Wide Receivers

What a difference a year makes! This is arguably the most talented receiver room in the NFL following the addition of Odell Beckham Jr., who has already made multiple highlight reel plays in just five days of camp. Jarvis Landry, who has been catching everything thrown his way, works alongside his best friend in two-receiver sets and typically kicks into the slot role in three-receiver sets, when Rashard Higgins joins the lineup. Thus far, Higgins, who has an undeniable chemistry with Mayfield, has been the exclusive third receiver with the first-team offense in camp and seems to have a firm grip on that job, because of his precise route running and consistency both mentally and physically. Antonio Callaway has had an up and down camp with some mental errors and drops mixed in with huge plays as both a pass-catcher and runner (he scored on an end-around in Monday's red zone period). It has been a little surprising Callaway has not received many reps with the first-team thus far, and it seems that he will have to earn his way into those three-receiver sets going forward.

No one in the receiver room seems to have helped their stock more over the first five days than Derrick Willies. At 6-foot-4, Willies is the tallest and longest receiver on the roster and has been incredibly reliable, showing the ability to get open and make plays day in and day out. On Monday, when Beckham did not participate in the team periods, it was Willies who stepped into his role as the starter and hauled in multiple passes from Mayfield against the starting defense. That, combined with his special teams prowess, has Willies in strong position right now. Damion Ratley, a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft, has looked good when he's on the field but unfortunately was injured while making a tough touchdown catch and has not been able to practice since the very beginning of camp. Getting back on the field will be critical for Ratley, who hopes to hold off a surging group of young receivers that have been the early stars of camp. No one has worked harder or spent more time on the field before and after practice thus far than Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi, who has made multiple big plays and even earned a shoutout from Beckham and Landry on NFL Network. Sheehy-Guiseppi was the runaway camp star before dropping a few easy passes Monday that could have been huge plays.

Blake Jackson was the star over the weekend and continues to get open, make catches and fight for a shot at the 53-man roster. Jaelen Strong has the best pedigree of the receivers competing for the fifth and sixth spots and has demonstrated the ability to make tough catches in traffic, especially in the red zone, where he is able to use his big frame (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) to shield defenders. Strong will have to show the ability to consistently create separation and contribute on special teams if he is to make this roster. Ishmael Hyman was a surprise star of OTAs and minicamp and has continued to get work with the second-team offense as the slot receiver in training camp. Hyman has a knack for getting open over the middle of the field and has even received some reps with the first offense. He is definitely in the mix for the 53-man roster as well. Rookies D.J. Montgomery and Dorian Baker have shown promise but face a steep uphill climb in this very deep and talented receiving corps.