The Los Angeles Rams enter training camp with one of the deepest rosters in the NFL . While their starting lineup is generally set in stone, there is plenty of competition among the depth spots.
During the first few days of training camp, the battle at QB2 with Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett has been the primary focus. However, while it's natural for the quarterback position to garner the most attention, that may not actually be the most interesting position battle on the roster.
Despite it being advertised as a competition, it may not be one in the way many believe . The Rams are bringing Simpson along at his own pace. He has started training camp taking all of the backup reps on days that Matthew Stafford has rested. When Stafford has participated, he's taken the third-string reps. This isn't a situation where Simpson and Bennett are evenly splitting reps throughout practice. Bennett is the backup quarterback and it wouldn't be surprising for that to be the case through the preseason.
With that said, the more interesting training camp battle is the one at WR3. During the draft, it was thought that the Rams might draft a player like Makai Lemon or KC Concepcion. There was some reported interest in De'Zhaun Stribling, but the Rams didn't take a wide receiver until the sixth round. In the sixth round, the Rams selected CJ Daniels out of Miami .
The third wide receiver spot is somewhat complicated as the Rams head into the 2026 season. By not taking a WR3 and drafting tight end Max Klare in the second round, the Rams have made it abundantly clear that t hey are moving to an offense with heavier personnel . After finding success with three tight end sets last season, the Rams appear to be leaning into that.
With two or three tight ends on the field, that leaves a spot for at most two wide receivers on a majority of the offensive snaps. That's not to say that the Rams are going to completely abandon 11 personnel. Still, the value of the third wide receiver in the offense decreases.
It's why the Rams didn't prioritize drafting a wide receiver early or signing a veteran wide receiver ahead of training camp. The Rams trust the players they have and those players will compete among each other for snaps.
"That receiver room has such great complementary pieces," said offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. "I'm encouraged by where those guys are at...And I think anytime you got those guys out there, they're threats to make plays all over the field."
When it comes to the third wide receiver in the Rams offense, it's very possible that player is Terrance Ferguson as he looks to take a step forward in year two. If the Rams are moving to more 12 and 13 personnel, Ferguson's skill set as a receiver makes him difficult to defend.
However, the Rams are still going to need one of their depth wide receivers to step up. This won't be a situation like what the Rams had early in Sean McVay's tenure. In the early days of McVay's career, the Rams had a clear WR1, WR2, and WR3. During the 2021 season, that was Cooper Kupp , Robert Woods , and Van Jefferson . Before that, it was Kupp, Woods, and Brandin Cooks .
It's very possible this is more of a WR3a, WR3b, etc. situation this season. One player will get more snaps than the others, but that third wide receiver will get rotated based on the situation. The early favorite for a majority of those snaps is likely Jordan Whittington . Whittington is in his third year in the offense. He has at least shown to be reliable, if not productive.
That secondary wide receiver is where things get interesting. Last season, the Rams relied on Xavier Smith and Konata Mumpfield . Smith proved to be a deep threat while Mumpfield also carved out a role in the offense. Still, Smith is limited due to his size and overall route tree. Last season, 19.2 percent of Smith's routes were go-routes. His next closest at 16 percent was a deep corner.
Mumpfield added more versatility in the intermediate areas of the field, but he remained incredibly inefficient. He caught just 10 of 23 targets and had a 34.8 percent success rate. His 34.8 percent success rate was the worst among Rams wide receivers.
There is a lot of uncertainty around Smith and Mumpfield. That doesn't even mention that Smith is in a competition as the team's punt returner. If Smith loses to Williams at that spot, and can't provide special teams value, he could get cut.
That creates a lot of opportunity for a rookie like Daniels. Over the first few days of training camp, Daniels has been impressive .
"He's done a good job," said McVay. "You can see he's come in, no-nonsense mentality, but he enjoys football. And then he's really a great listener...I'm excited about CJ."
Daniels has worked mostly with the backup quarterbacks, but has caught almost everything thrown his way. It wouldn't be surprising to see Daniels overtake Mumpfield on the depth chart.
If he does that, and Smith loses some of his special teams value, that would put him right there behind Whittington. Whittington would give the Rams another option in the slot while Daniels' size allows him to play more on the outside.
"Daniels is not a burner, making how he'll look in more difficult matchups an open question," wrote The Athletic's Nate Atkins . "But he'll be insulated, with Nacua and Adams drawing top outside cornerbacks, and Daniels could find matchups where his 6-foot-2 size is enough of an advantage to mitigate the lack of speed."
Over the first few days of training camp, Daniels has done well. However, he'll need to continue that momentum throughout training camp and when the pads come on during the preseason if he's going to surpass Smith and Mumpfield.
How the Rams handle the third wide receiver spot in the offense is one of the most interesting storylines during training camp . Even if the Rams lean into heavier tight end sets, the third wide receiver will get plenty of opportunities in the offense. Whittington brings experience, while Daniels is a new, exciting face that gives the Rams someone who can win on the outside. Given the variety of different skill sets, it makes this a fun position battle to watch.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/onsi as Rams Position Battle I'm Watching Closest in Training Camp (And How It'll Play Out) .
