Training camp is underway for the World Champion Baltimore Ravens, and there has been a lot of good news coming out of the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills. The revamped defense has been dominant, and there have been rave reviews for veterans like Terrell Suggs and Lardarius Webb, newcomers such as Elvis Dumervil and Chris Canty, and important rookies like Matt Elam and Brandon Williams. On the other side of the ball, one of the best backfields in football (Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Vonta Leach) is off to a running start. And Joe Flacco has been sharp with both his arm and his mouth, spewing trash talk at the defense and showing as much swagger as a tall, lanky white guy from New Jersey can be reasonably expected to demonstrate.

With the good, however, always comes some bad. And for the Ravens, the bad came in the form of Dennis Pitta’s fractured hip. While Pitta hasn’t been in the “elite” level of tight ends, he has been a reliable target for Joe Flacco, and he was expected to pick up a lot of the slack left by Anquan Boldin’s departure. Pitta’s injury will move that burden to fellow tight end Ed Dickson and a wide receiver corps of Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, and a whole bunch of unknowns.

It can’t be disputed that the Ravens’ young receivers have a ton of potential and athletic ability. Yet the question still remains: can any of these guys prove that they are the one to fill the void left by Boldin and Pitta? They’ll each get the chance to make their case during the upcoming preseason games. Here’s a look at each of the contenders:

Tandon Doss – 3rd Year – 6’2, 205 – 2012 Stats: 7/123 yards, 1 TD

Tandon Doss came out of 2011 draft with the title “Flacco’s Favorite,” but don’t confuse that with the quarterback’s horrible Pizza Hut commercials. Flacco was given tape on several mid-to-late-round receivers and asked to pick one, and he chose Doss. He came out of college with a reputation as a sharp route runner with strong hands who could make physical plays across the middle, and he’s demonstrated those attributes in practice. However, his limited in-game experience has been a mixed bag. He scored his first NFL touchdown in a Week 7 loss to Houston last year, but he also had a few drops in the end zone against the Colts on Wild Card Weekend. If he can show the hands and toughness during the preseason that he does in practice, he’s probably the favorite to win the starting job.

Deonte Thompson – 2nd Year – 6’, 200 – 2012 Stats: 5/51 yards

Deonte Thompson came into the 2012 Ravens training camp as an undrafted free agent and came out with a spot on the 53-man roster. That’s a tough task, and it shows what the coaches see in him. Thompson was mainly used on special teams his rookie year, achieving modest success as a returner before giving way to Jacoby Jones in that area. The team obviously likes what they see in the young speedster, listing alongside Doss and just behind Smith and Jones on the first depth chart. But he needs to perform in the preseason games to lock down a spot on the roster. He has the benefit of incumbency on the roster, but that doesn’t usually go far in the NFL.

David Reed – 4th Year – 6’, 190 – 2012 Stats: 5/66 yards

Oh, David Reed. Never has a player earned such enmity from a fan base for doing so little. Reed has spent most of his time on the team as a special teamer and kick returner, where he had some success. But if you bring his name up to Ravens fans, the first things they think of are that he’s always hurt and that he lost two fumbles in Week 10 of the 2011 season to cost us a game against Seattle. And those are definitely fair critiques. That being said, the team obviously sees something in the guy. They signed him to a moderate extension in the offseason despite an injury history that included missing the first 12 weeks of the 2012 season. Reed likely won’t get a shot at returner with Jacoby Jones on the roster, but he’s got an experience edge on most of his competition for wide receiver. He absolutely has an opportunity to win the spot, but he’ll likely have to make his impact in the preseason games. His name hasn’t been mentioned much in training camp reports, which means that he’s not messing up but also hasn’t done much to separate himself from the competition.

LaQuan Williams – 3rd Year – 6’, 200 – 2012 Stats: N/A

LaQuan Williams earned his way onto the 53-man roster in 2011 with a strong camp and preseason that had fans clamoring for the undrafted rookie. Since then, he has distinguished himself with strong play on special teams and done a whole lot of nothing as a receiver. He was active for 11 games in 2012 and had no receptions. Williams has shown flashes of brilliance in the preseason before, and he’ll need to do the same this month to earn playing time with the offense. He has a better shot than some to make the squad due to his special teams play, but that may not be enough if he doesn’t show consistency as a wide out.

Tommy Streeter – 2nd Year – 6’5, 220 – 2012 Stats: N/A

“Touchdown” Tommy Streeter, as he was known at the University of Miami, looks like your prototypical wide receiver. He’s tall, he’s long, and he’s got speed. He was initially considered one of the hottest prospects coming out of college, but he dropped to the sixth round in the 2012 draft because he was viewed as a project who needed to work on his route running and ball skills. That proved to be accurate in the 2012 camp. He spent the season on injured reserve last year and is trying to make his mark in the 2013 receiver competition. Part of me thinks that he has the best chance to pull a Victor Cruz and come out of nowhere this preseason. He has so much pure talent that you’d think it has to come through sooner rather than later. The other part of me thinks he’s Justin Harper, Part Deuce. We’ll have to see who he really is.

Aaron Mellette – Rookie – 6’2, 217 – 2012 Stats: N/A

Mellette was the seventh-round draft pick for the Ravens in 2013, and he comes with an impressive college resume. In 45 games at Elon, he totaled 304 receptions, 4,254 yards, and a whopping 44 TDs. He had a number of honors, including being named a first-round All American by the Associated Press in 2011 and 2012, and he was nominated for the 2012 Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top player in the FCS. Elon and the NFL are different animals entirely, but Mellette will certainly get the chance to carry over his impressive college productivity to the pros.

Marcus Rivers – 1st Year – 6’3, 218 – 2012 Stats: N/A

Rivers signed with the Ravens in the offseason after spending time with the Packers and in the CFL and never catching on to a roster. He was a standout at Buffalo, but he’s a long shot to make the team. He’d likely need a strong preseason and a solid impact on special teams to stand a chance.

Marlon Brown – Rookie – 6’5, 205 – 2012 Stats: N/A

Marlon Brown is a Georgia product, where he started 11 games and appeared in 40. He had 55 receptions for 851 yards and 8 TDs, and he’s got the receiver build and speed. Like Rivers, he’s likely going to need to make his case on special teams.

Gerrard Sheppard – Rookie – 6’2, 211 – 2012 Stats: N/A

Sheppard has a chance to be the “local kid makes it” story at Ravens camp. The Towson alum is a Baltimore native who played his high school ball at McDonough. He’s had some moments at camp, but he’s got quite a ladder to climb to make the 53-man roster. His local connections could make him an ideal practice squad candidate.

Rashaad Carter – Rookie – 6’3, 205 – 2012 Stats: N/A

Carter finds himself at the bottom of the depth chart and looks to be an early camp casualty unless he distinguishes himself during preseason play. The Tusculum alum holds the school record for receiving yards. He was away from football in the 2012 season.