2 Duke Football Offensive Weapons Who Must Be More Involved

The Duke football program gained some early momentum in 2026 with a Week 1 victory over Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Duke showed strong early signs, but the offense left a lot on the table. Running back Nate Sheppard accounted for both of the Blue Devils' touchdowns, and the passing game as a whole mustered just 13 receptions for 131 yards.

Sep 5, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts during the second half against the Tulane Green Wave at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

About an hour and change before kickoff, it was announced that Charlotte transfer wide receiver Javen Nicholas (undisclosed) would be out for the season opener. Ideally, the Blue Devils get him back sooner rather than later.

Nonetheless, Duke has options in the receiving game, and some who weren't in the victory have to get involved going forward. Here are two key weapons who need more looks in Week 2 against Illinois.

Sep 5, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) and Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jared Richardson (17) celebrate Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard's (20) touchdown against the Tulane Green Wave during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

WR Jared Richardson

Penn transfer wide receiver Jared Richardson felt like the top candidate to take over Duke's top wide receiver duties this season. Across his four-year career at Penn, Richardson tallied 193 catches for 2,505 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns.

Now, given the lack of any passing game getting going, it wasn't fully on him for not getting into a rhythm against Tulane. Richardson didn't log a single catch, and he will have to get more looks going forward.

Penn's Jared Richardson gets the Quakers on the board with a 18-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Richardson has the best body of work across his career of any of the Blue Devils' receivers, and his 6'2" frame makes him a big target for quarterback Walker Eget to find. It's hard to imagine he doesn't see his target share increase favorably as the season progresses, but he certainly can't go reception-less in a big test against the Fighting Illini.

Sep 5, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils tight end Jeremiah Hasley (85) runs the ball against Tulane Green Wave linebacker Jah'rie Garner (48) and Tulane Green Wave cornerback Macho Stevenson (21) during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

TE Jeremiah Hasley

Jeremiah Hasley might be the best tight end in the ACC. He tallied just two receptions for 36 yards against the Green Wave. Granted, Eget missed Hasley on back-to-back end-zone throws late in the first half.

Hasley is one of the Blue Devils' best red-zone targets, and his presence has to be felt on the offensive end consistently. He is currently five touchdowns away from breaking the Duke program's all-time tight end touchdown record.

Like Richardson, it's hard to imagine Hasley producing a stat line like last weekend many more times this year. Nonetheless, he has to get the ball consistently and be a reliable weapon in this offense. Duke will need more than Sheppard to take down the Fighting Illini on the road this weekend, and Hasley needs to be a part of that.

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