YAC attack: the best receivers after the catch

The average Joe football fan wants a field stretcher, a guy who can take the top off a defense and force them to respect the deep ball. The hardcore football fan knows, however, it's the guys underneath that do a sizable bulk of the work and get far less recognition for it. Ironically, the idea that they get no recognition has become so far-reaching that it has earned them more recognition.

Our friends at SportsIllustrated.com offer one of the only websites that makes yards after catch statistical data available. A lot can be gleaned from the yards after catch stat. These might not be the guys that get the most recognition, but they're some of the most physically gifted and most football-intelligent receivers in the league. Not only can these guys find the soft spot in coverage, they can make you pay for it.

 

 

The reigning champion of AYAC is DeSean Jackson, of the Big Play Eagles. We knew Jackson was an explosive receiver, but this list just adds another level to just how much more explosive he is than the rest.

 

He really ran away from the competition last year (Get it? Ran away? Oh football puns...) and averaged almost a full yard after the catch more than the runner-up, Eddie Royal. Jackson's statistical greatness is diminished slightly by the fact that he had a 91-yard touchdown play against the Dallas Cowboys, with 81 of those yards coming after the catch on a quick out.

 

Even without that play, he'd still be in the top five, but the fact that he made that play on a hurt ankle is just a testament to the speed he possesses. Michael Vick should think twice about allowing Jason Avant to have more receptions (51) than Jackson (47).

Eddie Royal is another guy who appears underutilized. He's second only to Jackson in AYAC (6.93) and needs getting the ball more than 59 times when he's playing that well.

Besides Jackson's and Royal's obvious speed, they're incredibly elusive, as well. Those are the same traits that help  them break long punt returns for big yardage and even touchdowns. Three of the top 25 punt returners in yards per return were on this list – Jackson, Royal and Devin Hester – and most of the others on this list weren't even returning punts.

 

It would be interesting to see how the data might correlate between the two, but it's worth mentioning that all three are considered the best at what they do, whether it be YAC, returning kicks or just straight up speed and elusion.

 

It appears from the lists that the guys with the highest percentage of their yards coming after the catch are the slot receivers. St. Louis's Danny Amendola played almost exclusively in the slot, and reaped the benefits of his quickness and sure hands in the middle. He earned over 56 percent of his total receiving yards after he had already made the catch. That's a testament not just to his talents, but also how he's used and where he lines up.

 

Some receivers, meanwhile, are at an advantage by the system they play in.

 

Of course, this wouldn't be a YAC article unless we made some mention of Wes Welker. He has been a YAC monster since joining the Patriots in 2007. He thrived for two years in Josh McDaniels' system, with a total of 1,398 yards after the catch during the McDaniels 2007-08 era for over 6.2 AYAC. Just under 60 percent of his total receiving yards came after the catch in that span.

 

His success shouldn't be attributed entirely to the system, as he continued to post gaudy numbers in all YAC categories in 2009, after McDaniels went to Denver. But those numbers dipped in 2010. This decline in YAC production can be attributed to both the departure of Randy Moss (and defenses subsequently focusing on shutting down Welker) as well as recovery from ACL surgery. It'll be interesting to see how (and if) he bounces back.

Still, that niche in the McDaniels offense has spilled over into Royal's career. He has posted some of the gaudiest numbers on this list with 6.93 AYAC in 2010, and over 65 percent of his receiving yards coming after the catch. We'll have to see if that success continues under new head coach John Fox.

 

Luckily for Royal, the offensive system may not change a whole lot with Mike McCoy, but his numbers were consistently underwhelming in terms of YAC before 2010, averaging just 3.4 YAC per reception. He did pretty well in other areas before last year, suggesting he's adaptable depending on the scheme. His season will also be fun to watch, especially considering the growing quarterback controversy in Denver.

Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace (No. 6 in AYAC) may be a surprising name on this list, only because most football enthusiasts think of him as a speed demon and a deep threat who does his damage before catching the pass. Apparently, those burners are good for earning yards after the catch, too.

 

It's all part of Pittsburgh's deceptively explosive offense under Ben Roethlisberger. He doesn't pass the pall as often as other quarterback. But Cold, Hard Football Facts readers know that Big Ben is the most explosive passer of the last half century when you look at average per pass attempt (8.04 YPA).

 

One problem with these stats is that they don't tell you how the YAC was earned. Did Wallace break free in traffic, or were most of his YAC a result of being wide open on a deep ball? Regardless, 60 receptions for Wallace just isn't enough. The Steelers must find a way to get the ball into Wallace's hands more, and with opportunities to make plays, too. At 6.27 AYAC, he has proven he's dangerous with the ball in his hands. Wallace could potentially be an even better outlet option than Santonio Holmes ever was.

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.

Another star in Dallas
Miles Austin burst onto the scene in 2009 after three anonymous seasons in Dallas. He has quietly emerged as a top AYAC receiver, too: No. 5 in the NFL last year with 6.36 AYAC. He hardly gets any due as a talented guy after the catch, despite ranking among the top five receivers in YAC both in 2009 (555 YAC) and 2010 (439). 

 

Now that's he fully entrenched in Jason Garrett's system, with the former offensive coordinator now the head coach of the star-studded franchise, perhaps Austin might step it up another notch in 2011.

Overall, Average Yards After Catch serves as proof that the most effective receivers in the NFL aren't always the field stretchers, but are also the guys who eat up yardage when the ball's in their hands.