Slot Rankings - How Wide Receivers Score More Touchdowns in the Slot

Slots work the same way for every game, so you won't be able to find any secret hacks to beat them. However there are some things you can be aware of to increase your chances of winning.

Find out the RTP of a game before you start. This is a measure of how much players can expect to win in the long run.

Slot Efficiency

The goal of slot efficiency is to maximize the amount of changes that can be made, without violating certain constraints. These constraints usually comprise the minimum allowed operational delay (usually expressed in terms of scheduling delays) fairness and equity access and competition, environmental goals and many more. The process of distributing slots can be complex and optimizing it to meet the desired performance metrics requires careful examination of the factors involved.

In general, the process begins by identifying the types of requests to be prioritized based on established precedents. Once the type is identified and the slot allocation model is developed, it is then used to minimize the delay criteria. However, numerous research gaps have been discovered regarding the optimization of slot scheduling models particularly when it comes to balancing efficiency and fairness.

A common method of prioritizing slot assignments is the ABC (assigned by velocity) strategy that gathers information on the history of an item and creates a velocity group. Items with the highest velocity receive the most slots, while lower velocity items are placed farther back in the warehouse.

The distance factor is a crucial element in the slot's efficiency. It is a measure of the amount of space needed for the pick-to-ship process. The calculation takes into consideration the velocity group of the items, as well as their racking placements and the characteristics of handling equipment.

To improve the efficiency of slot machines In order to increase the efficiency of slot machines, it is important to consider the cost of a given slot change. A quick review of the typical slot change will help managers understand the cost associated with the change, as well as the effects it may have on other aspects of slot themes efficiency, including velocity.

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Perimeter Efficiency

We all know that wide receivers tend to score more touchdowns on perimeter targets than slot targets, as they're often targeted farther downfield and are often faced with one-on-one coverage. What may be surprising to some, however, is the fact that the top five slot players and the rest of the group score differently on targets that are outside.

Mike Evans, Amari cooper, Tyler Lockett, and Michael Gallup were the top five scorers on perimeter routes. They were among the 66 wide-receivers who saw at least 40 targets during each of the two previous seasons. The bottom of this list is dominated by players who are more possession-based, like Chris Godwin and Diontae Johnston. The latter two are likely to see a boost in their targets this season if the Bucs can move them into the slot more frequently, but they'll need to improve their perimeter scoring to maintain that high standard.

The slot is the ideal option for wide receivers who are quick, since they can get open more easily when their route won't be covered by a linebacker or cornerback. The only non-speedy wide receiver on the list that benefits from more slot work is Corey Coleman, as he's an extremely reliable target on short and intermediate routes.

The bottom of the list features more possession-based receivers that are more effective on intermediate and short routes than deep ones like Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Jeudy is a great choice for a sleeper this year, as he'll be the primary slot receiver for the Rams while Courtland Sutton and Amari Cooper are expected to be involved in more downfield targets. Hamler, meanwhile, should thrive on more short-to-middle and intermediate routes, because that's where he excelled while playing for the Bills in 2021. He could be a great replacement for departed wideout Jordan Matthews in Buffalo.

Percentage of Snaps In Slot

The proportion of snaps a receiver plays in the slot is an excellent indicator of their ability to play deep routes. It's not always a reliable indicator of a receiver’s skill set because some receivers are better in the slot and can't play further.

For example For instance, the Eagles Alshon Jeffery is the leader in the league in the number of targets per game (4.8) however, he is ranked sixth in slot receiving score (58.5). This is because most of his targets have come from the outside, and it's difficult to score a first-down on a wide-open deep route in that situation.

Some receivers are better playing inside, while others struggle to do so on the outside. For example the Panthers handed Robby Anderson 978 snaps last season, and he completed an astounding 74 percent of his slot routes, compared to just 26% on boundary routes. This is a significant difference and shows just how much more efficient Robby Anderson is when aligned to the slot.

Additionally there is the Buccaneers' Chris Godwin lines in the middle on the majority of his passing downs, and has a top-five slot receiving score (58.5). He also played 51% of his perimeter routes and is a master in one-on-one coverage.

Speed receivers are more efficient when they line up inside. They can be targeted further down the field and are often swarmed by one-on-one coverage. This is why you'll find names like Julio Jones, Mike Evans, and Amari Cooper in the top five of our list.

On the flip side, we've got some great slot cornerbacks such as McDuffie and Moore in this group. McDuffie leads the NFL in forced fumbles with seven, and Moore is the most effective tackle-stop efficiency (-3.5) on this list. Spagnuolo maximized McDuffie's skills by placing him in the slot for nickel and dime packages and then shifting him to the outside for base defense. Moore's ability in stopping big run plays is an enormous advantage when playing the slot.

Percentage of Snaps Outside

While top NFL receivers like Golden Tate, Larry Fitzgerald, and Baldwin excel on the perimeter but their slot counterparts are just as good. Wide receivers with an excellent slot grade score touchdowns about the same as those on the perimeter. This is mainly because quarterbacks are more consistent in their target distribution when they throw to outside and slot wide receivers rather than other inside options such as tight ends and backfield passers.

It's also interesting to see a receiver such as CeeDee Lamb on this list in 2022 because he plays the slot in three WR sets and flanker in two of them. He's actually running more routes in the slot than most of the players on this chart. This is an excellent method to gain matchup advantages for your team. It also helps explain why Lamb is the top-rated receiver in our system.

Of course, he also plays the X position, and makes some big plays from the perimeter as well. Lamb isn't as fast as the other players in this list, but he is still an elite wide receiver who is a good fit in the Cowboys scheme.

Mecole Hardman, a player who can put huge numbers with targets of both kinds is a different example. He has a high slot receiver grade and is one of the best players in the league at catching back-shoulder throws but he's also an excellent player for contested-catch.

Jalen Hilton is another player who is a slot specialist. He's been positioned in this position on 85.7 percent of his defensive plays to date. He has the third-lowest EPA for targets, and the fifth-best EPA for runs stopped among cornerbacks in the slot. This makes him a key part of his team's defensive line. He has struggled to stop passes from outside, and his EPA against this type of target is negative. This is the result of playing with unsafe linebackers who don't have the same size and speed. He also has a great ability to run routes.