WR YAC

[Smidgeon]

About a week ago, CHFF did an article on WR YAC, then broke it down to average YAC.

Guess which team had the most players in the Top 25? Only three other teams had two in the Top 25 (Chi, NE, SF), and each of those had at least one player outside the Top 15. Not GB:

Green Bay's Big Three Yac Attack
Greg Jennings' presence on the AYAC list (No. 13) shouldn't come as a surprise. But the fact that he's third among Packers receivers is a huge surprise. James Jones (No. 7) and Jordy Nelson (No. 8) are underrated after the catch, to say the least.

Not to take anything away from the emergence of Aaron Rodgers, but it's worth noting that three of his receivers landed on this list. While it may have a little to do with the offensive system in Green Bay, it must be nice for Rodgers to know that if his receiver catches the ball, they can usually get quite a few additional yards out of it.

I went to their source (SI Online) and pulled some GB team info, then calculated the average YAC (I took out players with fewer than 10 receptions):

1) Brandon Jackson isn't that bad in space. 8.8 average YAC. He can move in space. Now, the nature of the position lends to higher totals in this category, but it's still pretty good.
2) Quarless actually had a better average YAC than Finley (5.6 to 5.1). That really surprised me. Not only that, but Quarless and Finley both had WR like numbers (Jennings had 5.7). For TEs, that's kind of impressive.
3) The positional groups were almost perfectly separated. First the RBs/FBs, then the WRs, then the TEs.......then Donald Driver.
4) Want proof Driver's lost a step? All four TEs on the team (including Crabtree who didn't qualify with fewer than 10 receptions) had a better average YAC than Driver. His average was 3.7, the fourth lowest in his career, and the worst since 2004.

Anyway. More useless stats to enjoy.

[Farley Face]

About a week ago, CHFF did an article on WR YAC, then broke it down to average YAC.

Guess which team had the most players in the Top 25? Only three other teams had two in the Top 25 (Chi, NE, SF), and each of those had at least one player outside the Top 15. Not GB:



I went to their source (SI Online) and pulled some GB team info, then calculated the average YAC (I took out players with fewer than 10 receptions):

1) Brandon Jackson isn't that bad in space. 8.8 average YAC. He can move in space. Now, the nature of the position lends to higher totals in this category, but it's still pretty good.
2) Quarless actually had a better average YAC than Finley (5.6 to 5.1). That really surprised me. Not only that, but Quarless and Finley both had WR like numbers (Jennings had 5.7). For TEs, that's kind of impressive.
3) The positional groups were almost perfectly separated. First the RBs/FBs, then the WRs, then the TEs.......then Donald Driver.
4) Want proof Driver's lost a step? All four TEs on the team (including Crabtree who didn't qualify with fewer than 10 receptions) had a better average YAC than Driver. His average was 3.7, the fourth lowest in his career, and the worst since 2004.

Anyway. More useless stats to enjoy.

"...it must be nice for Rodgers to know that if his receiver catches the ball, they can usually get quite a few additional yards out of it."

It must also be nice for the receivers to know they have a QB accurate enough and who is on time enough with the ball to hit them in stride to allow for maximum YAC. If a receiver has to slow down or stop a route or lunge for a poorly thrown/badly timed pass YAC takes a big hit.

[bobblehead]

"...it must be nice for Rodgers to know that if his receiver catches the ball, they can usually get quite a few additional yards out of it."

It most also be nice for the receivers to know they have a QB accurate enough and who is on time enough with the ball to hit them in stride to allow for maximum YAC. If a receiver has to slow down or stop a route or lunge for a poorly thrown/badly timed pass YAC takes a big hit.

+1...its no coincidence that the QB of said team has 3 guys in the top 15. Its not JUST the WR responsible for that.

[packerbacker1234]

Driver was also hurt most of the year, and I am sure that affected his YAC as well. When healthy, I am not sure if he "truly" lost a step. Be intesting to see his stats from earlier in the year - because like 3 or 4 games in he was tied for the lead in catches and I think only trailed finley in yards.

[Patler]

What would Jones' numbers have been and where would he rank had he caught the 3 or 4 that he dropped when it looked like he could go all the way? Three or four more catches, but 100-150 more YAC.

[vince]

Jackson is a good 3rd down back, but a poor 1st and 2nd down back. It'll be interesting to see what happens to him in the free agent frenzy. It's hard to say whether the Packers are interested in him. I personally think they'd be better off letting him walk and giving the reps to Starks and Green. A lot of people say Starks is a liability in pass pro, but I've seen him do a good job on a number of occasions and think he can be a big threat in the passing game. Alex Green is also a natural pass catcher and did a lot of pass protecting in the spread offense at Hawaii. Both are far better runners than Jackson.

Randall Cobb is a serious threat in space, so the YAC should only imrpove the more he sees the field. He has far better speed and quickness than Jones and Driver. I could see him taking over as the slot receiver and pushing Driver outside more than he's been the last couple years. He can still make people miss when he has some space, but not from the slot where he's been the last few years almost exclusively.

[Partial]

The reason Jennings #s are probably lower is double coverage. The rest is probably ARod and play calling.

[Gunakor]

Want proof Driver's lost a step? All four TEs on the team (including Crabtree who didn't qualify with fewer than 10 receptions) had a better average YAC than Driver.

Seems like he's always in the middle of the field, making that tough catch in traffic that most WR's shy away from. Tough for anybody to rack up tons of YAC when most of his catches come with a DB or LB draped all over him. Which is fine - every good team needs a guy like that.

Remember the SF game last year? The one where Green Bay dressed in those butt-ugly throwbacks? They show that catch and run for a TD all the time on NFLN. #2 on the top 5 catches of the season from last year. Granted, it was only one play, but it shows he's still got it in him. I'm not convinced he's lost a whole lot. He fights harder for that extra yard than anybody on the team, that's for sure. Can't question the man's desire.

[Pugger]

Jackson is a good 3rd down back, but a poor 1st and 2nd down back. It'll be interesting to see what happens to him in the free agent frenzy. It's hard to say whether the Packers are interested in him. I personally think they'd be better off letting him walk and giving the reps to Starks and Green. A lot of people say Starks is a liability in pass pro, but I've seen him do a good job on a number of occasions and think he can be a big threat in the passing game. Alex Green is also a natural pass catcher and did a lot of pass protecting in the spread offense at Hawaii. Both are far better runners than Jackson.

Randall Cobb is a serious threat in space, so the YAC should only imrpove the more he sees the field. He has far better speed and quickness than Jones and Driver. I could see him taking over as the slot receiver and pushing Driver outside more than he's been the last couple years. He can still make people miss when he has some space, but not from the slot where he's been the last few years almost exclusively.

But because Jackson showed the league he isn't an every down back I wonder if his value is higher for US than other teams and he returns this season? I think he is a better blocker in the back field than Starks and Grant so I'd rather have him back there than those other 2.

[Smidgeon]

Seems like he's always in the middle of the field, making that tough catch in traffic that most WR's shy away from. Tough for anybody to rack up tons of YAC when most of his catches come with a DB or LB draped all over him. Which is fine - every good team needs a guy like that.

Remember the SF game last year? The one where Green Bay dressed in those butt-ugly throwbacks? They show that catch and run for a TD all the time on NFLN. #2 on the top 5 catches of the season from last year. Granted, it was only one play, but it shows he's still got it in him. I'm not convinced he's lost a whole lot. He fights harder for that extra yard than anybody on the team, that's for sure. Can't question the man's desire.

Except that if you look at the league leaders in average YAC, many of them are slot guys. Driver is also a slot guy. So fighting over the middle--especially with a QB who many state makes the WRs better--would lead to a higher average YAC. Not a lower one.

[RashanGary]

The reason Jennings #s are probably lower is double coverage. The rest is probably ARod and play calling.

WHOA!!

Welcome back!

[RashanGary]

I agree with your double coverage theory. Jennings is the best YAC WR of our team, numbers or not.

[get louder at lambeau]

2) Quarless actually had a better average YAC than Finley (5.6 to 5.1). That really surprised me.

I wonder how much of that is because Finley comes down with the jump balls, where the guy is already draped all over him when his feet hit the ground, as opposed to Quarless, who generally seems to drop those balls. That could hurt Finley's average in comparison.

[Smidgeon]

I wonder how much of that is because Finley comes down with the jump balls, where the guy is already draped all over him when his feet hit the ground, as opposed to Quarless, who generally seems to drop those balls. That could hurt Finley's average in comparison.

Possibly. But I was surprised because I remember Finley catching and running a lot too. Like the Vikings game.

[channtheman]

"...it must be nice for Rodgers to know that if his receiver catches the ball, they can usually get quite a few additional yards out of it."

It must also be nice for the receivers to know they have a QB accurate enough and who is on time enough with the ball to hit them in stride to allow for maximum YAC. If a receiver has to slow down or stop a route or lunge for a poorly thrown/badly timed pass YAC takes a big hit.

I was going to bring this up as well. How many times has Rodgers delivered a perfect pass in tight space to all his receiver to continue running in perfect stride? Think the huge pass late in the Super Bowl to Jennings.