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Breaking down the Washington Football Team’s position battles: No. 2 Receiver

By Jacob Camenker

CARSON, CA - AUGUST 24: Dontrelle Inman #16 of the Los Angeles Chargers lines up against Seattle Seahawks during a preseason NFL football game at Dignity Health Sports Park on August 24, 2019 in Carson, California. The Seattle Seahawks won 23-15. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - AUGUST 24: Dontrelle Inman #16 of the Los Angeles Chargers lines up against Seattle Seahawks during a preseason NFL football game at Dignity Health Sports Park on August 24, 2019 in Carson, California. The Seattle Seahawks won 23-15. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 25: Wide Receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 from Liberty of the North Team warms up before the start of the 2020 Resse’s Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The Noth Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 25: Wide Receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden #11 from Liberty of the North Team warms up before the start of the 2020 Resse’s Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The Noth Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

Top Challenger: Antonio Gandy-Golden

When Kelvin Harmon went down, it seemed logical that Antonio Gandy-Golden, the team’s fourth-round draft pick in 2020, would have a chance to step up into the No. 2 receiver role.

But that optimism has cooled a bit, at least in the short-term.

As ESPN’s John Keim detailed in a Twitter conversation about Washington’s receivers, Gandy-Golden’s “head was swimming” early on. Moving forward, though, Keim expects Gandy-Golden to move up.

It makes sense that Gandy-Golden’s development would be slowed a bit. This has not been a normal offseason for rookies. There was no rookie camp, no OTAs, training camp was delayed, and there is no preseason. That would stunt the growth of any young player, so expecting him to contribute as a starter right off the bat with all that working against him may be a bit too much.

Gandy-Golden still is the de facto challenger for the No. 2 receiver spot, but it probably won’t be to start the season. His focus will be more on learning behind the scenes and participating in specific packages that suit his skills and 6-foot-4 frame well. Then, as the season goes along, he can gradually take over for Inman as he gets acclimated to the league.

The expectations for Gandy-Golden are shifting accordingly with the season drawing near. While fans will likely want to see what the former Liberty Flame can do, it just may take some time for him to start. His goal should be to overtake Inman by the end of the year but even if he can’t, he should be able to gain valuable experience early on in his NFL career.

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