Notre Dame football's 3 biggest offensive position battles heading into fall camp, and early predictions for each

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Notre Dame has several key offensive position battles raging this offseason. Which Fighting Irish standouts will come out on top?

Notre Dame football enters the 2026 season with massive expectations for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. If this team hits its ceiling, the offensive firepower under offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock will be the driving force. With fall camp approaching, several position battles on the offensive side of the football could determine whether Notre Dame fields a very good unit or one of the elite offenses in all of college football.

I recently broke down three of the most important offensive position battles for the Fighting Irish at A to Z Sports. Now it’s time to make some early predictions for where I see those battles today and who I think wins out. Let’s get into it.

Boundary wide receiver: Quincy Porter vs. Micah Gilbert

I’ve talked a lot about the upside of former Ohio State wide receiver transfer Quincy Porter, and he will be battling it out most notably with redshirt sophomore Micah Gilbert, who was a really impressive player coming out of the 2024 recruiting class.

While the staff continues to be high on Gilbert, he hasn’t had much production due to lack of opportunity and availability over the last two years. He had just nine receptions for under 100 yards a year ago. Despite that, Gilbert got a lot of opportunities in the spring and had some good moments throughout, by all reports.

I am still going to take Porter to win this boundary wide receiver battle, however.

At 6-foot-4 and right around 200 pounds, his ability to create explosives down the field and win contested catch situations is why I give the nod to Porter, a five-star recruit coming out of the 2025 recruiting class for the Buckeyes. His upside is immense, and if quarterback CJ Carr has a talented wide receiver like Porter to throw to and make plays outside the numbers, it makes this Notre Dame offense so much better heading into the season.

Running back: Aneyas Williams leads a deep group

The running back battle is deep and talented, with Aneyas Williams, Nolan James Jr., Kedren Young, and two talented freshmen in Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton all in the mix. I think the freshmen will get more playing time down the stretch of the season, but the three veterans should lead the pack when fall camp wraps up.

I’m going to pick Williams to be the starting running back and the de facto No. 1 in the conversation. Nolan James Jr. and Kedren Young, if he’s healthy, have opportunities to make this a true committee approach. But I will give the nod to the dependable nature of Williams and the all-around game that he brings to the table. I believe he solidifies himself as the top running back this fall.

Tight end: Cooper Flanagan starts, but keep an eye on Ian Premer

This is the trickiest battle of the group because I’m not sure there’s an easy answer. Cooper Flanagan, James Flanigan, and true freshman Ian Premer all have legitimate claims to playing time. You could throw Ty Washington into the conversation as well.

I do believe Cooper Flanagan ends up being the starter, with James Flanigan serving as the primary option in two tight end sets. But that doesn’t mean Premer won’t play a ton. I think there will be a deep rotation at tight end, and I believe Premer will eventually lead that room in receiving over the course of the full season. It will be more of a natural climb in opportunities throughout the year.

Cooper Flanagan is my pick to come out of fall camp as the top tight end on the roster. By the end of the season, though, I could see Premer playing a high percentage of snaps and emerging as the top pass catcher at the position, while Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan do a lot of the dirty work in the run game and in the red zone.

If you ask me, the depth on the offensive side of the football is what separates this Notre Dame team from previous groups under Freeman. Porter’s contested catch ability, Williams’ reliability, and Premer’s receiving upside give Denbrock a collection of weapons that should keep defenses guessing all season long.

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Notre Dame football’s 3 biggest offensive position battles heading into fall camp, and early predictions for each

© 2026 A to Z Sports.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos