Editing Utility player

{{short description|Athlete who plays multiple different positions within the same sport}}

In sports, a '''utility player''' is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include [[association football]], [[basketball]], [[American football]], [[baseball]], [[rugby union]], [[rugby league]], [[softball]], [[ice hockey]], and [[water polo]]. 

The term has gained prominence in all sports due to its use in [[fantasy league]]s, but in rugby union and rugby league, it is commonly used by commentators to recognize a player's versatility.

The use of this term to describe a player may in some circumstances be a [[backhanded compliment]], as it suggests the player is not good enough to be considered a specialist in one position (i.e., a [[jack of all trades]]).

== Association football ==
{{further|:Category:Association football utility players}}

In association football, like other sports, a utility player can play in several positions in the outfield.

Nowadays, most outfield players, especially midfielders, at the professional level can play multiple positions. The most common dual role is when a central defender is played in the left or right full-back position. This often occurs due to injuries to starting full-backs. As central defenders are usually taller, slower, and less technically adept in crossing and attacking play, such a change in position is often accompanied by a tactical shift designed to ensure the player remains in a more defensive posture than regular full-backs would be in. Another common dual role is for faster attacking players to be used as a forward, winger, or a combination of the two roles – known as a "wing-forward".

Examples include Frenchman [[Eduardo Camavinga]] of [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]], a midfielder who can also function as a left-sided full-back or winger. Spaniard [[Sergi Roberto]] played in seven different positions, including full-back, centre-back, midfielder and winger, at [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] between 2016 and 2018. [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]'s [[Phil Jones (footballer, born 1992)|Phil Jones]] has been used as a right-back and centre-back while also taking up midfield roles at times. Another defender, [[Bjørn Paulsen]] from Denmark, is also adept on the wing or in the centre of midfield and has also successfully taken the role of striker, especially when his teams were losing. [[James Milner]], who made over 200 league appearances for [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], has played in central midfield, full-back, winger and even striker.<ref>{{Cite web|title=James Milner: Virgil van Dijk, Vincent Kompany, versatility and more|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/15117/11981629/james-milner-virgil-van-dijk-vincent-kompany-versatility-and-more|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Sky Sports|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-05-26|title=Macintosh: Milner elite but without fanfare|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/blog/espn-fc-united/68/post/2466499/james-milner-versatility-makes-him-elite-without-the-fanfare|access-date=2020-11-24|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Squires|first=Theo|date=2018-12-09|title=Incredible James Milner masters yet ANOTHER position|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/incredible-james-milner-masters-another-15525891|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-20|title=James Milner: Manchester City and England player has now played in every position except in goal and centre-back|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/james-milner-manchester-city-and-england-player-has-now-played-every-position-except-goal-and-centre-back-9937620.html|access-date=2020-11-24|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> Chinese international [[Yu Dabao]] started his career as a striker, but has transitioned between defence and attack ever since [[Roger Schmidt (footballer)|Roger Schmidt]] took charge of his club [[Beijing Guoan F.C.|Beijing Guoan]].

[[Ivaylo Yordanov]], [[Lee McCulloch]], [[Magnus Erlingmark]] and especially [[Ruud Gullit]] had played in many outfield roles, with the Dutchman in particular having the ability to change positions within a single game to fill in gaps caused by substitutions. Former Irish international [[John O'Shea]] is known for playing in all positions in his tenure with Manchester United. Even further back in time, some footballers had a high degree of versatility: [[Bill Lacey (footballer)|Bill Lacey]], who played his top-flight football with Everton and Liverpool during the pre-war and inter-war periods, played in all eleven traditional positions (10 outfield plus goalkeeper) in his career; [[John Charles]], a legendary figure both in his native Wales and [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] of Italy, was both a striker and centre-back in his playing days; and [[1966 FIFA World Cup]] winner [[Martin Peters]], who played in every position, including goalkeeper in particularly dire situations, for [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]].

In the [[Women's association football|women's game]], notable examples are China's [[Wang Shanshan]] and the United States' [[Crystal Dunn]], as well as Germans [[Simone Laudehr]] and [[Linda Bresonik]].

Some outfield players have also made competent substitute [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]]s, for example [[Phil Jagielka]], [[Jan Koller]] (originally trained as a goalkeeper before converting into a striker) and [[Cosmin Moți]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11094410/Liverpool-v-Ludogorets-Razgrad-When-defender-Cosmin-Moti-was-hero-of-penalty-shoot-out-playing-in-goal.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11094410/Liverpool-v-Ludogorets-Razgrad-When-defender-Cosmin-Moti-was-hero-of-penalty-shoot-out-playing-in-goal.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Liverpool v Ludogorets Razgrad: When defender Cosmin Moti was hero of penalty shoot-out - playing in goal|first=Jason|last=Burt|date=13 September 2014|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}</ref> But in the case of goalkeepers playing as outfield players, it is extremely rare; [[David James (footballer, born 1970)|David James]] for [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] in 2005 match against [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] for one instance. Some may be free kick and penalty specialists ([[Rogério Ceni]], [[José Luis Chilavert]], [[Jorge Campos]], etc.), but they do not hold a proper outfield role.

== Baseball ==
{{main|Utility player (baseball)}}
[[File:Andrew Romine on September 18, 2011.jpg|thumb|right|In 2017, [[Andrew Romine]] became the fifth player to play all nine positions in a [[Major League Baseball]] game.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beck |first1=Jason |title=Nine for Romine: Tiger plays every position |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/andrew-romine-plays-all-9-positions-in-1-game-c256945836 |access-date=21 November 2020 |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[Major League Baseball]] |date=September 30, 2017 |language=en}}</ref>]]
In [[baseball]], a '''utility player''' is a player who can play several different positions. In general, each [[Major League Baseball]] team has at least one player who can be described as a utility player.

Most professional teams have two types of utility players. There are "utility infielders", who usually play all of the infield positions (plus occasionally [[catcher]]). Utility [[outfielder]]s or "fourth outfielders" tend to play all three outfield positions at various times. Occasionally, there will be players who perform a combination of the two duties. Utility players tend to be players who come off the bench, though this is not absolute. Often, players who do not have high prospects to be a major league star will learn additional positions so they can look more attractive to major league clubs as [[bench jockey|bench talent]].

A third type of utility player is often seen in youth baseball, and occasionally in [[college baseball]]—a player talented enough as a [[pitcher]] and [[position player]] to play in both roles. The term "utility player" is not typically used to describe such an individual, with "[[two-way player]]" used instead.

Even more rarely, a player can have the talent to play both roles at the top professional level. [[Babe Ruth]] began his career as a pitcher, but proved to be such a strong hitter that he briefly alternated in the two roles until becoming a full-time position player. A current example is [[Shohei Ohtani]], who made the Best Nine of [[Nippon Professional Baseball|Japan]]'s [[Pacific League]] as both a pitcher and a hitter in [[2016 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2016]], and is a [[designated hitter]] / [[starting pitcher]] who formerly played for the [[Los Angeles Angels]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18208693/shohei-otani-eyeing-move-mlb-2017-season |title=Japanese MVP Shohei Otani weighing MLB move for 2018 |work=ESPN.com |date=December 6, 2016 |access-date=January 9, 2017}}</ref> and currently plays for the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]].

== Basketball ==
{{See also|Tweener (basketball)|Swingman}}

The term "utility player" is rarely used in basketball outside of fantasy basketball leagues.<ref>{{Citation
|url=http://www.fantasybasketballmoneyleagues.com/
|title=Fantasy basketball
|date=October 14, 2013
|publisher=fantasybasketballmoneyleagues.com
|access-date=2013-10-14}}
</ref> Instead; basketball uses the terms [[tweener (basketball)|tweener]] and [[swingman]] to refer to a player who can play two or three different positions, with more specific terms being [[combo guard]], [[point forward]], [[forward-center]], and [[stretch four]].

==American football==
In [[gridiron football|American football]], the utility player is often capable of playing multiple positions, and often they may play both offense and defense. The concept was far more common in the early days of football, when pro teams used their best athletes in as many ways as possible, and substitutions were far more restricted, meaning players had to stay on the field for offense, defense, and "special teams". This was known as the [[one-platoon system]].

[[Image:RobinsonThrowing2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|1907 photograph of [[Bradbury Robinson]], who threw the first legal [[forward pass]] and was the sport's first triple threat]]

The [[triple threat man]], who could run, pass, and kick, was particularly popular during the early days of football from the time the forward pass was invented to the World War II era (see, for instance, [[Bradbury Robinson]], [[Tommy Hughitt]], [[Sammy Baugh]], and, during his college years, [[Johnny Unitas]]). Most levels of football lifted the substitution restrictions during the post-World War II era in the late 1940s, beginning with "platooning" (use of different offensive and defensive units) and eventually transitioning to complete free substitution. [[Chuck Bednarik]], a center and linebacker, was the last full-time two way player in the NFL, having retired in 1962. [[Travis Hunter]] will be the first to attempt to play offense and defense regularly since Bednarik after he was drafted as both a cornerback and wide receiver by the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] in [[2025 NFL draft|2025]]. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=Jaguars send shockwaves, trade up for Heisman winner, two-way player Travis Hunter |url=https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/sports/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/travis-hunter-drafted-jaguars-trade/77-f56b0c39-0d10-4c4c-acc9-e52a40476562 |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=firstcoastnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[American Football League]] of the 1960s frequently used players at multiple positions, particularly kickers and punters (e.g. [[George Blanda]], [[Paul Maguire]], [[Cookie Gilchrist]], [[Gino Cappelletti]], and [[Gene Mingo]], a running back who became the first black placekicker in modern professional football, among others). Because of increased injury risk awareness, since the [[AFL-NFL merger]] these types of players are increasingly rare, and true utility players usually end up specializing in one position (for example, [[Lane Johnson]] played quarterback, tight end, defensive end and offensive tackle through college but was tagged specifically at offensive tackle when drafted into the NFL, and [[Lorenzo Alexander]], who earned a reputation as a "one-man gang" for his ability to play multiple positions, had settled in as a linebacker for most of his career in the NFL<ref>{{cite web|work=Redskins.com|url=http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Alexander-The-Face-Of-Roster-Versatility/ca9a28c3-008e-4d2e-9378-c859f386140b|title=Alexander The Face Of Roster Versatility|last=Tinsman|first=Brian|date=June 27, 2012|access-date=June 27, 2012|archive-date=June 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630232058/http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Alexander-The-Face-Of-Roster-Versatility/ca9a28c3-008e-4d2e-9378-c859f386140b|url-status=dead}}</ref>). Those that do play multiple positions for any extended period of time are mostly backups (e.g. [[Guido Merkens]] and [[Brad Smith (American football, born 1983)|Brad Smith]]) or career minor-league players (e.g. [[Don Jonas]], [[Eric Crouch]], and [[Charles Puleri]]). It is still very common in smaller high schools to see top players play two or even three ways (offense, defense, and special teams), in multiple positions, but in college and pro ball, where rosters are larger and the talent pool is more elite, the injury risk outweighs potential benefits.

In the [[National Football League]], former coach [[Bill Belichick]] frequently used utility players during his time with the [[New England Patriots]]. Belichick had used his linebackers, including [[Bryan Cox]] and [[Mike Vrabel]], as [[H-back]]s on offense, and Belichick doubled his wide receivers (e.g. [[Troy Brown]] and [[Randy Moss]]) as cornerbacks and safeties. Former [[Arizona Cardinals]] and [[Houston Texans]] defensive end [[J. J. Watt]] had also been utilized in multiple positions. Watt lined up at tight end in special goal-line packages in 2014, catching three touchdown passes. The 6' 5" Watt played tight end in high school and his first year of college at [[Central Michigan Chippewas football|Central Michigan]] before becoming a full-time defensive player. Likewise, [[Buffalo Bills]] defensive tackle [[Kyle Williams (defensive tackle)|Kyle Williams]] played sparingly as a fullback in the last two years of his career, catching a pass, rushing for a touchdown, and blocking for another. [[William Perry (American football)|William "The Refrigerator" Perry]], a defensive tackle for the [[Chicago Bears]], famously played as a fullback to score a touchdown in [[Super Bowl XX]].

The [[tackle-eligible play|tackle eligible]] is a special form of utility player. Examples of those who used this play notably include [[Jason Peters]], [[Warren Sapp]], [[Jumbo Elliott (American football)|Jumbo Elliott]], [[Mitch Frerotte]], [[Anthony Muñoz]], [[Joe Staley]], and [[Donald Penn]]. In such a situation, a player who is lined up in the offensive tackle position is eligible to catch a forward pass. Another example of a type of utility player is the [[halfback option play]], in which a [[running back]] performs the passing duties of a [[quarterback]]. [[Walter Payton]], [[LaDainian Tomlinson]], and, most recently, [[Derrick Henry]] have used this play multiple times, and this type of play has spawned an entire [[Wildcat offense|offensive scheme]]. Note that generally, a player who plays one regular position as well as special teams is ''usually'' not considered a utility player, nor are hybrid running back/wide receivers such as [[Reggie Bush]]; only those who play two distinct offensive and/or defensive positions are considered such, as are those who play an offensive or defensive position and in addition kick or punt.

The "offense/offensive weapon" (also known as OW) is an offensive player that can play multiple offensive positions. The OW role contains, but is not limited to, players that can play [[quarterback]], [[running back]], [[tight end]], and [[wide receiver]]. [[Kordell Stewart]] was the first player to be used in this role back in the 1990s, but it became popular in the early 2010s.  Back when Stewart played this role, it was known as the "Slash" role.  The Jacksonville Jaguars' OW [[Denard Robinson]] was the first to be officially an OW.  Recent examples of the OW position include former [[New York Giants]] quarterback [[Joe Webb]], [[Atlanta Falcons]] running back [[Cordarrelle Patterson]], and [[New Orleans Saints]] quarterback [[Taysom Hill]]. Webb has also played wide receiver throughout his career, while Hill has lined up at every offensive position with the exception of offensive lineman. Hill also plays special teams as a [[Gunner (American football)|gunner]] and kick returner.

The [[Arena Football League]], for many years, made almost all of its players, with the exception of two players on each side (always a quarterback, a kicker (the quarterback and kicker were never on the field at the same time) and usually a wide receiver and two defensive backs), play both sides of the ball; this was known as "ironman". The "ironman" concept was dropped in 2007.

With the exception of the now defunct NFL Europe, almost all European American Football leagues have players that play offense, defense, and special teams. Especially when the number of "American" players is limited, they are often on the field for as many snaps as possible, both on offense and defense.

== Ice hockey ==
In [[Ice hockey]], it is common for [[Centre (ice hockey)|centres]] and [[Winger (ice hockey)|wingers]] to play either position in certain situations. Depending on need, a team may use a natural centreman on the wing if they have too many centres or, conversely, a winger may be pressed to play centre because of a lack of suitable players in that area. Because of the frequency of [[Forward (ice hockey)|forwards]] playing both positions, the term utility player tends to refer not to a player that plays more than one forward position, but to a player that can play both [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|defence]] and forward. Teams may use a defenceman as a forward, or vice versa, for a variety of reasons.

Sometimes a natural defenceman who struggles on the defensive side of the game but possesses strong offensive qualities may be used as a winger. [[Marc-Andre Bergeron]] and [[Kurtis Foster]], for example, have proven to be quality offensive defencemen who struggle in defending their own zone. As such, they have dressed as forwards so their teams can continue to use their offensive abilities on the [[power play (sporting term)|powerplay]] while still using the standard six defencemen during [[even strength]].

An extra defenceman may also be pressed to play forward in an emergency situation, where a team has a rash of injuries to their forwards and do not have time to summon a replacement player from a [[farm team]].

It is very common for teams to use a forward on "[[the point (ice hockey)|the point]]" during the powerplay to provide a greater offensive threat. Though the forward is playing defence in this situation, they are not necessarily seen as true utility players.

Along with Bergeron and Foster, other notable defencemen that have played forward at some point in their careers include [[Phil Housley]], [[Brent Burns]], [[Mark Streit]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=0d969d38-5373-4c15-94e4-c3e9c2002620 |title=Versatile Streit makes it look easy with Habs |publisher=Canada.com |date=2008-02-11 |access-date=2013-12-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326053419/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=0d969d38-5373-4c15-94e4-c3e9c2002620 |archive-date=2014-03-26 }}</ref> [[Christoph Schubert]], [[Ian White (ice hockey)|Ian White]] and [[Chris Campoli]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=510124 |title=Campoli making forward move - Ottawa Senators|publisher=NHL.com |access-date= 2013-12-16}}</ref> Notable forwards who have played defence include [[Sergei Fedorov]],<ref>http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/16/20070316-B4-02.html{{dead link|date=December 2013}}</ref> [[Mathieu Dandenault]], [[Brooks Laich]] and [[Sami Kapanen]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://whalerslegends.blogspot.com/2009/06/sami-kapanen.html |title=Hartford Whalers Legends: Sami Kapanen |publisher=WhalersLegends.blogspot.com |date=2009-06-07 |access-date=2013-12-16}}</ref>

In some cases a player has made a full-time conversion from one position to the other and experienced success. Hockey Hall of Famer [[Red Kelly]] spent the first half of his career as an offensive defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings before finishing his career as a strong [[two-way player|two-way centreman]] for the Toronto Maple Leafs. [[Wendel Clark]] was a star defenceman in junior before converting to left wing and scoring over 300 goals and 500 points in 15 NHL seasons. (Some junior hockey teams have a tendency to put their best offensive players on defence instead of as forwards, since defencemen generally have more time on the ice.) [[Dustin Byfuglien]] is an example of a current player who has made the switch from forward to defence full-time. [[Jonathan Ericsson]] of the Detroit Red Wings is another example of a player who converted from forward to defense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/ericsson.php|title=Red Wings Central prospects – Jonathan Ericsson|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213093400/http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/ericsson.php|archive-date=February 13, 2010|access-date=April 19, 2010}}</ref>

It is extremely rare for goaltenders to play any position other than goaltender; likewise, it is just as rare for non-goaltenders to suit up in goal, because of the significant difference in skills and equipment required for the position.

== Rugby league ==
The use of utility in rugby league is more expansive because not only would a player play only at backs' (or forwards') positions, some may play in forward and back positions with similar roles (e.g. halfback/hooker), or even play so many different positions as injury cover. [[Lance Hohaia]] is a prime example of this as he played in six different positions in his NRL career.

== Rugby union ==
Utility player is a term used mostly in New Zealand. In rugby union, it comes in a form of utility back. It is mostly a back who can cover at least two positions. Notable examples in [[Rugby union in New Zealand|New Zealand]] include [[Daniel Bowden]], [[Luke McAlister]] and [[Cory Jane]], but [[Rugby union in Australia|Australia]] also has many utility backs like [[Adam Ashley-Cooper]], [[Kurtley Beale]], [[Matt Giteau]] and [[James O'Connor (rugby union)|James O'Connor]]. South African examples are [[François Steyn]] and [[Johan Goosen]].  Example of [[Rugby union in England|English]] utility backs include [[Austin Healey]], who played for England as a scrum-half, fly-half, wing and full back, and [[Mike Catt]], who was capped as a fly-half, centre and full back. [[Rugby union in France|French]] [[Thomas Ramos (rugby union)|Thomas Ramos]], [[Jérémy Sinzelle]] and [[Damien Traille]] are known for their versatility too.

Despite that, there are forwards who are capable of covering multiple positions. Many players in the back row of the scrum ([[Flanker (rugby union)|flanker]]s and [[Number eight (rugby union)|number eight]]s) will frequently switch between the two positions, like [[Grégory Alldritt]], [[David Pocock]] or [[Kieran Read]]. Notable players in English rugby have made the transition between back row to the back line as they possess transferable skills and are usually the quicker and more mobile of the pack, more often a player may also be capable of playing [[Lock (rugby union)|lock]] as well as a [[Rugby union positions#Back row|back row]] position, with several modern examples being [[Sébastien Chabal]], [[Maro Itoje]], [[Courtney Lawes]], [[Steven Luatua]] and [[Cameron Woki]], all with international caps in both rows of the scrum. However, this description never applies to props who can play both ends of the front row (i.e. Numbers 1 & 3), unless the player has the ability to cover as a [[Hooker (rugby union)|hooker]] (e.g. [[John Afoa]], a prop who could cover as a hooker, or [[John Smit]], primarily a hooker but also capped internationally at both prop positions).

== Fantasy sports ==
In [[fantasy baseball]] and [[fantasy basketball|basketball]], a utility player is a player (specifically a batter in baseball) who accumulates statistics without being assigned to a particular position.  The batter can play any position; he need not actually be a utility player (for example, if a fantasy manager has two first baseman, he can assign one to the first base position and one to a utility slot).  Similarly, a person assigned a utility slot in fantasy basketball need not be a tweener or swingman.

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{American football positions}}
{{Baseball positions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Utility Player}}
[[Category:Association football positions]]
[[Category:Baseball positions]]
[[Category:Terminology used in multiple sports]]
[[Category:Association football utility players| ]]