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Baltic Hurricanes catches the ball]] The wide receiver ('''WR''') position in American and Canadian Football is the pass-catching specialist. Wide receivers (also referred to as '''wideouts''' or simply '''receivers''') are among the fastest and most agile players in the game, and they are frequent highlight-reel favorites. The wide receiver position is among the most glamorous in American football because wide receivers are often responsible for the biggest plays made by the Offensive Team . ROLE First and foremost, the wide receiver's job is to catch Passes from the Quarterback . On passing plays, the receiver attempts to avoid, outmaneuver, or simply outrun defenders (typically Cornerbacks ) in the area of his pass route. If the receiver becomes ''open'', or has an unobstructed path to the destination of a catch, he may then become the quarterback's target. Once a pass is thrown in his direction, the receiver's goal is to first catch the ball and then attempt to run downfield. Some receivers are perceived as the ''deep threat'' because of their speed, while others may be ''possession receivers'' known for not dropping passes and converting third down situations. A receiver's height and weight also contribute to his expected role; tall in height and light in weight are advantages at the receiver position. Wide receivers, and the passing game generally, are particularly important when a team uses a Hurry-up Offense . Receivers are able to position themselves near the sideline to run out of bounds, stopping the clock at the end of the play (a failed (incomplete) pass attempt will also stop the clock). A wide receiver has two potential roles in running plays that range in status. Particularly in the case of Draw Play s, he may run a pass route with the intent of drawing off defenders. Alternately, he may block normally for the running back. Well-rounded receivers are noted for blocking defensive backs in support of teammates in addition to their pass-catching abilities. Sometimes wide receivers are used to run the ball, usually in some form of Reverse . This can be effective because the defense usually does not expect them to be the ball carrier on running plays. Although receivers are rarely used as ball carriers, running the ball with a receiver can be extremely successful. For example, in addition to holding nearly every National Football League receiving record, wide receiver Jerry Rice also rushed the ball 87 times for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 20 NFL seasons.Jerry Rice career statistics at SI.com In some even rarer cases, receivers are used to pass the ball as part of a Trick Play . Although this is one of the rarest things a receiver will ever do, some receivers have proven to be capable passers, such as Antwaan Randle El 's pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL. Wide receivers also serve on special teams as return men on kickoffs and punts, or as part of the ''hands team'' during Onside Kick s.Peter Warrick career stats, receiving and punt returns at NFL.com Receiver Randal Williams returns onside kick for touchdown at NFL.com Finally, on bad passes, receivers must frequently play a defensive role by attempting to prevent an interception. If a pass is intercepted, receivers must use their speed to chase down and tackle the ball carrier to prevent him from returning the ball for a long gain or a touchdown. TYPES While the general fan base and most commentators use the generic term ''wide receiver'' for all such players, specific names exist for most receiver positions:
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