Skill position is a
term that covers
offensive positions that handle the ball and are primarily responsible for advancing yards and scoring points. Offensive players such as
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
s,
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
s, and
wide receiver
A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
s are typically considered skill positions, as are
tight end
The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
s.
The running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends on a team are often referred to as offensive weapons or simply weapons for a quarterback on the offensive side of the ball.
Sportswriters often use the term interchangeably with "skill position" to describe non-quarterback and non-offensive linemen on a team's offense.
[
Skill positions are contrasted with ]linemen
Lineman or linesman may refer to:
In personal roles:
*Lineworker, one who installs and maintains electrical power, telephone, or telegraph lines
*Lineman (gridiron football), a position in American football
*Head linesman, the American football of ...
and defensive players, which are generally considered to be positions heavily reliant on power and brute strength.
See also
*Eligible receiver
In gridiron football, not all players on offense are entitled to receive a forward pass: only an eligible pass receiver may legally catch a forward pass, and only an eligible receiver may advance beyond the neutral zone if a forward pass crosses ...
References
American football positions
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