In this series of articles, our resident tape wizard Greg Cosell will take an in-depth look at some of the more interesting fantasy players for the 2020 NFL season. It’s a peek behind the curtain of the film room, as these are Greg’s raw, unfiltered notes he takes as he watches a player.
Though his playing time fell late in the season when the Rams went to more 12 personnel looks — through no fault of his own — third-year WR Cooper Kupp was one of the NFL’s most productive receivers on third down, producing 37 catches on 51 targets (72.5%) for 571 yards and a league-high 7 TD (the next closest player had 4) receptions on the down. Kupp averaged 15.4 yards per reception on third down.
Let’s dive into the film to see why Kupp is so successful on third down — in brief, it’s his talent plus the way coach Sean McVay deploys him.
Observations from All 2019 Third-Down Targets
Kupp almost exclusively aligned to trips in 11 personnel 3x1 set, He aligned at both the #2 (slot) and #3 (inside slot). TE Gerald Everett often aligned at #1.
Tight red zone and short yardage featured specific formations and concepts that were often different from the Rams’ concepts on more conventional third downs. At times, Kupp was even the boundary X in the high red zone: his 11-yard TD versus Browns (10 personnel 3x1) for example.
Kupp is excellent at attacking the leverage of slot defenders and creating needed separation, allowing a clean throw for QB Jared Goff.
Kupp is among the best in the NFL creating separation at the top of his route stem, especially versus off coverage corners – overall, Kupp is excellent at the top of his route stem.
Kupp exhibits excellent run-after-catch, grouping good size with quickness and elusiveness in the open field.
At times the Rams featured tight bunch to the trips side of the formation, Kupp predominantly aligned as #3 and the point man (#2) but also saw some snaps as #1 – bunch was a foundational formation to trips for the Rams.
The Rams (like every team) featured hi-low route concepts versus zone coverage – Kupp, depending on alignment/formation and route concept, saw snaps as both the low and hi receiver. Some big plays came when Kupp was the hi receiver on in-breaking routes.
6-yard TD vs. Browns in Week 3 came out of 11 personnel 3x1 with Kupp as the point man in the bunch. Kupp beat the corner’s jam and was wide open on a shallow crosser.
Rams had a strong formation tendency on third down out of 11 personnel to use 3x1 with WR Brandin Cooks as the boundary X, Kupp and Robert Woods aligning both at #2 and #3 to trips, with Everett as the #1.
There were 11 personnel 3x1 snaps on which Kupp and Woods were stacked inside of Everett, with Kupp off the ball.
The Rams consistently featured 3x1 sets on third down, both out of 11 and 10 personnel.
Kupp made big plays on out routes from #2 to trips out of 11 personnel 3x1 sets: 29-yard TD versus Bucs, 26 yards versus Seahawks – concept was often vertical by #1 with Kupp running the out, Excellent concept versus cover 3 and cover 4.
The screen game was part of the Rams’ third and short-to-medium approach when Kupp was #2 to trips in 3x1 and 1x3 sets. They also featured a Kupp screen when he was #1 in 11 personnel 4x1 empty set.
The Rams and Kupp had great success versus the Bengals with hi-low concepts to attack and beat zone coverage.
Kupp’s 10-yard red-zone TD versus Cards came with Kupp in a reduced-split boundary X position on the back side of trips in a 10 personnel 3x1 set – again Kupp showed the ability to win at the top of his route stem.
Kupp’s 10-yard red-zone TD versus Seahawks came out of 11 personnel 3x1 with Kupp as the #1 to trips bunch – another hi-low concept.
Watching Kupp on third down, you really appreciate the subtle nuance and detail of his route running.
Kupp has a lot of success on crossers and out routes, at different levels — the route concepts are a function of personnel and formation.
One thing that stood out with Goff: he had a good feel for the firm touch throw demanded in hi-low concepts. He placed the ball well over the underneath coverage.
Kupp’s Routes and Rams Personnel/Formations on Third Down
- 2 trips field 11 3x1 – screens / outs at different levels / sit / crossers
- 3 trips field 10 3x1 – sit / over route
- 3 trips field 11 3x1 – stop / corner / crosser / option routes
- 2 trips field 11 empty – inbreakers / screen / curl / shallow cross
- 3 trips field (bunch) 11 empty - crosser
- 2 trips field 10 3x1 - crosser
- 2 twins field 11 2x2 – out routes / vertical seam / sit
- 2 trips field 11 1x3 – crosser-sit / go route
- Z field (reduced outside of X) 11 2x2 – shallow cross / wheel
- Z boundary (reduced outside of X) 11 2x2 – dig
- 1 trips field (bunch) 11 3x1 – pivot / inbreaker / slant / crosser
- 1 trips field 11 1x3 – pivot
- 1 trips field (bunch) 11 empty – sit / crosser
- 2 twins boundary 11 empty – shallow cross
- Point man in bunch 10 empty – out route
