Analyzing NFL's young slot WR

In his series on wide receivers still on rookie contracts, Jared Dubin focuses on slot receivers and offensive weapons:

“They do a lot of their passing-game work close to the line of scrimmage: with an average route-break depth of just 6.8 yards downfield, they often provide a security blanket for their quarterback on underneath throws and/or bubble screens. Because they tend to work in close, they produce explosive plays less often (16.9 percent of their targets) than any other group we're watching, despite having a target rate on par with their peers. Our slot mavens and offensive weapons have been targeted on 20.4 percent of their routes this season, per PFF and TruMedia, compared with 20.8 percent for possession receivers, 20.9 percent for the all-around monsters, and 21.6 percent for the technicians.”

Full article: CBS Sports