CIN Cincinnati Bengals · WR· #81 · also punt returner, kick returner

Dohnte Meyers

Age
26
Height
5'11"
Weight
186 lbs
College
Delta State University; Presbyterian College
Drafted
Not drafted
Experience
Rookie

47

Overall grade

65th of 94 wide receivers

Below typical

about average; 50 is average

Grades updated Rechecked every few hours on game days

The read

Dohnte grades about average among wide receivers so far, with no number far from the middle.

Role is growing: When he plays he is on the field for about 9 of every 10 plays lately, up from about 3 of every 10 plays before.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 5 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the wide receivers in the league.

  • Yards after catch over expected−0.5 yds28th of 83small sample
  • Catches over expected+2.9 pts39th of 94small sample
  • EPA per target+0.1858th of 94small sample
  • Drop rate12.5%76th of 85small sample
  • Share of the team's passes9%86th of 94

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying wide receivers. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among wide receivers after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 4: 35th percentileWeek 5: 39th percentile39th

Season rank holding near the 39th percentile since Wk 4.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per target game by game
WeekOpponentThat gametargetsSeason rank after
1vs TB+1.031–
2vs HOU−0.801–
3vs PIT+0.125–
4vs JAX+0.11935th pct
5vs MIA+0.66239th pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 4 targets can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every wide receiver with at least 12 targets. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per target

Below typical

+0.18

58th of 94 wide receivers · bottom 40%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. Every target counts, caught or not, so a receiver cannot hide behind a catch total.

The box score: Receiving yards rise with targets, not with what the targets were worth.

Does it show up in winning? Across 208 games league-wide, teams won 64% of the time when their wide receiver was in the best third on EPA per target, and 36% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +0.21 (11) vs +0.12 before+1.6grade points upWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 18 targets · true level likely −0.42 to +0.78

Catches over expected

Typical

+2.9 pts

39th of 94 wide receivers · top 42%

His catch rate compared with what each target's difficulty predicted. +4 means he catches 4 more of every 100 targets than the throws suggested.

The box score: Catch rate rewards the receiver who is only thrown easy passes.

Does it show up in winning? Across 207 games league-wide, teams won 62% of the time when their wide receiver was in the best third on catches over expected, and 39% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +14.7 pts (11) vs −15.5 pts before+21.9grade points upLeaning that way

Small sample: could move a lot · 18 targets · true level likely −14.1 pts to +20.0 pts

Yards after catch over expected

Above typical

−0.5 yds

28th of 83 wide receivers · top 34%

The yards he gains after the catch compared with what a typical receiver gets from that spot. It separates the player who makes defenders miss from the one who is simply open.

The box score: Yards after the catch is a total, not a comparison with where he caught it.

Does it show up in winning? Across 176 games league-wide, a good or bad game on yards after catch over expected from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (49% wins in the best third, 58% in the worst).

Last 2 games: −1.8 yds (9) vs +2.7 yds before−21.2grade points downLeaning that way

Small sample: could move a lot · 13 catches · true level likely −3.2 yds to +2.3 yds

Drop rate

Well below typical

12.5%lower is better

76th of 85 wide receivers · bottom 12%

Passes charted as drops, per target. Fewer is better. Almost everyone has few, so it is shown but not counted in his overall grade.

The box score: Drops are not an official stat.

Does it show up in winning? Across 174 games league-wide, a good or bad game on drop rate from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (50% wins in the best third, 48% in the worst).

Last 2 games: 0.0% (9) vs 28.6% before+42.4grade points upLeaning that way

Small sample: could move a lot · 16 targets · true level likely -2.8% to 27.8%

Share of the team's passes

Among the weakest

9%

86th of 94 wide receivers · bottom 10%

The portion of his team's pass attempts that were thrown to him, in the games he was targeted. It shows whether he is the focus of the offense.

The box score: Targets and receptions do not say how big the offense's passing game was.

Does it show up in winning? Across 425 games league-wide, a good or bad game on share of the team's passes from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (56% wins in the best third, 54% in the worst).

Last 2 games: 13% (11) vs 6% before+9.6grade points upLeaning that way

Sample still growing · 18 targets · true level likely 6% to 13%

How he plays

Tendencies: how his game differs from the wide receivers around him. These are not better or worse, only different, and often say as much about the offense or defense he plays in as about him.

Average depth of target

Style

5.2 yds

Works the short game, and more so than almost any of the wide receivers. A typical one is 11.7 yds.

How far downfield his targets are, on average. It is a role, not a grade.

Small sample: could move a lot · 18 targets

Deep targets

Style

6%

Rarely goes deep, and more so than almost any of the wide receivers. A typical one is 19%.

The share of his targets that are 20 or more yards downfield.

Small sample: could move a lot · 18 targets

Contested targets

Style

25%

Gets targeted in tight coverage, more than most wide receivers. A typical one is 18%.

The share of his targets charted as contested: a defender is on him at the catch point. It says how he is used, not whether he wins.

Small sample: could move a lot · 16 targets

Screen targets

Style

25%

Is a screen target often, and more so than almost any of the wide receivers. A typical one is 5%.

The share of his targets that are screen passes, a sign his yards come from the offense's design.

Small sample: could move a lot · 16 targets

Playing time

He has played in 4 of his team's 4 games with snap counts, on the field for about 45% of the team's offensive plays when he plays.

Role is growing. When he plays he is on the field for about 9 of every 10 plays lately, up from about 3 of every 10 plays before.

Each column is a game: the share of his team's offensive snaps he played. 80% means about 8 of every 10 plays. “Out” means he did not play; a question mark means snap counts are not posted yet. Shaded games are the recent stretch.

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Dohnte Meyers game by game
GameResultSnapsTgtRecYdsTDEPA/targetCROEYAC over exp.Target share
Wk 1 vs TBW 33–2716%11180+1.03+19.0 pts+10.4 yds3%
Wk 2 vs HOUW 20–618%1000−0.80−85.5 pts–3%
Wk 3 vs PITL 27–3056%53290+0.12−8.4 pts+0.1 yds13%
Wk 4 vs JAXL 17–2289%97820+0.11+12.1 pts−1.6 yds16%
Wk 5 vs MIAW 31–24–22120+0.66+26.4 pts−2.6 yds6%

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among wide receivers. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Dohnte Meyers box score totals
StatTotalRank
Targets1865th of 94
Receptions1357th of 94
Receiving yards14169th of 94
Receiving touchdowns066th of 94

Players with a similar profile

The wide receivers whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

As a punt returner

Points added each time he fields a punt.

The read

Dohnte grades below average among punt returners so far, with no number far from the middle.

Lately he is playing worse. EPA per punt fielded is −0.25 over the last 2 games (3 punts), against +0.09 before that. A few plays could easily explain this. Worth watching, not worth believing yet.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 3 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the punt returners in the league.

  • EPA per punt fielded−0.0827th of 34small sample
  • Yards per return5.2 yds21st of 24small sample

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying punt returners. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among punt returners after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 2: 50th percentileWeek 4: 63rd percentileWeek 5: 21st percentile21st

Season rank slipped: 50th to 21st percentile since Wk 2.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per punt fielded game by game
WeekOpponentThat gamepuntsSeason rank after
2vs HOU+0.09350th pct
4vs JAX+0.27163rd pct
5vs MIA−0.51221st pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 2 punts can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every punt returner with at least 5 punts fielded. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per punt fielded

Well below typical

−0.08

27th of 34 punt returners · bottom 24%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. From his team's side, for every punt he fields, fair catches included.

The box score: Return average ignores fair catches and the starting field position.

Does it show up in winning? Across 54 games league-wide, a good or bad game on EPA per punt fielded from a punt returner has not lined up much with his team winning (61% wins in the best third, 53% in the worst).

Last 2 games: −0.25 (3) vs +0.09 before−6.3grade points downWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 6 punts · true level likely −0.62 to +0.46

Yards per return

Well below typical

5.2 yds

21st of 24 punt returners · bottom 17%

Average yards when he returns the punt (fair catches excluded).

The box score: This is the box score number.

Last 2 games: 7.3 yds (3) vs 2.0 yds before

Small sample: could move a lot · 5 returns · true level likely -0.7 yds to 11.1 yds

How he plays

Tendencies: how his game differs from the punt returners around him. These are not better or worse, only different, and often say as much about the offense or defense he plays in as about him.

Fair catch rate

Style

17%

Returns almost everything, and more so than almost any of the punt returners. A typical one is 41%.

How often he fair catches instead of returning, a choice about risk.

Small sample: could move a lot · 6 punts

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Dohnte Meyers game by game
GameResultFieldedYdsEPA/puntYds/return
Wk 2 vs HOUW 20–634+0.092.0 yds
Wk 4 vs JAXL 17–2219+0.279.0 yds
Wk 5 vs MIAW 31–24213−0.516.5 yds

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among punt returners. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Dohnte Meyers box score totals
StatTotalRank
Punts fielded628th of 34
Return yards2626th of 34

Players with a similar profile

The punt returners whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

As a kick returner

Points added and yards gained on kickoff returns.

The read

Dohnte grades above average among kick returners so far, with no number far from the middle.

Lately he is playing better. Yards per return is 28.0 yds over the last 2 games (8 returns), against 27.0 yds before that. A few plays could easily explain this. Worth watching, not worth believing yet.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 4 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the kick returners in the league.

  • EPA per return+0.4115th of 53small sample
  • Yards per return27.6 yds18th of 53small sample

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying kick returners. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among kick returners after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 1: 47th percentileWeek 2: 52nd percentileWeek 4: 51st percentileWeek 5: 73rd percentile73rd

Season rank climbed: 47th to 73rd percentile since Wk 1.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per return game by game
WeekOpponentThat gamereturnsSeason rank after
1vs TB+0.16347th pct
2vs HOU+0.53252nd pct
4vs JAX+0.23551st pct
5vs MIA+0.87373rd pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 3 returns can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every kick returner with at least 5 returns. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per return

Above typical

+0.41

15th of 53 kick returners · top 29%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. From his team's side, for each kickoff he returns.

The box score: Return average ignores the starting field position the team would have had anyway.

Does it show up in winning? Across 82 games league-wide, teams won 54% of the time when their kick returner was in the best third on EPA per return, and 30% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +0.47 (8) vs +0.31 before+4.3grade points upWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 13 returns · true level likely +0.04 to +0.77

Yards per return

Above typical

27.6 yds

18th of 53 kick returners · top 34%

Average yards per kickoff return.

The box score: This is the box score number.

Does it show up in winning? Across 82 games league-wide, teams won 63% of the time when their kick returner was in the best third on yards per return, and 30% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: 28.0 yds (8) vs 27.0 yds before+4.7grade points upWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 13 returns · true level likely 23.5 yds to 31.7 yds

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Dohnte Meyers game by game
GameResultRetYdsEPA/returnYds/return
Wk 1 vs TBW 33–27370+0.1623.3 yds
Wk 2 vs HOUW 20–6265+0.5332.5 yds
Wk 4 vs JAXL 17–225133+0.2326.6 yds
Wk 5 vs MIAW 31–24391+0.8730.3 yds

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among kick returners. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Dohnte Meyers box score totals
StatTotalRank
Returns136th of 53
Return yards3596th of 53

Players with a similar profile

The kick returners whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

Ranks are among players at the same job who have enough plays to be graded. Grades and rankings come from play-by-play, charting and snap-count data, so they cannot see blocking, route running or assignments. See how the grades work.

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Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.