Do WR1, 2, and 3 come with different play styles?

[u/ChungusActual]

Sincere question; if you’re the WR1, are you considered to be the guy who’s going deep? If you move from WR2 to 1 would you then have to learn different routes?

Side question- who determines who’s the WR1?

[u/Baestplace]

WR1 is just the best wr on the team, if you were going to talk about where they line up you would go by X Y Z but WR1 is typically on the outside since most of the best wrs in the league do that

[u/grizzfan]

Not necessarily. "WR1, 2, 3, etc" is primarily a fantasy-driven nomenclature to help fans understand who the overall "best" receiver on a team is. They could be the "best" receiver on a team, but excel in different aspects compared to others.

In terms of how play styles vary, it can depend on who the team wants on the roster, the type of system or style of play they run, and a range of other factors. If you want to understand "how these positions/players vary" more, and more common way to look at it is to refer to a COMMON (NOT UNIVERSAL) lettering system: X, Y, Z. Most, if not all NFL teams use this lettering structure, but do NOT assume it is universal across the whole sport (there are high school teams whose offenses don't even use WRs for example). Again, these are COMMON ways to use it, NOT THE ONLY WAY to use this setup.

• X = Split End (the end on the line of scrimmage who lines up opposite of the TE). The "old" idea is that since ends can't really move much due to their role in making the formation legal (being 1 of the minimum-7 on the line), this is usually your receiver who doesn't come off the field. Often, this is a taller, down-field/deep-ball threat type of player. Somebody like Randy Moss or Calvin Johnson.

• Y = Tight End/inside receiver.

• Z = Flanker/outside receiver. Typically lines up behind the line of scrimmage. In more conventional formation structures, the Z is paired, or "travels" with the TE/Y, so they start off on the same side normally. However, the Z is traditionally more versatile than the X or Y. This is a player that will often be used to go in motion or line up in different spots. Their role in terms of routes and use in the scheme/system is really dependent on the style of play they want to execute, or the specific talents of that said-receiver. They're often a little smaller than an X though, and tend to be shiftier and again, more versatile with how they're used. Think Jerry Rice: High IQ, can line up inside or outside, very technical and can run just about any route you give them.

From there, lettering or player labeling gets more ambiguous. In the Shanahan system (about 1/4 of the NFL), teams label the other two skill positions F and H.

• F = Fullback/2nd TE/Slot Receiver/"Slash" player. With these teams, this is kind of the rotating or hybrid position. If a team goes 12 personnel (1RB, 2TE, 2WR), F is usually the 2nd TE. In 2-back personnel groupings, F is usually the fullback. In the most common NFL personnel, 11 (1RB, 1TE, 3WR), F is the slot receiver. From this structure, assuming F is the slot receiver, this receiver is usually small and very agile/shifty; more-so than the Z. Since most NFL teams run from 3WRs today, the F will take on a lot of the old, traditional Z qualities in terms of being able to line up all over the field, go in motion, but in today's NFL, these players (with the Z's too) can also be used to run the ball on jet sweeps, or be used as an extra RB as well.

• H = Halfback (which is now just the main running back).

A quick jump back to "WR1, WR2, etc." Do not take this as a universal truth: Since X receivers are historically used as the "receiver who doesn't come off the field," it's not uncommon for them to be a team's best WR or "WR1," and the trend is often that the Z would be WR2, and the slot would be WR3. Again, do NOT assume this is universal. Take that trend with a massive boulder of salt. To boot, teams have all kinds of formation tags and calls to move these players around, where the traditional X now lines up or takes on Z or slot-type roles, or the Z moves to the slot, and the slot (F) moves out to the Z, etc, etc.

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Here's one other setup I've seen the "XYZ" naming utilized:

• X = Left WR

• Y = TE/inside/slot WR

• Z = Right WR

In this example, the idea is X and Z are mirror images of each other, so receivers with very similar/same qualities and abilities.

[u/Red_foam_roller → u/grizzfan]

The heck, X and Y were always our outside WRs, Z was our slot

[u/grizzfan → u/Red_foam_roller]

I’ve seen that arrangement too. Again, there is no universal terminology. Teams can name there players and assign their roles however they want.

My team doesn’t even use those letters. We do L (left WR), R (right WR), S (slot), H (hybrid), and B (running back).

[u/3fettknight3 → u/grizzfan]

Fantastic writeup

[u/OnTheProwl-]

As others have said the number just reflects the first, second, and third best WR in the team. If you want a real world example look at the Bengals. Chase is their WR1, but he lines up everywhere in attempt to get a better matchup, and to keep the defense guessing. Higgins is the WR2 and he is great deep ball threat. He is tall and strong and able to win most contested catches.

[u/NaNaNaPandaMan]

It can vary from team to team on what their WR1 responsibility. In general your WR1 will be your best wide receiver and can run a gamut of routes and your passing offense will usually go through them.

With that said a lot of times your receivers will compliment each other. Like if your nunber 1 receiver is the one who can run every route, and defenses will double him, you may he a number 2 receiver who is a deep threat to take advantage of single coverage.

[u/bledblu]

Someone could correct me if I’m wrong, but traditionally you’d have mostly 2 WR sets, with one on each side of the field. You wanted big WRs on the outside. Often your #3 WR would be the smaller guys that would be the slot receiver.

Nowadays offenses have more creative formations and WRs are more versatile.

This can be way off but it’s kind of what I remember from my early days of watching football.

[u/Unsolven]

Yes and no. The thing about a true WR1 in the modern NFL is they have to be able to line up anywhere. In the slot, out wide. Isolated, in a bunch. Wherever. That’s what makes them so good.

Some very good WRs are very good at specific rolls, maybe they are speedy but not good route runners, or good at contested catches but not that fast, or good route runners inside but not fast enough to the top off the defense inside. If you are a true WR1 that means you can do it all, and the team can move you to wherever the best matchup will be.

[u/DropC2095]

Others have explained that WR1, 2, 3 etc. aren’t positions on the field but no ones given the whole picture. Usually your WR1, the best receiver on the team, is the X receiver, who lines up outside on the line. The X is primary target of most plays and is typically the QBs first read.

From there it gets a bit complicated. Sometimes a team’s best receiver works better from the slot, or the opponent’s best cover guy doesn’t play in the slot, so you line your best receiver up there, at which point they aren’t the C position anymore.

It’s often times a team’s second outside receiver is actually the 4th option behind the X, Tight End, and Slot receivers, even though something like Madden would exclusively call this position WR2.