With many storylines already being played out, the wide receiver position may be the most interesting. NFL Training Camp WRs are under more pressure now than ever before.
Many WRs are entering make-or-break seasons that could see them becoming future stars or being shipped off to another team. Here are four WRs who are under the most pressure so far this training camp.
Once looked at as a premier prospect at Ohio State, Marvin Harrison Jr has yet to take that big step towards stardom in the NFL. While his two years in the NFL can’t be described as a failure, he hasn’t lived up to his high expectations as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Throughout his career, Harrison has accumulated 1,493 yards on 103 receptions with 12 touchdowns. As stated, these aren’t bad numbers, but they are surprising when compared to WRs drafted after him.
Both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr have been more productive than Harrison.
Nabers, in 10 fewer games played, has 18 less yards and 24 more receptions than Harrison. Meanwhile, Thomas has more yards and receptions than Harrison, totaling 1,989 yards on 135 receptions.
Harrison’s lack of production in comparison to others in his draft class could be a result of his inability to come down with catches consistently. Last season, Harrison had a catch percentage of 56.7, which finished in the bottom 16th percentile among WRs.
This catching issue has also been on full display during NFL Training Camp, as Harrison has dropped several uncontested passes thrown his direction.
If Harrison continues to struggle coming down with the ball, there is a chance the Arizona Cardinals will look to deprioritize him. They have a surging Michael Wilson, who ended last season catching a touchdown in each of the final five games.
Amongst NFL Training Camp WRs, Harrison will be one of the most pressured. The jury is still out for him, but the time he has to prove that he is a top WR in the NFL is shortening.
After an impressive rookie season in 2023, recording 938 yards and 7 touchdowns, Rashee Rice looked to be the WR of the future for the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.
Recently, Rice’s career has been plagued by off-the-field controversy and injury. He served a six-game suspension last season for a personal conduct violation due to highway speeding resulting in a multi-vehicle crash and fleeing the scene. After serving the suspension, he played eight games but suffered a concussion and was placed on the IR (Injured Reserve), ending his season.
Then, in May, Rice had to serve a 30-day sentence for a probation violation.
By playing for Kansas City, Rashee is more pressured than most receivers, as he is expected to be a top target for Patrick Mahomes. He shared 28.8% of the target share on the Chiefs last season and led the WRs in receptions in only 8 games played.
He finished with 571 yards on 53 receptions with 5 touchdowns last season.
Rice needs to stand out and separate himself from the other Chiefs’ receivers. His success in the passing game could be the key to Kansas City bouncing back and being the dominant team in the AFC.
Jerry Jeudy has had an up-and-down career since entering the league in 2020. The former 15th overall pick has struggled with consistency and being tasked as a team’s top receiving option.
Jeudy led a poor Cleveland Browns wide receiver unit in yards with 602 and added 50 receptions with 2 touchdowns last season. But if he fails to get back to his 2024 form, he could get passed up by younger WRs and shipped to another team.
Back in 2024, Jeudy had the best year of his career, showcasing that he could be a WR1 for a team. He recorded 1,229 yards on 90 receptions with 4 touchdowns. By only being a year removed from this season, he may be able to replicate this production.
If Jeudy fails to get back to his peak playing ability, the Browns could look to prioritize their two new receivers.
Cleveland took two WRs in the 2026 NFL Draft during the first two rounds. They drafted KC Concepcion with the 24th overall pick and Denzel Boston with the 39th overall selection.
Concepcion gathered 919 yards on 61 receptions for 9 touchdowns last year at Texas A&M. Meanwhile, Boston compiled 881 yards on 62 receptions with 11 touchdowns at Washington.
By going out and grabbing two receivers early in the draft, the Browns are potentially prepared to move on from Jeudy. He has two years left on his contract, but if he gets outplayed by other WRs during training camp, Cleveland could look to go in a different direction sooner.
As the Buffalo Bills’ top draft selection in 2024, Keon Coleman entered the league with the expectation of being a go-to receiver for Josh Allen. Instead, his short career has been filled with hardships.
Coleman has yet to showcase his ability to be a true WR1 for the Bills, as he missed games last year as a healthy scratch for showing up late to team meetings.
When Coleman plays, he has solid production, but not that of a true top receiver. In two seasons, he has recorded 960 yards on 67 receptions with 8 touchdowns. In that timeframe, he has had fewer receptions and yards than Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid.
When he was drafted by the NFL, Coleman was seen as a contested-catch specialist. While he thrived at this at Florida State, he hasn’t been able to succeed at it in Buffalo consistently. Last season, he had a catch percentage of 56.3, which finished in the bottom 14th percentile.
Similar to other NFL Training Camp WRs, Coleman’s dropping issue has been on display, as he was captured dropping an uncontested pass.
Along with his catching problem, Coleman cannot create separation from defenders in coverage. Last year, he finished in the bottom 23rd percentile for separation, only managing to create 2.56 yards of separation on average.
The Bills have made moves at receiver to ensure production at the position if Coleman continues to struggle. They traded for D.J. Moore and drafted Skyler Bell with the 125th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If Coleman continues to disappoint, his time with the Bills could come to a quick end, and he could be remembered more for a meme than his on-field play.
NFL Training Camp WRs are just getting started, but some of them are already under an enormous amount of pressure to perform well. They are expected to be key contributors to their team’s offensive success and won’t be given the same grace that younger receivers get across the league.
Short clips of dropped passes and stiff route running have spread across social media like wildfire.
For these WRs to keep their spot on their team’s depth chart, they will have to impress during training camp, knowing that every rep matters. 2026 will be a make-or-break year for them, so any play can either send them to the top of the depth chart or onto their next team.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
