08-30-2019, 02:52 PM
(08-30-2019, 11:50 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Not true. The "average" punt returner gets about 8 yards per punt return, on about 20 punt returns every year. There are usually about 5-10 punt return TDs for the entire year on all punt returns.I'm not suggesting that the contribution of a WR is greater on Special Teams than on Offense.
The "average" starting WR gets about 12 yards per reception, on about 70 catches a year with 5 TDs (per player).
Per game, the contribution of a WR is much greater on offense than it is on special teams.
As far as what the 7th wideout can offer to a team, on the field--probably not much. But as a rule, any WR can offer more, on a per play basis, on offense than they can on STs. So if you're choosing between two guys, take the guy that can offer more for the offense over a guy that can run fast and play the gunner position. If you can't find a couple guys on a 53 man roster that can run fast for that, you already have bigger problems.
I'm suggesting the contribution of WR7 is greater on Special Teams than on Offense. The Bengals WRs with the 6th and 7th most offensive snaps last year had 77 and 68 snaps respectively. Core had 189 on Special Teams - more than WR6 and WR7 combined.
By big play potential I'm talking 40+ yards.
Last year the Bengals with a terrible defense gave up 15 plays of 40+ yards in 855 snaps. That's 1 in 57. On Offense we had 4 plays of 40+ yards from 690 snaps. That's 1 in 173. That's two extreme example but the average will be somewhere between the two.
If we say an average team has 27 punt returns that gives us 864 snaps across the NFL. There were 22 punt returns of 40+ yards, which would be 1 in 39.
If we say an average of 30 kick-off returns over 32 teams that's 960 kick-off returns of which 42 were returned 40+ yards (not an ideal measure but the only one I've readily available), which would be 1 in 29.
In a tight game in the 4th quarter you want the better Special Teams player rather than the WR7 on your roster. They are the one more likely to be on the field and even if they both got on the field a Special Teams ace is more likely to make a play than a back-up WR.
