A.J. Richardson is a Slot Specialist WR for Boise State. A.J.'s 2018 season ranks in the 100th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 65 plays — a elite rate for the WR.
The offense's primary passing-down weapon — routes, separation, and reliability on 3rd down define this role.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadree Henderson | Pittsburgh | 2016 | 63 | 0.530 | 1.6 | 33.4 |
| DeAndre Hughes | Air Force | 2021 | 60 | 0.470 | 1.3 | 28.2 |
| Keytaon Thompson | Mississippi State | 2017 | 70 | 0.460 | 1.2 | 32.2 |
| Savion Williams | TCU | 2024 | 56 | 0.450 | 1.1 | 25.2 |
| Javion Posey | Florida Atlantic | 2020 | 53 | 0.450 | 1.4 | 23.8 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Rec | Rec Yds | Avg | Rec TD | Long | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @Troy | W56-20 | 2.6 | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 | 16 | 0.27 |
| 2 | vsUConn | W62-7 | -26.4 | 3 | 100 | 33.3 | 1 | 74 | 1.51 |
| 3 | @Oklahoma State | L21-44 | 13.8 | 6 | 70 | 11.7 | 1 | 34 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Rec 5 · Rec Yds 21 · Avg 4.2 · Rec TD 0
| 0.72 |
| 5 | @Wyoming | W34-14 | 1.9 | 6 | 113 | 18.8 | 1 | 25 | 1.57 |
| 6 | vsSan Diego State | L13-19 | 6.0 | 5 | 38 | 7.6 | 0 | 13 | 0.73 |
| 7 | @Nevada | W31-27 | -0.5 | 4 | 79 | 19.8 | 1 | 41 | 1.20 |
| 8 | vsColorado State | W56-28 | -10.3 | 6 | 137 | 22.8 | 2 | 35 | — |
| 9 | @Air Force | W48-38 | -1.8 | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 1 | 21 | 1.55 |
| 10 | vsBYU | W21-16 | 6.2 | 4 | 53 | 13.3 | 1 | 20 | 1.46 |
| 11 | vsFresno State | W24-17 | 17.4 | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 0 | 25 | 0.46 |
| 12 | @New Mexico | W45-14 | -9.5 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 2.07 |
| 13 | vsUtah State | W33-24 | 14.2 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 | 0 | 44 | 0.62 |
| 14 | vsFresno State | L16-19 | 17.4 | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 0 | 9 | -0.40 |