1. Darrius Shepherd, WR
Receiver Darrius Shepherd was an undrafted free agent this past spring, but he hasn’t let that get in the way of making the most of his opportunities. The rookie has slowly been earning more reps during training camp at both receiver and returner, thanks to both an injury to Trevor Davis (stinger) and an impressive camp overall.
Shepherd, who played for FCS juggernaut North Dakota State in college, showed plenty of good things in his NFL debut against the Texans. He played 32 snaps — the most of any receiver on the team — and caught a 14-yard touchdown on a high throw from backup quarterback DeShone Kizer. It was Shepherd’s only catch of the game, but he made it count.
With Davis being injured for the past week, Shepherd has taken the majority of the first-team reps at both kick returner and punt returner. Davis needs to get healthy fast if he wants to fend off the rookie, especially with Shepherd impressing as a receiver, as well.
Look for Shepherd to play plenty of snaps against Baltimore in Preseason Week 2, even if it isn’t with the first-team offense. The roster battle for the final two receiver spots will be a treat to watch over the next few weeks.