Before Alabama played a single down this season, Nick Saban sized up the roster and made a conclusion.

"One of the strengths on our team, I feel, is the receivers, and we want to continue to try to have an offense that can create explosive plays through those guys," the Alabama coach said.

By and large, the Crimson Tide has channeled its plays through "11" personnel -- a grouping that features, one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers.

Through three games, this package, according to Pro Football Focus, was featured on 65 percent of Alabama's snaps -- an indication of how much coordinator Lane Kiffin has moved the Tide's approach well beyond the two-tight end, ground-and-pound style that predominated during Jim McElwain's stewardship of the offense.

In turn, Kiffin has increased the influence of the receivers, and this season he has relied on Calvin Ridley, ArDarius Stewart and graduate transfer Gehrig Dieter to do the lion's share of the work. Based on data supplied by Pro Football Focus, all three players have been on the field for more than 100 snaps and together they have accounted for every one of the team's five receiving touchdowns.

Cam Sims and Robert Foster, meanwhile, have been assigned part-time roles. Both have participated in a combined total of 124 plays -- 11 fewer than Dieter has been involved in this season.

"It just makes you want to compete more," Sims said. "You see [them] do something and you might want to go out and practice the next weekend and try to do what [they] do or even better."

Sims knows the internal competition is fierce. The Tide has a stacked receiver corps, and the marginalization of Foster is illustrative of that. Before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in September 2015, the former five-star recruit was a starter and playing in front of Ridley. Now, he's a limited contributor. Against Ole Miss last week, he was on the field for three snaps.

He then tweaked his knee in practice Tuesday and is questionable for Saturday's game against Kent State, according to Saban.

Yet prior to that setback, Saban insinuated that Sims has merited more opportunities than Foster, when he was asked who would replace Stewart in the event he is not available Saturday after suffering a sprained knee against the Rebels.

"Robert will play some, but the guy that's been playing really well for us is Cam Sims, so we would play him as well," Saban said.

Foster's position notwithstanding, Kiffin's management of his receivers and the way he has deployed them has sparked curiosity. And considering how important the group is to this offense, it will bear watching going forward.