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

Slots are the same for each spin. You won't find any tricks to help you beat them. There are a few tricks you can use to maximize your chances of winning.

Take a look at the RTP of a game before you start. This statistic shows how much players should expect to win in the long-term.

Slot Efficiency

The goal of slot efficiency is of increasing the amount of slot switches that can be made without violating certain constraints. These constraints include, for example the minimum operational delay (usually expressed as scheduling delays) fairness, equity access, competition environmental objectives and more. The process of distributing slots is a complicated one and optimizing it to achieve the desired performance metrics requires careful analysis of all the factors that are in play.

In general, the process starts with the identification of the types of requests to be prioritized according to established historical precedence. Once the type of request has been determined the slot allocation model is employed to minimize the required delay the criterion. However, many research gaps have been discovered related to the optimization of slot scheduling models particularly when it comes to the balance between fairness and efficiency is being maintained.

ABC (assigned according to velocity) is a well-known method for prioritizing slot allocation. This strategy collects item history and determines an appropriate grouping based on the velocity. Items with the highest velocity receive the most slots, while less popular items are placed farther back in the warehouse.

The distance factor is a crucial element in the slot's efficiency. It determines the amount of space needed to facilitate the pick-to-ship process. The factor considers the velocity group, racking placements, and equipment handling characteristics of the items.

To increase slot efficiency, it is also important to think about the costs associated with the change to a particular slot. A quick look at the typical slot change will help managers understand the costs associated with the move, and also the impact it could have on other elements of slot efficiency, like speed.

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Perimeter Efficiency

We all know wide receivers are more likely to score touchdowns when they are capable of hitting perimeter targets rather than slot targets. This is because they are generally targeted downfield and usually face one on one coverage. What might surprise some, however, is that the top five slot players and the rest of the group score differently on perimeter targets.

Mike Evans, Amari cooper, Tyler Lockett, and Michael Gallup were the top five scorers in the slot on perimeter routes of the 66 wide-receivers who saw at least 40 targets in each of the previous two seasons. The bottom of this list is filled with receivers who are more possession-based such as Chris Godwin and Diontae Johnston. The Bucs will likely move the two latter players into the slot more often during this season, which should increase their targets. However, they'll have to improve their scoring on the perimeter to keep their high standards.

Speedy wideouts are the biggest benefits of moving into the slot since they have an easier time getting open downfield in the event that their route isn't blocked by a cornerback or linebacker. Corey Coleman is the only wide receiver who isn't a speedy wideout but would benefit from more slot work. He's a reliable target for intermediate and short routes.

Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and other possession-based receivers are at the bottom of the list. They're better on shorter and intermediate routes than in deep areas. Jeudy will be the Rams' primary slot receiver this year is a sleeper choice. Courtland Cooper and Amari Sutton are expected to play a larger role in downfield targets. Hamler should be able to excel on short-to-mid routes, as that's the way he performed in 2021 when he played for the Bills. Hamler could be a great replacement for the departing wideout Jordan Matthews in Buffalo.

Percentage of Snaps in the Slot

The percentage of snaps that a receiver makes in the slot can be a good indicator of their ability to run deep routes. It's not always a true reflection of a receiver’s skill set, as certain receivers are better in the slot and can't play deeper.

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

On the other hand, some receivers excel inside and aren't able to do much on the outside. For example the Panthers handed Robby Anderson 978 snaps during the season, and he completed 74 percent of his slot routes as opposed to just 26% on boundary routes. This is a significant difference and shows how much more productive the player is when positioned in the slot.

Chris Godwin, a Buccaneers player, is in the middle of the field most of his passing downs. He has one of the top five slot receiving scores (58.5). He also played 51% his perimeter routes and is a master in one-on-1 coverage.

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

On the other hand, we've got some great slot cornerbacks like McDuffie and Moore in this group. Both have been able generate pressures in the pass game with McDuffie leading the NFL with seven forced fumbles, and Moore having the highest tackle stop efficiency on this list (-3.5). Through using McDuffie in the slot when they run nickel or dime packages and then placing McDuffie on the outside in base defense, Spagnuolo has maximized his capabilities. Moore's ability to stop big run plays is a huge benefit when playing the slot.

Percentage of Snaps Outside

While the NFL's top receivers, such as Baldwin, Golden Tate and Larry Fitzgerald excel on the perimeter, it's also worth noting that their slot counterparts are just as good. Wide receivers who have an excellent slot grade score touchdowns about the same as those on the outside. This is due to the fact that quarterbacks have a more stable target distribution when throwing to outside and slot receivers compared to other inside options like tight ends and backfield pass-catchers.

It's therefore interesting to see a player such as CeeDee lamb on this list for 2022. He plays the slot in 3 WR sets and flanker in two of the sets. He's running more routes in the slot than a lot of the players on this list. This is a great way to create matchup benefits for your team. It also helps to explain why Lamb ranks as the highest-graded slot receiver in our system this season.

Of course, he plays the X position and makes big plays from the perimeter, too. Lamb isn't nearly as explosive as the players in this ranking but he's highly skilled and is a great fit for the Cowboys scheme.

Mecole Hardman is another example of a player who's capable of putting up huge numbers on both targets. He has a very high slot receiving grade and is among the best players in the league at catching back-shoulder throws, however, he's also a formidable player for contested-catch.

Another player on this list that's a slot specialist in the true sense is Baltimore's Jalen Hilton, who has lined up in the slot on 85.7 percent of his defensive plays this season. He's allowed the third-lowest target EPA and the fifth-best run stop EPA among cornerbacks aligned in the slot, which makes him a crucial player in the defense of his team. He's had a difficult time stopping passes from the outside and his EPA against this type of target is negative. This is a result of playing alongside poor linebackers and safeties who can't match up with Hilton's size, speed and route-running ability.