Matt Waldman’s Rookie Scouting Portfolio explains the value of stacked alignments that we’re seeing more often with NFL offenses.
Stacked looks have been around a long time in football but we’re seeing them return to the NFL with a greater variety of usage in recent years. Two tight end sets is a great example. Depending on where the tight ends line up, the look could force a team to account for a run when it will be a pass play or the offense is hoping to generate a natural rub route like the one below.
Whether used from a wide split with receivers or along the line with a combination of receivers and tight ends, these looks have a lot of value in the red zone. Expect teams with two strong receiving talents at tight end to employ these looks a lot in 2018.
Tampa Bay will continue using what we’ve seen above with Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard. Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are good bets to earn this usage and Goedert could benefit frequently in the red zone. On paper, the Bears have a ton of intriguing passing game weapons and tight end could be the most underrated position. Think of Jordan Howard in the backfield of a two-tight end set with Tre Burton and Adam Shaheen doubled to a side as if they’re blocking from the wing but actually one is running a clear-out for the other.
Washington loves to stack Vernon Davis, Jordan Reed, and a receiver like Jamison Crowder or Paul Richardson and split them wide. Other teams with the potential talent to do this kind thing includes Minnesota (David Morgan and Kyle Rudolph), New England (Rob Gronkowski and Jacob Hollister), and Indianapolis (Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle).
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