There is plenty to watch heading into training camp. The most intriguing part of camp is of course the position battles. It’s a whole different ball game once the pads go on later this month. There are a ton of jobs up for grabs this offseason and they will have a major impact on the fantasy season. This article will focus on the wide receivers.

Baltimore Ravens

WR2: Breshad Perriman, Marlon Brown, Kamar Aiken and Michael Campanaro

Campanaro has now jumped into this battle. He may have actually been the favorite early in the offseason before injuring his quad. Now he’s the forgotten man, but don’t sleep on him; he has a great shot to emerge. Aiken is pretty much on par with Campanaro as well. Those two are likely competing for one spot. Brown brings something to the table that no other wideout on the team brings. He’s a big-bodied chain mover with a large catch radius. Perriman is obviously the man the Ravens would like to win the job but it does not appear likely. He’s a raw talent who is much more of a great athlete than great receiver. His hands are very poor and he’s not a good route runner. Despite being the team’s first-round pick, he is falling behind this off season.

What they should do

Steve Smith is the obvious WR1 in Baltimore. I would put Brown opposite him and use him in the Anquan Boldin role like they did as a rookie. He’s a big body who can move the chains and score touchdowns. Then I’d stick Aiken in the slot and let him make plays on slants and up the seam. Perriman is a bust in the making, which should not be a surprise if you look at the Ravens’ history of drafting receivers.

Carolina Panthers

Deep Threat: Philly Brown and Ted Ginn

Ginn is back in Carolina and looking to take his job back as Cam Newton’s deep threat. However, the 23-year-old speedy wideout Philly Brown may have something to say about this. He’s seven-years younger than Ginn and ready to take that next step. Ginn has the experience but Brown is on the rise.

What they should do

With a trio of big targets, a deep threat will be the key to taking the top off the defense. Brown should get the first shot at the job. We already know what Ginn is, which is a glorified return man. His ceiling just isn’t that high. If Brown turns out to be something special, the Panthers could be a very dangerous team.

Indianapolis Colts

WR3: Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett

These are two completely different receivers. Moncrief is a big receiver at 6-foot-2, 221-pounds and Phillip Dorsett weighs about 185 and is said to be the fastest player to ever come out of The U. Still, T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson are going to be the top two wideouts, and Moncrief and Dorsett will be left to battle for targets despite their very different skill sets.

What they should do

What the Colts should do is get the ball in Dorsett’s hands as often as possible. He is a dangerous weapon and will be better than Hilton. Dorsett is not only better than Moncrief, he will surpass Hilton and make him expendable. Don’t get me wrong, he won’t have a better season than Hilton this year, nevertheless, he is faster, has better hands and is more versatile. That’s not to say Hilton isn’t very fast, it’s just that Dorsett can fly.

Jacksonville Jaguars

WR2: Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns

I predicted Lee would be a bust out of USC and he’s well on track. Word out of Jacksonville is that Hurns is beating him out for the WR2 job this offseason. Lee was a second-round pick, but he just isn’t all that good. He’s a very average wide receiver. Hurns is a dangerous deep threat and adds a dynamic the Jags lack without him. Hurns led all Jags wideouts with 13.3 yards per catch and six touchdowns last season. His 51 receptions was second only to Cecil Shorts‘ 53. With a number of a solid options in the slot, Lee could end up buried on the depth chart.

What they should do

I’m pretty sure you can figure out where I’m going with this one. Lee should probably be the WR4 at best on the Jags. Rashad Greene and Ace Sanders will battle for the slot and Hurns will win the WR2 job opposite future star Allen Robinson. Lee just doesn’t fit in to the mix.

Miami Dolphins

WR2: DeVante Parker and Greg Jennings

It recently came out that Andre Johnson dreamed of playing in Miami, but they never gave him a call and opted for Greg Jennings. What!? What a disastrous decision. If the Dolphins could have had an infinitely better player and just failed to contact him, that is a nightmarishly bad blunder by the front office.

Now back to the players that are on the team. Parker underwent foot surgery during the off season and is expected to be ready for Week 1. The setback reportedly could result in Jennings being the starter to open the season. The question of Parker starting isn’t if, it’s when.

What they should do

Jennings is mediocre at best. Throw Parker out there and hopefully he hits the ground running like he did last year at Louisville coming off a much more serious injury. In just six games, Parker caught 43 passes for 855 yards and five touchdowns. I fully understand that this isn’t college, it’s a new system and what Odell Beckham Jr did is rare. I still believe Parker is that much more talented than Jennings that it doesn’t matter. Parker will be the WR1 over Kenny Stills as well by mid-season. This is a no-brainer to me, assuming Parker’s timetable for return remains on track.

Tennessee Titans

WR2: Justin Hunter and Dorial Green-Beckham

This is a nightmarish situation. The best wideout in Tennessee may be Harry Douglas. Green-Beckham has a ton of potential but is extremely raw and Hunter has done very little to instill confidence in anybody. Throwing a rookie quarterback in the mix doesn’t help whatsoever. Especially a rookie QB that is ill prepared for the NFL.

What they should do

They should do what the Steelers did with Martavis Bryant last season. For the first six weeks or so, utilize Douglas, Kendall Wright and Delanie Walker. Once DGB is ready, throw him in there is a playmaker. His athleticism is uncanny and he could be a serious mismatch for any defensive back on the field. They just need to understand he is going to be a project.

Washington Redskins

Slot Receiver: Andre Roberts and Jamison Crowder

Roberts failed to show up last season during his first season in Washington. While the quarterback situation was a nightmare, he still only caught 36 for 453 yards and two TDs. The QBs were bad but he also didn’t do much to help. I also happen to particularly high on Crowder. His film is much better than his combine numbers show. I am a firm believer that watching game film is way more important than times and measurables. For instance, Crowder is a much better receiver than a guy like Perriman.

What they should do

Get Crowder on the field as soon as possible. The kid has a ton of talent and knows how to play his position. He understand the subtle nuances of the position and is an excellent route runner. Crowder plays much faster than his 4.56 40-yard dash time would lead you to believe.