of the NFL’s best slot defenders — has Renfrow wherever he goes. And as good as Moore generally is, this isn’t a pleasant rep for him. Renfrow feints Moore with outside leverage, kicks it inside with a jab step, and slow-plays his crossing route, gaining acceleration as he goes.
New Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels obviously has a ton of experience scheming for explosive slot receivers from his days with the Patriots, so it will be highly interesting to see what he dials up for what Renfrow can do. And that’s before you throw Adams into the equation.
5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Kelce is the NFL’s toughest tight end to cover no matter where he’s aligned, but he was a particular pain for defenses as a slot receiver. Last season, he caught 53 of 73 slot targets for 739 yards and eight touchdowns — only Cooper Kupp had more slot touchdowns last season.
Kelce has few equals as an improviser after plays break down, which makes him a perfect foil for Patrick Mahomes when it’s time to go off-script. On this touchdown against the Bengals in the AFC Championship game, Kelce crosses from the left slot to the middle of the field… and then, as Mahomes bailed out of the pocket and started riffing, Kelce matched him with Bonham-level precision to Mahomes’ Jimmy Page.
Last season, Kelce saw the slot (not aligned to the formation) on 33% of his snaps. That rate might increase in 2022 in the Chiefs’ post-Tyreek Hill passing game, because Kelce is the team’s best and most effective remaining slot target.
4. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
(AP Photo/Emilee Chinn)
While Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are the Bengals’ No. 1 and No. 2 receivers, respectively, you can’t run as many 3×1 formations as Cincinnati would prefer without a top-tier slot weapon, and that’s exactly what Boyd was last season. He caught 71 of 92 slot targets for 856 yards and six touchdowns, setting defenses on edge when they already had enough issues dealing with Chase and Higgins.
Against the Ravens in Week 16, Boyd absolutely housed linebacker Patrick Queen for a 68-yard touchdown (50 yards after the catch) by slow-playing Queen off the snap, and then accelerating through angles to leave the second-year man way behind.
Plays like this seem to indicate that while Boyd does benefit from what’s around him, he’d also be just fine as a top slot target in just about any offense.
3. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
(AP Photo/John Locher)
Adams is the NFL’s best receiver — of that, there is little doubt. He’s a unique threat on the outside, but he’s also a real weapon from the slot. Last season for the Packers, Adams caught 61 of 78 slot targets for 664 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s pretty good when you’re only in the slot for a third of your snaps, as Adams was in 2021. We don’t know what the script will be now that Adams is with the Raiders, who already have a fine slot receiver in Hunter Renfrow, but it certainly gives Josh McDaniels all kinds of options.
If the Raiders wanted to have Adams (No. 17) in the outside slot on a 3×1 backside concept, as the Packers did against the Vikings in Week 17, using Marquez Valdes-Scantling to take the coverage over the top while Adams works underneath? Well, that’s a pretty good concept. Adams can posterize any defensive back with his peerless route palette.
Not that Adams would be the Raiders’ primary slot guy — that seems to be Renfrow’s title to take — but very few receivers were able to make more big plays inside with fewer opportunities. Yet another reason there is no match for Adams at his position.
2. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Now that the Chiefs have moved on from Hill, they’ll have to put together a different kind of offense. Because there aren’t other receivers — not even other speed receivers — who can do what Hill does to defenses.
Now, Hill is the epicenter of the Dolphins’ passing game, which should be an interesting one, for reasons we’ve already discussed. One thing we should hopefully see is more explosive plays from the slot — which has not been a big part of Tua Tagovailoa’s oeuvre to date. Last season, Tagovailoa completed just seven of 13 passes of 20 or more air yards to slot receivers for 262 yards, 199 air yards, and one touchdown. Patrick Mahomes completed 17 of 39 such passes for 592 yards, 472 air yards, and three touchdowns. Hill caught nine of 18 deep targets for 270 yards, 227 air yards, and two touchdowns. Even in a passing game that was far less about the big play than it had been in seasons past, Hill remained Mahomes’ cheat code on explosive plays.
You may remember this play from the AFC Championship game. With 58 seconds left in the first half, Bengals cornerback Eli Apple and safety Jessie Bates have a bracket of sorts on Hill (No. 10), and it… just… doesn’t… matter. Apple can’t keep up, and Bates is going “deep as the deepest,” most likely because of the possibility that Hill is just going to smoke him with a vertical route. This is one example of many where Hill gets free on a more nuanced concept because defenses are terrified of what he’ll do to them if they close to any other route.
The Dolphins traded a lot to get Hill, giving him a new four-year, $120 million contract extension to boot. Which means that if Tagovailoa can’t use Hill to unlock Miami’s vertical passing game, someone else will — sooner than later.
1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Last season, no other slot receiver approached Kupp’s volume and value. He caught 117 of 144 slot targets for 1,680 yards, and 12 touchdowns — all by far the most in the NFL in 2021. Kupp also lapped all other slot targets in air yards (942), and only Deebo Samuel had more yards after the catch in the slot than Kupp’s 571.
And while Kupp gets a lot of that done with excellent route-running and movement skills… well, can we throw the “sneaky-fast” cliché in here? Because on this 44-yard catch against the Buccaneers in the divisional round — the play that set up Matt Gay’s game-winning field goal — Kupp simply blasted by safety Antoine Winfield Jr. one-on-one. Given that Matthew Stafford ate blitzes for breakfast last season, maybe bracketing Kupp would have been a better idea.
Finally, if you’re going to make big plays from the slot, you need to be fearless in traffic. As he showed on this 35-yard catch over the middle against the Cardinals in Week 4, Kupp will head right into the teeth of it.
Some will discount Kupp’s value to the Rams by downplaying him as a product of Sean McVay’s system. It’s just as accurate — perhaps more accurate — to say that without Kupp, that system doesn’t work nearly as well. Kupp would be an amazing receiver (specifically, an amazing slot receiver) in any system, and just because he’s part of a team that maximizes his skill set, that doesn’t diminish the skill set overall.
Honorable mentions
(Syndication: Florida Times-Union)
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
Cedrick Wilson, Miami Dolphins
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
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