Backfield Media Playbook: The Ultimate Route Tree Guide for Wide Receivers, Running Backs, and Tight Ends

Are you curious about the various routes run by running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers? Or are you looking to develop a comprehensive understanding of American 

football from a player's perspective? As the founder and chief host of Backfield Media LLC, I've got you covered!

There are nine standard routes on a route tree, and they all have unique names and purposes. We are going to start with the names, then the directions, purposes, and types of players that will cover these routes as seen here:

The 9 Standard Routes:

1 - Flat

2 - Slant

3 - Comeback

4 - Curl

5 - Get/Out

6 - Hitch/In/Dig → Grouped for learning but slightly different in depth and cut

7 - Corner

8 - Post

9 - Fade/Streak/Fly/Go → Goal Route (aka the deep route toward the end zone)

The routes you see can be inverted or be combined to create complex routes, but for now we are just focusing on the basics and the standard directions. With these routes come the plays that they contribute to.

Defensive backs cover these same routes to outmaneuver tight ends and wide receivers for the ball. In training videos, players often practice their transitions. A smoother transition allows them to reach the ball more quickly, improving their handling and grip and increasing the likelihood of maintaining possession.

Speed and core stability are the name of the game. 

The smoother the transition = the cleaner the break. 

A trainer that makes a point to work with players and get them to their goals is Coach Malik Boynton of the Draft Prep Academy. A trainer whose journey I have followed for quite some time and have enjoyed seeing his journey. Whose specialization is in defensive backs.

Another trainer at a more local level is Coach Darrius Jones on the other side of the ball, working with wide receivers and running backs. A coach whom I had the privilege of interviewing this past month to discuss Bird Speed Sports.

If you are a player that is looking for some extraordinary coaches to work with and to follow their journeys, they are some of the best that I would recommend when looking at trainers and the communities that surround them.

Now let's take a look at how these routes may contribute to or work against teams in games:

The Flat Route →

Used For: Quick throws, stretching the defense horizontally

Defended By: Quick-reacting LBs or DBs, zone coverage with eye discipline

Run By:

• RBs (especially on swing or check-downs)

• TEs on bootlegs or leak plays

• Slot WRs in trips or motion

The Slant Route →

Used For: Beating man, inside leverage, quick yards after catch

Defended By: Press coverage, inside leverage, tipped balls in traffic

Run By:

• WRs (X and slot)

• RBs in RPOs

• TEs in the red zone or short-yardage situations

The Comeback Route →

Used For: Sideline control, defeating off coverage

Defended By: Corners reading the break, timing disruption, undercuts

Run By:

• Outside WRs (X or Z)

• Occasionally TEs in spread sets

The Curl Route →

Used For: Sitting in soft spots, drawing up defenders

Defended By: DBs reading eyes, jumping the stop

Run By:

• WRs (all alignments)

• TEs in short/intermediate plays

• RBs out of the backfield in certain route combos

The Get/Out Route →

Used For: Sideline separation, quick reads

Defended By: Outside leverage corners, risky if thrown late

Run By:

• WRs (especially Zs and slots)

• Occasionally RBs in empty sets or bunch formations

The Hitch/Dig/In Route →

Used For: First-down yardage, over-the-middle presence

Defended By: Hook zones, inside leverage, delayed reads

Run By:

• WRs (all roles, especially slot on dig)

• TEs on seam or cross-dig routes

• RBs on shallow hitch or delayed in routes

The Corner Route →

Used For: Red zone attacks, exploiting two-high safeties

Defended By: Safety help over top, trap coverage

Run By:

• Slot WRs

• TEs (especially in play-action)

• WRs (Zs with speed or route polish)

The Post Route →

Used For: Big-play strikes, splitting zones

Defended By: Single-high safety, funneled into help

Run By:

• WRs (X for deep post, slot for skinny post)

• TEs for vertical stretch

• RBs very rarely, mostly on trick plays

The Fade/Streak/Fly/Go Route →

Used For: Stretching vertically, testing corners deep

Defended By: Press at LOS, bracketed deep zones

Run By:

• Outside WRs (X and Z)

• Occasionally TEs in the red zone

• RBs only in gadget packages or mismatches

That concludes our coverage of the nine standard routes on the route tree. Stay tuned for more playbook content as the season approaches! For the latest updates and insights, follow us on Instagram @TheBackfieldMedia and Twitter @BackfieldMedia. You can also find more from me personally @doseofcami on all platforms. Thanks for reading!