Fantasy Football: Wish List No. 2, Dante Pettis

Great hands & feet

The first thing that pops out on tape is Pettis’ great hands, and great catching technique. Catching the ball correctly and proficiently is obviously crucial for a wide receiver, and it can be difficult to fix an ingrained technique that is incorrect.

Pettis appears to be a natural hands catcher in the same vein as Odell Beckham, Jr. He snags the ball and makes it look easy. Let’s check out a play from his first NFL game last season, against the Vikings. The first video below shows Pettis start in the right slot and run a simple in pattern. When he sees Garoppolo get flushed from the pocket, he immediately runs a post to the corner and is rewarded. The second video slows it down so you can see the phenomenal catch he made in the end zone, and the excellent foot drag.

Pettis showed off excellent hands, great footwork, and great instincts on this play – and it was his first game in the NFL.

Let’s check out another play that shows his remarkable footwork, particularly to get off of press coverage at the line. He simply makes this cornerback look foolish by using his quick feet.

Let’s look at another play that many may not have seen. It went into the annals of history as a Xavier Rhodes interception, while defending Pettis. However, as you watch Pettis at the top of your screen in slow motion, notice how he beats Rhodes, a top corner, so badly that he turns him completely around. The play could have been a big gain for Pettis if the pass had not been badly overthrown.

He beat Rhodes with excellent footwork. Each step looks the same, and then he jabs hard to the outside and gets him to bite. He has won the battle at that point. He then breaks to the inside and loses Rhodes, a top cover corner. If the ball had been thrown accurately, he might have had a one-on-one opportunity against the Vikings safety, and that is not a matchup any safety wants.