Breaking Through The Myth of a 'No. 1 Receiver' - Behind the Steel Curtain

Breaking Through The Myth of a 'No. 1 Receiver' - Behind the Steel Curtain

I tried to explain this to someone the other day but didn't have the time. This is a perfect breakdown. I'll give you a piece of it then you can head on over and see the rest at the link.


No team's depth chart says "No. 1 receiver" over a player's name. It's a legitimate concept, but it's just that, a concept.
The Steelers official web site has their depth chart, and it designates the receiver positions as "WR1" and "WR2," which is a way to avoid using the old-school and not-well recognized positions of "flanker" and "split end." In reference to the Steelers, the WR1 position is the flanker, and the WR2 position is the split end.
This depth chart reflects the offensive personnel out of their base offense - one split end, one flanker, two tight ends and one running back, along with five linemen and a quarterback.
A split end typically lines up on the line and is the widest player of the formation. A flanker plays in the slot, or about four yards from the last player on the line.
Split ends and flankers do not play on the same side of the field. They don't usually run the same kinds of routes, either. To suggest one could just flip to the other is as silly as saying the left guard could just play the right guard because either way, he's lining up next to the center.
A split end runs deep routes, short slants and things associated with that. Typically, they are long, deep speed guys, the playmakers. Mike Wallace is the Steelers starting split end. He replaced Santonio Holmes last season. Plaxico Burress and Nate Washington also played this position in the past.
A flanker, or a slot receiver, is versatile. They have good hands, make tough catches across the middle, and make defenders miss tackles. Hines Ward has been the Steelers flanker for a long time, and I'm not even sure the offense was similar in the pre-Ward days. There's a reason these designations stayed in place between Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.
Obviously, all receivers need to have all of the aforementioned characteristics, and this is where it's important to know why there isn't a defined No. 1 receiver.
One reason is split ends and flankers are not in the game solely to catch passes.