This season marks the 50th anniversary of the

This story appears in ESPN The Magazines Sept. 19 NFL Preview II Issue. Subscribe today!Fast, quick and electric after the catch, a new brand of wide receiver is striking fear into the NFL. With smaller frames and the change-of-direction ability to win in the open field, these cats mesh perfectly in todays offenses. They have the formation flexibility and versatility at the position to win on all three levels of the route tree. They are wild-cards in the offensive game plan and pro defenses are struggling to match up.In 2011, just nine receivers less than 6-foot tall were in the top 50 in receiving yards. However, in 2015, 16 players made the cut. With NFL defenses trending toward longer, taller cornerbacks to counter the Calvin Johnson-type wide receivers, these shorter wideouts are exposing coverages in wide-open offenses.Weve already examined how to build a perfect monsterback, the new hybrid defenders. Heres how to dream up a nightmare wide receiver:Randall Cobb5-10, 192 pounds | Green Bay PackersINSTINCTS: Cobb can run inside routes from the slot, bump outside and even align at running back, so the Packers can take advantage of his evasive instincts. Last season he averaged 5.5 yards after the catch, and he has rushed for more than 300 in his career, at 7.6 yards per attempt.Odell Beckham Jr.5-11, 198 pounds | New York GiantsBALL SKILLS: Beckham ranked third in the NFL last season with 96.7 YPG receiving and had 13 TDs. But its his ball skills that stand out. This guy can -- and does -- catch anything. Hes an electric talent with the ability to change games.Julian Edelman5-10, 200 pounds | New England PatriotsTOUGHNESS: Edelman owns the underneath passing tree, using option routes, inside breaking cuts and quick outs to move the sticks. A smooth route runner with toughness in traffic, Edelman caught 61 passes last season in just nine games, with 37 receptions going for first downs.?Brandin Cooks5-10, 189 pounds | New Orleans SaintsSPEED: Cooks is lightning in a bottle. He has top-end speed to test any secondary and an incredible burst once he catches the ball. With 13.5 yards per reception in 2015, he is a vertical threat for the Saints and causes matchup problems all over the field.?Doug Baldwin5-10, 192 pounds | Seattle SeahawksHEART: Baldwin is a physical, ultra-competitive player with the route-running skills to create space. The former undrafted free agent tore up the league during the second half of the 2015 season, finishing with an NFL-best 14 TDs along with 1,069 yards receiving.?Golden Tate5-10, 198 pounds | Detroit LionsCHANGE OF DIRECTION: Tate turns into a running back after the catch with his smooth cutbacks, dekes and double dekes; its fun to watch defenders miss. But Tate is physical on contact, too. In 2015, he averaged 5.8 yards after the catch. You dont want to see this guy in the open field. Hes flat-out nasty.?Antonio Brown5-10, 181 pounds | Pittsburgh SteelersROUTE-RUNNING: The top route runner in the NFL, Brown puts on a clinic at the break point. Its all there: footwork, acceleration out of cuts and consistent separation back to the football. Over the past two seasons, he has produced 265 receptions -- the most in a two-year span.?ROOKIE SPEEDSTERS: THE REINFORCEMENTSSterling Shepard5-10, 194 pounds | New York GiantsScouts love Shepards polished routes at Oklahoma. Last season he averaged 99.1 YPG and had 11 TDs. He has the speed (4.48 seconds in the 40) and footwork to produce immediately working opposite Beckham.?Braxton Miller6-1, 204 pounds | Houston TexansWith one year of WR experience, Miller is still raw but stands out with his athleticism, lateral speed and versatility to align at multiple positions. The former Ohio State QB averaged 6.6 yards after the catch last season.Corey Coleman5-11, 185 pounds | Cleveland BrownsAt Baylor in 15, Coleman led the nation with 20 TDs and averaged 18.4 yards per catch. Hell have to develop his route-running, but he has deep speed and the acceleration to run through a secondary after the catch.Will Fuller6-1, 172 pounds | Houston TexansWith 4.32 speed and slick route-running, Fuller can straight fly. Last year at Notre Dame, he produced 20.3 yards per catch with 14 TDs. Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins make for a nice combo on the outside for the Texans. Fake Custom Jerseys Online . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. http://www.jerseyscustom.us/ . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Wholesale Custom Jerseys Authentic .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. INDIANAPOLIS -- Isaiah Thomas fought through an off-shooting night, then came through for the Boston Celtics when it matter most.Thomas scored 23 points, including Bostons final eight, to lead the visiting Celtics past the Indiana Pacers 105-99 on Saturday night.Isaiah did a lot for our team tonight even though he wasnt shooting well, Avery Bradley said of his teammates 12-point fourth quarter. Thats what the game is all about, the fourth quarter.Thomas had just four points through 34 minutes before scoring 19 over the final 14 minutes. He hit several clutch shots to keep Indiana at bay and sealed the win at the foul line in the final 30 seconds.With all-star Paul George sitting out the game with a sprained left ankle, the Pacers needed the help Thomas was affording them. After starting hot, the Pacers looked as if they wouldnt miss their leading scorer.In the first half, Indiana was crisp on offense, moving the ball, spacing the floor and getting the shots they wanted. But after halftime, they cooled off from the field and looked scattered at times on both ends of the floor.Boston lingered, and all they needed was Thomas to get involved.With his team struggling to seize control of a tight contest, Thomas surged in the fourth quarter. Nursing a 91-89 lead with 4:04 left, Thomas calmly hit a floater in the lane. After Monta Ellis hit a free throw to pull Indiana within 97-94 with 1:31 left, Thomas hit a pair of free throws, scored on a fastbreak layup with a minute left, and then added four free throws to seal Bostons second road win of the year.Pacers coach Nate McMillan said his team didnt challenge Boston in the final minutes to play to Indianas strengths.We want to make teams defend, get to our second, third, fourth option, McMillen said. You dont win games when you dont make plays down the stretch.Kelly Olynyk scored 16 for the Celtics, who were playing the first of two straight road games. Amir Johnson scored 14 and grabbed nine rebouunds, while Bradley had 13 points and five assists.dddddddddddd.Jeff Teague led Indiana with 20 points and 4 assists. Myles Turner scored 17 and had 8 rebounds. Ellis notched 15 points in the Pacers first home loss of the season.TIP-INSBoston: Al Horford sat out for the fifth straight game due to NBA concussion protocol but did travel with the team on its two-game road trip ... Saturdays win was Bostons second in a row after losing three straight. ... Terry Rozier had a career-high 11 points. ... Isaiah Thomas went 14-for-15 from the foul line.Indiana: Rodney Stuckey sat out for the ninth time in 10 games with a strained right hamstring. ... The Pacers honored their teams of the 1960s during halftime. This season marks the 50th anniversary of the Pacers franchise. ... After hitting 13 of their first 23 shots in the first quarter, the Pacers shot just 36.5 percent over the final three quarters. ... Indiana was held to less than 100 points for just the second time this season.PG SITS BUT SPEAKSGeorge offered his assessment of the teams disappointing loss at home. It was really frustrating, especially at home against a good team, he said of sitting out the game Saturday. I thought our problems were much of the same thing. We were real stagnant on offense once again.YOUNG SPARKJames Young got hot at different junctures of Saturdays game and proved to be a key in Bostons win. He scored 12 points in 16 minutes off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting. In his five appearances before Saturday, Young hadnt scored in the 18 minutes of action hed seen. His dunk and 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter helped Boston take a 79-76 lead into the final period.UP NEXT:Boston: visits New Orleans on Monday to complete a 2-game road trip.Indiana: is home against Orlando on Monday in the second of four straight home games. ' ' '