After Week 1 of the preseason, we checked in on the 2018 class of rookie running backs. Week 2 of our stock watch puts the spotlight on rookie wide receivers.
The Cowboys' Michael Gallup and the Panthers' D.J. Moore already have proved they will be fixtures in their teams' passing games, often in big-play capacities. The second week of exhibition games gave us a little more clarity regarding whom among their positional classmates can have a similar impact — and who might need to wait.
Based on what we've learned so far in the preseason, below is the current stock of 10 other notable rookie wideouts.
Rising
James Washington, Steelers
Washington had a 35-yard catch in his debut against the Eagles. Against the Packers, he blew away his debut performance with more big plays and acrobatics, grabbing five of seven targets for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' coaches love Washington, and he's proving he can be an upgrade over even the best of Martavis Bryant, which came in 2015 in the form of 50 catches for 765 yards and 6 TDs in 11 games. Washington (5-11, 213 pounds) looks more like a clone of JuJu Smith-Schuster (6-1, 215 pounds), the WR Pittsburgh drafted in almost same spot in the second round last year.
The best thing about Washington and Smith-Schuster teaming up to flank Antonio Brown is their alignment versatility. Think of Smith-Schuster ripping through single coverage and No. 2 corners, and then Washington being a nighmare for nickel corners. With tight ends Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble dealing with injuries, the Steelers' best ticket to offensive explosiveness is three-wide sets.
Christian Kirk, Cardinals
Kirk, with his quickness and toughness, is a natural for slot duties. It took a while, but he has proved he can provide a lot to a team looking for remixed receiving production without John Brown and Jaron Brown. Brice Butler's foot injury opened the door for Kirk to rev up his battle against the next veteran in line for No. 2 duties, second-year receiver Chad Williams.
The Cardinals will use a lot of three-wide sets while thin at tight end with Jermaine Gresham injured. Kirk can give them a solid inside presence so Larry Fitzgerald can return to the outside as the top security blanket for a new QB. Williams has looked good, but he is not as dynamic as Kirk, who ripped the Saints for 4 catches, 49 yards and a TD.
Arizona will be more of a short-to-intermediate passing team under new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy than it was under former head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals will want to use the players who are best after the catch, and those players are Fitzgerald, Kirk and running back David Johnson.
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Calvin Ridley, Falcons
The first-round pick from Alabama got a chance to work as a No. 1 receiver with Julio Jones not playing against the Chiefs, and he looked great, catching three of five targets for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Ridley is coming through as advertised as an ideal complement to Jones with reliable hands, strong routes against single coverage and a nose for the end zone. Slowing down Jones when Mohamed Sanu worked out of the slot abut half the time was hard enough for Atlanta's opponents.
Including tight end Austin Hooper, this is the best receiving group Matt Ryan has had since Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas and Tony Gonzalez in their heyday together.
Anthony Miller, Bears
Last season, primary slot man Kendall Wright was the leading receiver for QB Mitchell Trubisky. Miller could be an upgrade in the same role.
The second-rounder from Memphis appears to have good chemistry with Trubisky after catching three of his four targets for 33 yards against the Broncos. There are shades of both Jarvis Landry and Allen Hurns in Miller's game, the latter comparison being notable, because Miller will essentially be a No. 2 working in the slot as Allen Robinson handles No. 1 outside duties.
While Wright was rather pedestrian last season (like the rest of Chicago's wideouts), Miller has some juice and versatility to go with the required route-running savvy. He'll be busy working underneath along with new tight end Trey Burton.
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Courtland Sutton, Broncos
Denver decided to keep both Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, so the Broncos of all teams landing Sutton early in the second round of the draft was a surprise. Now it's paying off, as Sutton basically will be a starter as the Broncos — wait for it — also employ three-receiver sets as their base offense.
Sutton already is showing the moves, savvy and fight of a big-bodied veteran, as he quickly has learned how to use his frame (6-4, 216 pounds) to beat pro defenders. His 16-yard TD against the Bears confirms he will be a red-zone factor for a team — wait for it — dealing with injury-related issues at tight end.
Falling
J’Mon Moore, Packers
Moore was drafted before fellow Green Bay rookie wideouts Equanimeous St. Brown and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and early reports from camp suggested he was pushing veteran No. 3 receiver Geronimo Allison. But through two preseason games, Moore has disappeared.
Drops, missed connections and route issues are all self-admitted bugaboos that have curbed Moore's progress. QB Aaron Rodgers is demanding of all his receivers regardless of experience, and Moore's issues won't cut it. The good news for Moore is he can find inspiration from No. 1 wideout Davante Adams in terms of a player who worked hard to put it all together. The bad news is, in a deep group, Moore needs to find it quickly to ensure he will make the team.
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Antonio Callaway, Browns
Callaway was making big plays at will with QB Baker Mayfield in his "punishment performance" against the Giants. But the hype went away as he failed to catch a single pass against the Bills. That sums up Callaway's outlook: boom or bust.
The Browns did not sign Dez Bryant (yet), but not helping Callaway is the fact that Rashard Higgins, even after his own rookie inconsistency, is steadier. With Josh Gordon presumably joining Landry, David Njoku and Duke Johnson Jr., the Browns have plenty of gamebreaking receivers. "Reliable" does not yet describe Callaway now that he has a groin injury in addition to his possible suspension.
Dante Pettis, 49ers
Pettis has been solid; he followed a catch for 53 yards against the Cowboys with two catches for 32 yards against the Texans. But in a diverse, deep passing game in San Francisco, the rookie second-rounder is finding it harder to get snaps when the team is not in a four-wide set.
Second-year receiver Trent Taylor is back healthy from a back injury, and he is picking up where he left off as a slot receiver between No. 1 Marquise Goodwin and No. 2 Pierre Garcon. Pettis does not need many touches (on offense or special teams) to boost the 49ers, but his big playing time will come whenever he succeeds Garcon, who is 32 and coming off a neck injury.
D.J. Chark, Jaguars
Like Pettis, Chark is an explosive receiver who's caught in a numbers game. Chark will get his chances as a vertical threat when Jacksonville fully spreads the field, but Marqise Lee, Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook and Donte Moncrief are forming a stronger-than-expected group in front of him.
Chark is the fastest of the bunch, but the Jaguars use a running game- and ball control-oriented offense in which the combined versatility of the veterans will limit Chark's targets.
Keke Coutee, Texans
Coutee had an ill-timed hamstring injury early in camp after showing promise as Houston's potential slot receiver. While he's been out, Bruce Ellington and Braxton Miller have made some hay in the preseason as the best options between DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller.
Coutee could eventually get himself good playing time in the offense, but for now, he has to play a lot of catch-up.
