CJ Daniels Is Turning Into the Rams' Latest Training Camp Darling

The Los Angeles Rams have a new training camp darling and it took a few days of on-field sessions for the wide receiver to catch everyone’s eye.

Every summer has a training camp darling. In the past for the Los Angeles Rams, that has been players like Puka Nacua, Jordan Whittington, and Nelson Spruce. Whether it amounts to anything is always a big question, but for those two weeks, those players were fun to watch.

One of the top position battles for the Rams entering training camp was the competition at the third wide receiver spot. While the Rams have Nacua and Davante Adams, who would step up behind them was a big question.

The Rams may have found that player with this season’s latest training camp darling. That player is someone fans have been excited about since he was drafted in April and that is Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels.

How CJ Daniels Shined at Training Camp

It didn’t take long for Daniels to start impressing at Rams training camp. While Daniels has mostly worked with the backups, he’s developed quite the connection with quarterback Stetson Bennett. Daniels has been Bennett’s go-to option in the passing game. During Monday’s practice, Daniels reportedly caught almost everything thrown his way.

On Day 2, Rams receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams made several impressive catches on passes from Matthew Stafford.
Rookie receiver CJ Daniels caught just about everything thrown his way from Stetson Bennett with the second team offense.
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) July 28, 2026

Daniels continued to impress on Day 4 of training camp, once again connecting several times with Bennett in 11-on-11s.

“I think there's a confidence when he goes out there on the football field of his skill set,” said Nacua. “I think that's something that CJ has gone out of his way to make sure that he's got to have an understanding of what we're thinking and what obviously is that the game plan that we have in our offensive plays.”

What Does Daniels’ Performance Mean for the WR3 Competition?

The Rams have experienced depth behind Nacua and Adams, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a player to carve out a role. Jordan Whittington is in year three, but has found most of his success from the slot.

Daniels’ size and physicality give the Rams another option on the outside behind Adams. He may not have the speed to win vertically, but he’s strong at the catch point, which is what the Rams lacked last season with their wide receiver depth. Xavier Smith's smaller frame limits him while Konata Mumpfield caught just 10-of-21 targets in his rookie season.

CJ Daniels looks incredibly smooth and looks like he has some nice hands too! Rams may have found themselves WR No. 3 in this draft! 😁🙌🙏 #RamsHouse https://t.co/yEzX6FKdKK
— EE (@EEstaris) July 29, 2026

It would be difficult for Daniels to surpass Whittington given his experience in the offense. With that said, given their different skill sets and how they win, it could become a WR3a/WR3b situation.

Daniels still needs to surpass Smith and Mumpfield, but if he can continue earning the trust of the coaching staff, he could get there by the beginning of the regular season.

The Rams haven't practiced in pads yet, but Daniels' physicality should only become more apparent once they do. If he can continue this momentum, the Rams won’t be able to deny their latest training camp darling a spot higher on the depth chart.

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