These position battles for Virginia Football may not be determined until the season opener

Virginia has competition at important roles on offense, defense and special teams

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Kameron Courtney (5) attempts to stay in bounds after catching a pass in the second quarter against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Barring injury, Virginia's projected starting lineup is mostly set. Spring practice, summer workouts an an intense training camp gave Tony Elliott and his staff plenty of chances to evaluate a roster that endured massive turnover.

Still, with just a week to go before the season opener against NC State, a few spots are still up for grabs.

Part of that stems from the depth that Elliott has amassed in his fifth season, thanks largely to the NCAA transfer portal. There's also the fact that some players are still struggling to master Elliott's system.

Here are three starting positions could change between now and 3:30 p.m. Aug. 28:

1. The No. 3 wide receiver

Rico Flores Jr. seems to have a handle on the X position, and fellow transfer Jacquon Gibson has settled into the slot receiver role. That leaves the other outside job, the Z receiver, and it looks like a two-man battle between incumbent Kam Courtney and transfer Da'Shawn Martin.

Courtney has the edge in experience within the program, having caught 12 passes as a freshman and 25 last season as a sophomore. He's still looking for his first career touchdown reception, although he did run for a score on an end-around run against William & Mary last season.

He has shown an ability to make big plays on occasion, including a 34-yard reception against Wake Forest and a 31-yarder against Virginia Tech in 2025, but has yet to show the kind of consistency offensive coordinator Des Kitchings desires.

That opens the door for Martin, who had 33 receptions for 507 yards and four TDs last season for Kent State. He had a 75-yard scoring catch against Florida State, a team the Cavaliers will see this season.

Both Courtney and Martin will play significant snaps against the Wolfpack, but who gets the first crack may come down to practice performance next week.

2. BANDIT

Better known as a flexible defensive end, this player will provide pass rush on the opposite edge from incumbent Fisher Camac. Baylor transfer Matthew Fobbs-White seemingly had the inside track entering camp, but a lingering lower-body injury limited his early practice time and gave others a chance to shine.

Fobbs-White (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) is a speed rusher who was credited with three quarterback hurries but did not register a sack for the Bears last season, although he did have four sacks in two prior seasons at Tulane.

Among those gunning for his position are several other transfers: Nnanna Anyanwu (UTSA), Ezekiel Larry (Yale) and Devon Baxter (Michigan).

As with receiver, expect a deep rotation at this spot as coordinator John Rudzinski tries to keep fresh legs on the field at all times.

3. Kickoff returner

The status of Solomon Beebe is uncertain, which opens the door for several other candidates to step forward. One distinct possibility is Peyton Lewis, a speedster who seems destined to land behind Jekail Middlebrook on the running back depth chart.

Backup running backs Xavier Brown and Noah Vaughn also could see time as return men, along with Gibson and Martin.