Best Slot Receivers Nfl 2018

Even a decade ago, your average slot defender was just that — average. A smaller guy without the speed to take outside receivers up the post routes and down the sideline. But as NFL offenses have defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets, the nickel and dime defender has not only become a de facto starter, but also as important as any other defensive back on the field.

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• Best Nfl Slot Receivers 2018
• Best Slot Receivers In Nfl 2018

Imagine you’re a slot cornerback in today’s NFL. One week, you have to deal with Minnesota’s Adam Thielen and his array of precise routes — not to mention his ability to streak downfield for a huge play if you make any hint of a mistake. The next week, you’re up against the Eagles’ Zach Ertz, getting bodied out by a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in devilish route combinations. The next week, you may have to face Antonio Brown in a week when his coaches decide to make him a primary slot receiver. Good luck with that.

Adam Thielen is the NFL’s best receiver. But through seven weeks of the 2018 season, the best receiver in the league has been Adam Thielen of the Minnesota Vikings. Some people call him. Dec 04, 2018 Published on Dec 4, 2018. Cooper Kupp 'Best Slot Receiver in the NFL' 2019 Highlights - Duration: 6:25. Clash Of The Horns Official Ytube Channel 2,202 views. Projected Round (2018): 6-FA. 4/24/18: In 2017, Mitchell had 41 catches for 644 yards and four touchdowns. He made some contributions as a junior (24-226-1) and sophomore (37-335-4). He will have to compete as a slot receiver in the NFL, and it hurts him that he wasn't a returner for the Trojans. Over his past four games, Smith-Schuster has returned to 2018 form with a team-best 31-322-2 receiving on 42 targets. Will Fuller, Houston Texans (+2) vs. New England Patriots (48.5 O/U): With the exception of his injury-impacted Week 2 and weather-derailed Week 10, Fuller has either 100 yards or a touchdown in every game this year.

But hey, at least Rob Gronkowski retired, so that’s one slot nightmare out of the way.

The point is, slot defenders are tested in new and vicious ways in the modern league, and their skill sets to defend speed, option routes and increased uses of receiver space are unique. Most great outside cornerbacks want to stay outside for those exact reasons. As Richard Sherman once told me, the boundary is your friend, and if you have open space on both sides of your coverage, it isn’t a lot of fun.

So, here are the best slot defenders in the business coming into the 2019 season, and what makes each one of them special.

Losing Bryce Callahan to the Broncos in free agency was a blow for Chicago’s defense, but it would have been far worse had McManis not established himself as an estimable slot cornerback in his own right. The 31-year-old veteran doesn’t have top-end speed, but he understands defensive spacing and placement — he’s one of those guys who always seems to be around the ball. In 2018, McManis allowed just 12 receptions on 22 slot targets for 80 yards, 42 yards after the catch, no touchdowns and an opponent passer rating of 62.7. You want to see a larger sample size of targets before moving him up this list, but 2018 was a step in the right direction.

We’ve ranked the defenses. Now it’s time to take a look at how team’s will fare on the other side of the ball in 2018. Here are our rankings of all 32 NFL offenses for the upcoming seasons…

32. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo’s star running back, LeSean McCoy, could be suspended. Over the last nine months, the Bills have lost three-fifths of their offensive line, which has looked horrible during the preseason. The starting quarterback, Nathan Peterman, has thrown 49 passes in the NFL; five of them have been intercepted — all in one half. The No. 1 receiver is a slow, inconsistent route-runner who can’t catch. Other than that, the Bills offense should be just fine.

31. Indianapolis Colts

It’s a good thing the Colts aren’t putting a lot on Andrew Luck’s shoulders after he’s coming off a year-long hiatus from throwing a football. What’s that? His offensive line is terrible, his starting running back is Christine Michael, his receiving corps may have gotten worse since the last time he played AND he’s learning a new offense? Yikes.

30. New York Jets

There are a lot of ways you can finish this sentence: The Jets offense could be decent if…

Best Slot Receivers Nfl 2018 Draft Picks

… Sam Darnold is as good as he looked during preseason.

… both Terrelle Pryor and Quincy Enunwa return to their 2016 forms, joining Jermaine Kearse and Robbie Anderson in a solid receiving corps.

… the offensive line isn’t the disaster it was a season ago.

You get the idea.

29. Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco successfully held off Lamar Jackson in the preseason, which is probably a good sign for the 2018 Ravens’ outlook. Jackson looked as raw as we expected and unready to start an NFL game, while Flacco played legitimately well in preseason. Some have chalked it up to him being motivated by the team drafting a quarterback in the first round, but it probably has more to do with him being fully healthy for the first time in years. He also has a better receiving corps with Michael Crabtree providing him with a reliable possession receiver and the speedy John Brown looking like his old self during preseason. The running game, led by Alex Collins, who’s coming off an impressive first season in Baltimore, should also make things easier on Flacco, as well. This offense may not be very good, but it should be decent, which is all Baltimore needs to make a playoff run with that defense.

28. Denver Broncos

Let’s start with the good: The Broncos receiving corps could be among the league’s best in 2018, and the offensive line should be better than it was a year ago. That about covers it.

Now the Bad: Many assume the quarterback situation will also improve, but are we sure Case Keenum is that much better than Trevor Siemian? The two quarterbacks share similar weaknesses: Underwhelming arms and reckless decision making. Rookie RB Royce Freeman might be a popular fantasy football sleeper, but we’ve seen many of those disappoint in Denver over the last few seasons.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars coaches did everything in their power to protect Blake Bortles in 2017, and the team should be better equipped to do that this season after adding All-Pro Andrew Norwell to the offensive line. He will open up more holes for Leonard Fournette, who will, once again, be asked to run into heavy run boxes. There are some physically-gifted receivers on the roster, but none of them are particularly reliable. Marqise Lee’s season-ending injury did not help.

26. Oakland Raiders

Nobody knows what to expect from Jon Gruden after a 10-year break from the game. He certainly has enough to work with here to succeed. Derek Carr might be overpaid but he’s solid behind center. Amari Cooper should bounce back after an injury-plagued season. The running backs have played well in August. And the offensive line is among the best in football. There’s a good offense in there somewhere. We just don’t know if Gruden is the man to put it all together.

25. Arizona Cardinals

David Johnson is back! The do-it-all back was the Cardinals’ entire offense in 2016 before a wrist injury ended his 2017 season in Week 1. Unfortunately, the offensive line remains a question mark, and the receiving corps won’t threaten defenses downfield so there won’t be much room for him to run. At the very least, the quarterback situation is a lot better. Sam Bradford will provide good service for receivers Larry Fitzgerald and rookie Christian Kirk (there isn’t a whole lot behind those two, though), and when he inevitably gets hurt, Josh Rosen is here to step in. The rookie quarterback impressed during preseason.

24. Houston Texans

Deshaun Watson is back with another year of experience in Bill O’Brien’s offense, which looked a lot better with the Clemson product under center. But it’s not going to be easy for the wiry quarterback to stay healthy behind what might be the worst offensive line in the league. Watson’s receiving corps isn’t deep, but DeAndre Hopkins is an elite No. 1 receiver and Will Fuller’s speed terrifies opposing secondaries. Lamar Miller is a solid back, but nothing more. And behind that offensive line, he has little chance of putting up big numbers in what could be his final season in Houston.

23. Miami Dolphins

There was a lot of talk about the Dolphins replacing Ryan Tannehill in the offseason, which made little sense. While he has never really broken out (WILL THIS BE THE YEAR?!?!), he is a solid, franchise-level quarterback who was producing like a top quarterback — at least statistically — the last time we saw him on an NFL field. With Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson added to the receiving corps, what looks like it could be an average offensive line — which would be a tremendous upgrade over what Tannehill has played behind — and a nice running back duo in Kenyan Drake and the ageless Frank Gore, Adam Gase and Tannehill have no excuses in 2018.

22. Cincinnati Bengals

As has been the case during the Andy Dalton era, the success of this offense will come down to the play of the offensive line, which was a complete mess in 2017. There are more than enough weapons with A.J. Green, John Ross and Tyler Eifert making up the receiving corps, and Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard forming an intriguing running back pair. Dalton has never been good under pressure, but can look like a franchise quarterback behind a good line. The additions of Cordy Glenn and Billy Price should provide the 2011 second-round pick with a little more time and space in the pocket, which could get this offense back to its 2015 form.

21. Cleveland Browns

The Browns certainly have the pieces to put together a top offense, but there are plenty of question marks. Tyrod Taylor is the best quarterback Cleveland has had in a while, but he’s a mediocre pocket passer. The running back group is deep, but Carlos Hyde can never seem to stay healthy. Josh Gordon needs to be available for the receiving corps to really work. And then there’s the dynamic between Hue Jackson and Todd Haley, which could head south in a hurry. If most things break right for this unit, though, it will score plenty of points.

20. Seattle Seahawks

It will be Russell Wilson against the world once again in 2018. The offensive line may not be the disaster it has been, but it still isn’t any good. The receiver corps has the potential to be better than it was a year ago, but there are question marks across the depth chart. Doug Baldwin is hurt, Seattle is still waiting on Tyler Lockett to break out and Brandon Marshall hasn’t finished a season healthy since the Seahawks were in the AFC. That might be a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. The team (foolishly) used a first-round pick on a running back who is already hurt and not even slated to start. Unless Chris Carson is a Pro Bowl running back, Wilson, who has been a streaky quarterback over the last few seasons, will be asked to drag the team to points.

19. Tennessee Titans

Marcus Mariota was not nearly as bad as his 2017 stat line suggests. The Titans bringing in an offensive coordinator whose playbook was drafted after the turn of the century should help the fourth-year quarterback show his true talent in 2018. That is, if his young receiving corps takes the next step. It starts with Corey Davis, who was taken with a top pick in the last year’s draft. Tennessee needs another reliable outlet for Mariota other than TE Delanie Walker. RB Dion Lewis gives the young quarterback an option out of the backfield. He’ll spell Derrick Henry on passing downs. Those two should have plenty of room to run behind a good Titans line that underachieved last season.

18. New York Giants

The Giants overhauled the left side of their offensive line, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be demonstrably better than it has been in recent years, as both LT Nate Solder and rookie LG Will Hernandez are no sure things. What will assuredly improve is the stable of skill players Eli Manning has to work with after the team drafted Saquon Barkley and got Odell Beckham back from injury. Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram give him good third and fourth options. Will the aging quarterback be able to take advantage?

17. Chicago Bears

While Matt Nagy is being hailed as this year’s Sean McVay, we might need to pump the brakes a little there. How often do coaches like Sean McVay pop up? And there’s one glaring difference between the two: McVay was a play-caller long before he was hired by the Rams. Nagy didn’t assume play-calling duties until the final month of the Chiefs 2017 season. Regardless, the scheme will be an upgrade over whatever the Bears were running under John Fox. That should aid Mitch Trubisky in what we’re expecting to be a breakout year. He’s playing behind a good line with dynamic running backs, and, more importantly, he’ll actually be throwing to NFL caliber receivers this season. If Nagy does live up to the hype, the Bears will out-perform this ranking.

16. Dallas Cowboys

The great Cowboys offensive line, the foundation of this unit, might have to settle for “merely good” in 2018 with C Travis Frederick’s future somewhat in doubt after he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. It’s unclear if he’ll return during the 2018 season, leaving the line without its anchor in the middle. The Cowboys are hoping his absence will not affect Dak Prescott as much as Tyron Smith’s and Zeke Elliott’s absences affected the sophomore quarterback in 2017. Elliott, one of the league’s most well-rounded backs should be in the lineup for all 16 games this season, which would make things easier on Prescott. This receiving corps, on the other hand, will not. Prescott’s best receiver might be rookie Michael Gallup, who looked fantastic in preseason despite erratic service from backup QB Cooper Rush.

15. Washington Redskins

Kirk Cousins has been replaced by Alex Smith, which could actually be a net positive for an offense that had so much difficulty running the ball. Getting the offensive line healthy will obviously help in that regard, but so will Smith’s mobility. Jay Gruden has already mentioned how Smith will allow the Redskins to run more zone read in 2018. That threat will also boost the play-action passing game. Health is obviously the big concern here. The line has had its problems staying healthy, as has the receiving corps. If Josh Doctson and Jordan Reed can stay off the injury report, this should be a very good offense. The Adrian Peterson signing is fascinating, but the chances of him being a real difference-maker at his age are slim.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With Jameis Winston suspended for three games, we won’t see this offense at full strength until Week 4. The storylines haven’t changed since last offseason: The offensive line still stinks, the running back position remains unsettled after Ronald Jones’ disappointing preseason, Winston needs to be more accurate and make better decisions. But the receiving corps is absolutely loaded. Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate are the best group of targets in the entire league. If Winston is ready to take that next step, the passing game will be difficult to stop.

13. Carolina Panthers

True story: When I was typing out the header for this section, I initially wrote “Cam Newton” instead of “Carolina Panthers.” It’s a fitting mistake, as Cam has been forced to carry this offense since the team drafted him in 2011. This is supposedly the best supporting cast Newton has ever worked with, but Devin Funchess is still his No. 1 receiver. Behind him are Torrey Smith and rookie D.J. Moore. Reserve Curtis Samuel might be Newton’s best receiver. That’s not a good thing. Getting Greg Olsen back healthy and a second-year Christian McCaffrey should help take some of the play-making pressure off Newton, at least. This offensive line certainly won’t help. Not with starting LT Matt Kalil, who isn’t very good, slated to miss a month or two. The line could be a disaster. But Newton’s under-appreciated brilliance will keep the offense afloat. If Carolina gets a breakout season from a skill-player or two, this offense could look a lot like the one we saw in 2015.

12. Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins is an upgrade over Case Keenum, but that doesn’t necessarily ensure the Vikings will get better production out of the quarterback position. Keenum played out of his mind in 2017. Especially under pressure, which is where Cousins has struggled throughout his career. That could be a major issue behind a suspect line. Luckily Minnesota is loaded at the skill positions with receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs on the outsides and Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray out of the backfield. TE Kyle Rudolph provides a red zone threat at tight end. This unit, which enjoyed so much success in 2017, lost its architect Pat Shurmur. He’s been replaced by former Eagles quarterback coach John DeFilippo.

11. Los Angeles Chargers

Philip Rivers may not have much in the way of pass protection — though his ability to call protections mitigates that a fair bit — but he has plenty to work with in the passing game. Keenan Allen is a silky route runner who is dangerous with the ball in this hands. Travis Benjamin can’t really catch but he’ll make plays. Mike Williams is starting to flash the potential that got him drafted in the top-10. And, oh yeah, Antonio Gates is back to replace the injured Hunter Henry. The Bolts also have two good backs in Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.

10. Detroit Lions

Maybe this is the year we can stop pushing the narrative that Matthew Stafford is carrying this offense. Sure, the Lions don’t have much of a running game — though that could change this year after the team drafted RB Kerryon Johnson and LG Frank Ragnow — but you won’t find a more underappreciated receiving duo than Marvin Jones and Golden Tate. Kenny Golladay making the leap in his second year could propel the receiving corps to the top tier in 2018.

9. San Francisco 49ers

This offense looked a lot better before RB Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL, but cobbling together a good running game has never been an issue for Kyle Shanahan. Having an improved offensive line with C Weston Richburg and RT Mike McGlinchey will help. We can’t expect Jimmy Garoppolo to win every game he starts (or can we?) and he’s due some regression when it comes to his interception luck, but he appears to be a top-15 starter throwing to a diverse group of receivers. With Shanahan calling the plays, Jimmy G won’t have to do much heavy lifting.

8. Kansas City Chiefs

The ceiling on this offense is ridiculously high, but the floor is also much lower than it was a year ago with Patrick Mahomes taking over for Alex Smith. Mahomes has plenty of weapons to work with, including Sammy Watkins, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt, and he’s also playing in one of the more innovative offenses in the league. But the offensive line is mediocre and Mahomes’ decision-making and accuracy wase inconsistent, at best, during the preseason. If he can clean up some of his issues, though, this offense will soar.

7. Green Bay Packers

The Packers might be too high on this list considering the problems this offense has had over the last few years, but Aaron Rodgers remains AARON RODGERS, and we have never seen him work with a weapon quite like Jimmy Graham. The offensive line isn’t nearly as deep as it was a few years ago, but the tackle pair of David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga is as good as it gets. Davante Adams and Randall Cobb are closer to “league average” than good, as far as receiving corps go, but Rodgers will make it all work.

6. Atlanta Falcons

We all know the talent is here for a record-setting offense. This same group of players blitzed the league in 2016 with Kyle Shanahan calling the shots. Steve Sarkisian’s sequel wasn’t a disaster, but it was a major disappointment. The Falcons have it all on offense: A smart, accurate quarterback who can make things happen when a play breaks down (Matt Ryan); two running backs who can gash teams on the ground or in the pass game (Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman); a superhuman receiver (Julio Jones); an exciting rookie with smooth route-running skills on the opposite side of him (Calvin Ridley); a versatile veteran receiver to compliment those two (Mohamed Sanu); and a deep, talented offensive line. This offense is even deeper than the record-breaking one that led Atlanta to a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI. Coaching is the only thing holding it back.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

How Carson Wentz rebounds from tearing his ACL late in the 2017 season will obviously determine how good this offense will be. But even if he doesn’t return to full strength, the Eagles will still score plenty of points thanks to an elite offensive line, an eclectic group of running backs, a deep group of receivers and Doug Pederson’s incentive scheme. We saw how good this supporting cast could make a quarterback look when Nick Foles tore through the Vikings and Patriots defenses en route to a Super Bowl win.

4. Los Angeles Rams

Best Slot Receivers Nfl 2018 Wk

We’ve seen coaches burst onto the scene with an innovative offense only to fizzle out once defenses get a little film on them. But Sean McVay is different. After all, his offenses have been gashing defenses since his time as Redskins offensive coordinator. And it’s not like the Rams’ breakout in 2017 was all about X’s and O’s. Los Angeles has plenty of dudes on this offense. Todd Gurley is the unit’s star. Everything is built around his well-rounded game. Jared Goff left some throws on the field last season, but he’s improving and could could be primed to put up MVP numbers playing with an improved receiving corps, now featuring Brandin Cooks.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Best Nfl Slot Receivers 2018

As crazy as it sounds, quarterback play might be the one thing holding this offense back from topping this list. Not because Ben Roethlisberger isn’t a great quarterback. He is. There are just too many times per season that he doesn’t play like one. That inconsistency typically costs the Steelers a game or two, which inevitably costs them home-field advantage in the postseason. If Big Ben is finally able to put together a consistently brilliant season, this offense could re-write the NFL’s record book. It has the league’s best receiving corps led by Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Le’Veon Bell is the most dynamic back in football (he’ll be back eventually, right?) and James Conner looks like a good backup. And the offensive line is not only good, but it’s played together for nearly half a decade now. That kind of continuity is rare in today’s NFL.

2. New England Patriots

Best Slot Receivers In Nfl 2018

The Patriots have the best quarterback ever, the best tight end ever, one of the best slot receivers in the league and the NFL’s best offensive coordinator. Sure, there are question marks at left tackle, but the offensive line is solid at the other four spots. There isn’t a field stretching receiver here, but Tom Brady’s been down that road plenty of times. And there might not be a workhorse back (though rookie Sony Michel could play that role when healthy) but New England certainly has a talented group of runners who can do a little bit of everything.

1. New Orleans Saints

There isn’t an offense in the league with fewer holes than the one in New Orleans. The Saints don’t have a tight end, and Max Unger is on the wrong side of his prime, but when a former Pro Bowl center is your “weak link,” then your offense is pretty stacked. Drew Brees showed no signs of slowing down in 2017, even if the team asked less of him after Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram emerged as a the league’s best backfield. Mike Thomas gives the team the true No. 1 receiver it’s never really had during the Sean Payton era. Ted Ginn still can’t catch, but secondaries fear his field-stretching ability. And rookie WR Tre’Quan Smith might give Payton and Brees another tool to torture defenses with. As if they need one.