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Turf Show Times fantasy football takes on CJ Daniels
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from Turf Show Times about CJ Daniels.
33
Insights
18
Positive
6
Negative
Insight ledger
All Turf Show Times insights about CJ Daniels
PositiveBreakoutAug 26, 2026
WR has quietly become one of the biggest risers in the Rams' rookie class; after a quiet opening preseason game, responded against New Orleans with eight catches on 13 targets for 68 yards, strengthening his case in a crowded WR competition behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams; his ability to consistently get open and produce when given opportunities is exactly what the Rams need; strong preseason performance shows he could deserve a look in 11 personnel situations, with WR3 still a revolving door between Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, and Konata Mumpfield.NegativeDepth ChartAug 25, 2026
Daniels appeared on 96.9% of fan-submitted 53-man rosters in the Turf Show Times consensus projection, indicating strong consensus for his roster inclusion.NegativeDepth ChartAug 24, 2026
Competing in a three-way battle with Brennan Presley and Tyler Scott for one remaining roster spot at receiver.NegativeRoleAug 24, 2026
CJ Daniels is in a three-way battle with Brennan Presley and Tyler Scott for one remaining wide receiver roster spot; the Rams have maintained six steady wide receivers, creating this competitive situation for the final slot.PositiveDepth ChartAug 24, 2026
Listed as 'Still alive' on the Rams' depth chart reset with 38 snaps in preseason Week 2; the source notes 'I don't think there is any wrong answer for WR#6 amongst the still alive candidates' and that 'They all looked pretty sharp on Sunday,' indicating Daniels remains in contention for the final wide receiver roster spot.PositiveUsageAug 24, 2026
Rookie wide receiver with PFF grade of 74.4; was the focal point of LA's passing game with team-leading 13 targets (more than double the next closest receiver, Brennan Presley at 6). Caught 8 passes for 68 yards with 17 yards after the catch. Known for contested catch ability, but this didn't show up on Saturday—caught only 1 of 4 contested targets.PositiveUsageAug 23, 2026
Daniels finished with 68 yards on eight receptions (both team highs) against the Saints, a significant improvement from his 18 receiving yards in Kansas City. The source states this was 'exactly the kind of game a player fighting for a roster spot and a chance to earn snaps alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams should have' and notes that 'Daniels edged him out this week' over Brennan Presley in the competition for snaps.NegativeDepth ChartAug 23, 2026
Listed among notable preseason players without roster space; part of a large group of preseason standouts competing for only three or four legitimately available job openings on the Rams' 53-man roster.NegativeDepth ChartAug 23, 2026
Daniels is listed among notable players without roster space remaining on the Rams' 53-man roster. The source indicates that despite preseason discussion, the head coach is not indicating he will make the roster.NegativeUsageAug 23, 2026
Rookie receiver C.J. Daniels led all players with eight receptions in the preseason blowout win against the New Orleans Saints. While the source initially planned to review Daniels' performance, upon rewatching the game there weren't significant 'wow' plays from Daniels en route to his successful outing, at least not ones easily broken down without coaches film available.PositiveRoleAug 23, 2026
Daniels, drafted in the 6th round, showed strong performance in Week 2 preseason that puts him in contention for snap share in 11 personnel; while the WR3 role will likely be a revolving door between Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, and Jordan Whittington, Daniels' preseason stock is growing and he has a realistic path to offensive snaps.NegativeUsageAug 23, 2026
Daniels was force-fed 13 targets in Saturday's preseason game but managed only 68 yards (5.2 yards per target), underperforming relative to volume; however, he had a nice sideline catch and Rams coaches are high on his potential. He is ahead of Bachman in roster priorities and is expected to be one of six receivers the Rams keep on the 53-man roster. The source suggests if Daniels receives similar target volume next week against the Chargers, he should produce more efficiently.PositiveUsageAug 23, 2026
Daniels hauled in 8 receptions on 13 targets for 68 yards in Week 2 after a quiet Week 1. The source calls it 'an encouraging sign' that Daniels got the bulk of the targets, signaling the organization wants to evaluate his ability.NegativeRoleAug 21, 2026
Daniels is competing for one of two likely remaining roster jobs in the receiver room; the source notes he needs to show separation and run-after-catch skills to catch an eye.PositiveBreakoutAug 19, 2026
Sixth-round rookie competing for the Rams' WR3 spot alongside Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington, and Xavier Smith. Turning heads this offseason despite being just a rookie. None of the group has separated itself statistically in the competition for the third receiver role.NegativeRoleAug 18, 2026
Daniels, a sixth-round pick, is firmly entrenched behind at least four receivers and may need an injury to move up the depth chart; he is battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.NegativeBreakoutAug 18, 2026
Daniels was one of the most praised players in the first days of training camp before pads came on, but similar to Bennett, the positive reports surrounding him faded once practices grew more physical. While he is probably safe to make the roster, if he wants to be a meaningful contributor, he needs to make splash plays. Should he stay on his current path, he will remain entrenched behind Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield on the depth chart.NegativeRoleAug 17, 2026
Daniels played 36 snaps and led the wide receiver unit with five targets but only pulled down two catches; the stage did not appear too big for him, and he was not distinctive in the WR#3 battle, though he did not have any glaring problems.NegativeRoleAug 16, 2026
Sixth-round rookie C.J. Daniels was more of "just a guy" in his preseason debut, catching 2-of-5 targets for 18 yards. He is not in the Rams' top-4 wide receivers and is now in a battle for WR5-7 with Brennan Presley, Xavier Smith, Tyler Scott, Tru Edwards, and Mario Williams. Daniels is firmly situated behind Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington, who have graduated from preseason reps and earned McVay's respect. The source notes that Pressley, Smith, and Klare all had better games as receivers, and that Daniels is stuck in limbo—not good enough yet for McVay's immediate plans but good enough that another team might claim him if cut, creating roster uncertainty.PositiveBreakoutAug 15, 2026
Rookie receiver from Miami (24 years old) currently listed as third-stringer but has been turning heads in training camp. Brings 6-foot-2, 197-pound frame (one inch taller and seven pounds lighter than Davante Adams) with well-rounded skill set that complements star receivers Adams and Puka Nacua. Competing for third receiver spot against Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield; his upside offers tantalizing prospect for Rams offense seeking more firepower. Preseason opportunity to demonstrate why he deserves more regular-season opportunities.PositiveBreakoutAug 14, 2026
Rookie CJ Daniels had some early-camp buzz and now gets to do it against live action in the preseason opener.PositiveRoleAug 4, 2026
Daniels is expected to make the 53-man roster as one of five wide receivers; he has developed a strong connection with Ty Simpson during training camp, with the source noting 'Ty Simpson to CJ Daniels has been quite the connection in camp.'PositiveProjectionAug 2, 2026
The source predicts Daniels will win Rookie of the Year, identifying him and Max Klare as the only two realistic candidates. The source projects Daniels will earn significant playing time from the halfway point of the season and score three touchdowns total.NegativeDepth ChartAug 2, 2026
C.J. Daniels is 90 to 98 percent likely to make the Rams roster, placing him among the near-locks behind only Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. This leaves at least one open spot—potentially two or three—for competing receivers below him.PositiveBreakoutJul 29, 2026
The source predicts Daniels records a two-touchdown game this season. While the Rams have been slow to incorporate rookies and run 13 personnel at a reasonable clip making it difficult for Daniels to get on the field, the source believes Daniels could take the WR3 spot by the halfway point and is capable of having one big scoring game.PositiveDepth ChartJul 29, 2026
Expected to land WR#6 role on Rams roster; source expects Rams will roster their drafted rookies barring injury. Possesses IQ and toughness that McVay covets; relative lack of burst/speed is not consequential in Rams' precision-style offense. Steady all-around game with toughness and physicality at contested catches and in middle of field fits Rams scheme well.PositiveRoleJul 29, 2026
Round 6 pick Daniels is the most recent addition to the Rams wide receiver room; he has the appropriate 'Rams WR' frame and hasn't shown he can create a lot of space in man coverage, but makes up for it with stellar contested catch ability and is very good at finding open areas of zone coverages; he understands how to use his arm length, strong hands, and body positioning, is a very good ball tracker with loose limbs and good body control; his route running is adequate based on guile and IQ rather than speed and burst, positioning him as a potential latest Rams mid/late-round receiver to push for playing time.PositiveBreakoutJul 29, 2026
Sixth-round rookie receiver is standing out early in Rams training camp with impressive contested-catch ability and strong analytical profile. During non-padded practices, Daniels has caught nearly every target thrown his way, made contested grabs including a deep shot and toe-grab while covered, and drawn significant media attention. His college film shows elite contested-catch performance: 76.4% completion rate on contested passes (2023–2024 average in 80th percentile, ranked 3rd and 7th nationally those seasons). Breakout age metric ranked him third among projected late-round receivers in 2026 class, best among true late-round selections. Head coach Sean McVay expressed excitement: "I'm excited about CJ, and he'll be another guy, when you talk about the importance of the preseason, he'll be a guy I'm looking forward to watching play." Real test comes once padded practices begin; could be highest-volume targeted receiver in preseason.PositiveBreakoutJul 29, 2026
CJ Daniels is off to a decent start in training camp with positive reports on his work; the Rams traded up for him in the sixth round and he may have found his latest Day 3 gem. Reporters and head coach Sean McVay praised Daniels, with Stu Jackson of TheRams.com noting that Daniels "caught just about every target thrown his way on Monday" while working with the second-team offense. Training camp reports should be taken with caution as positive camps don't always translate to big seasons, but Daniels should have every chance to make the roster given the Rams' draft investment.NegativeRoleJul 23, 2026
Added to the Rams wide receiver corps as a Round 6 draft pick in 2026, representing minimal investment in the position as the team pivoted to a multi-tight-end offensive strategy.NegativeDepth ChartJul 23, 2026
Daniels appeared on 98.1% of fan-submitted 53-man rosters, indicating strong consensus that he will make the roster as a wide receiver.PositiveRoleJul 22, 2026
The Rams selected receiver CJ Daniels later in the 2026 draft after missing out on Stribling. The source notes that some have high hopes for Daniels, and the Rams likely share those expectations given they invested draft capital in him.PositiveRoleJul 22, 2026
Rookie sixth-round pick (197th overall) competing for Rams WR3 role against Whittington, Mumpfield, and Xavier Smith. Daniels displays traits that align with McVay's receiver preferences: Puka Nacua-like toughness (64.7% contested catch rate at Miami, 31 missed tackles forced on 55 receptions, 5.9 yards after contact), Davante Adams-like route running with subtle head fakes and tempo changes for separation, high football IQ, willing run blocker, and elite ball-tracking skills. Despite 4.58 40-time, his route craft, lower-body deception, and ability to win on intermediate/short routes fit McVay's timing-based, precision-over-explosiveness scheme. The source notes Daniels is one to watch in training camp because he reminds McVay most of his two starters—a backup ready to insert into the lineup, not just a support piece.