Welker still leads the pack out of the slot.

Being a slot receiver in the NFL is like being the middle child in a family. The oldest and youngest child (flanker and split end) often get the most attention, while the middle child (slot receiver) doesn’t always get the attention they deserve. The slot receiver is not flashy or showy like a flanker or split end, but when a big catch is needed in a third down situation, a quarterback often looks toward the slot.

Many slot receivers (who aren’t Wes Welker) don’t reach the level of production like the flankers and split end receiver positions. For this reason, the number of targets inside the red-zone are important statistics in finding value in the slot position. (more…)