I hate to be the one that has to break this to you, but size matters. Not just in the bedroom, but in life. Being bigger is better in many ways, such as reaching the high shelf in the kitchen, seeing over people’s heads at parades and always being in the back when you take pictures. It also helps if you happen to be an NFL wide receiver. The bigger the wide receiver, the better fantasy impact they will likely make. Let me explain.

About a decade or so ago I started noticing a certain pattern with NFL wide receivers. The big guys were having the most fun. Back in those days players like Randy Moss (6’4”, 215 lbs), Terrell Owens (6’3”, 226), Keyshawn Johnson (6’4”, 212), Chad Johnson (6’1”, 200) and Javon Walker (6’3”, 220) were starting to take over the game.

I hopped on the big wide receiver bandwagon right away. Over the course of the next ten years, I was able to uncover breakout performers such as Anquan Boldin (6’1”, 217), Andre Johnson (6’3”, 230), Roy Williams (6’4”, 210), Marques Colston (6’4”, 225), Brandon Marshall (6’4”, 230) and Dwayne Bowe (6’2”, 220). The only one of these players that had any sort of high expectations was Roy Williams and the rest were all outstanding finds for me later on in drafts.

In terms of productivity from wide receivers, 2014 was a very unusual year. Seven of the top 25 fantasy producers were less than six feet tall. That was the first time since 2003 and only the second time in the last 20 years that more than five of the top 25 fantasy players were “shorties.” For reference, only four of the top 25 fantasy wide receivers were less than six feet tall in 2013.

The average height and weight of wide receivers in the top 25 last season was 6’2” and 214 pounds, respectively. Despite the uptick in short wide receiver production last year, they remain very poor at catching touchdowns. Of the top 50 in touchdown receptions in 2014, only eight players (16 percent) were less than six feet tall.

This is a popular misconception nowadays because everyone falls in love with slot receivers who gets a ton of receptions. PPR (points per reception) leagues have ruined fantasy football in this way because players are now confused about what pays the bills - touchdowns. Of the top 25 fantasy wide receivers in 2014, only three had less than six touchdowns.

Wide receiver isn’t the only position where size matters. There are direct correlations between the size of a quarterback and fantasy production as well. Only two of the 32 projected starting quarterbacks in 2015 are less than 6’2” tall - Drew Brees (6’0”) and Russell Wilson (5’11”). In addition, Brees and Wilson are the only two of the top 15 fantasy quarterbacks last year who were less than 6’2”. The average height amongst the top 15 fantasy quarterbacks in 2014 was 6’3 ½”.

This should not come as a big surprise to anybody. The taller a quarterback is the better they can see over the line, the more passing lanes are open and the harder it is for defenders to knock the ball out when pressured. Many think that Russell Wilson can continue the elite fantasy production he showed last year, but I have my doubts based on this data and the system in which he plays.

Finally, there are running backs, which is the hardest position to grasp how size matters. Some think a giant running back is a good thing just running over everybody, but sadly this is not the case. In fact, larger running backs typically generate worse production. Big running backs present a larger target for would-be tacklers, move slower laterally and have a harder time protecting the football. Scouts are looking for running backs that are between 5’9” and 6’0” tall. Running backs smaller than that are easier to tackle and don’t hold up to the abuse.

In 2014, there were 13 RBs who rushed for over 1,000 yards. Of those 13, just two (Jeremy Hill & Justin Forsett) were outside of the ideal size for a running back. In fact, of the top 25 rushers last year only four (Hill, Forsett, Steven Jackson and Tre Mason) were outside the demographic. There is a lot of specialization at the running back position these days and the temptation to draft “PPR gold” type players. However, small running backs have an awful track record of staying healthy, so you may get a couple solid games out of them before eventually having to replace them.

The basis of this conversation is to understand how the size of players correlates to fantasy success. I am not saying that you should avoid all players outside of these zones. Established players like Antonio Brown, Russell Wilson and Randall Cobb defy the odds attaining their success. The key is that when you are drafting and planning on breakout performances, you need to take into account a player’s height, weight and other physical attributes. After all, football isn’t a game where everybody has a fair shake. It is a game of physical dominance and you should take that into consideration on your fantasy teams as well.