Colbie

Young

Per Dehner, Young has “made as many highlight catches as anyone, validating the Bengals’ fourth-round pick.” He believes “the seeds of a bright future were planted” for Young this summer. That said, Young is still developing and is likely to start the season as the Bengals’ No. 5 wide receiver.

Iosivas was on the field for two drives, taking 10 of the first 13 snaps and playing alongside QB Joe Burrow. Fourth-round rookie WR Colbie Young subbed in, taking one snap on the second drive and remained on the field after the starters left. He looked good hauling in a 20-yard gain on 3rd-and-16 from QB Joe Flacco. The battle for the Bengals’ WR3 role continues with Iosivas seemingly ahead of the rookie.

Young, the rookie, “has seemingly stacked at least one impressive catch per day.” Iosivas has had “a few notable drops,” but he reportedly “appears as polished and athletic as ever at getting open.” Both players could be worth late-round picks in best ball formats, but neither one is likely to return FLEX value in re-draft without WR1 Ja’Marr Chase or WR2 Tee Higgins missing time. Iosivas is entering a contract year, and the team just spent a fourth-round pick on Young. An in-season breakout from the rookie would make things easier from a salary cap perspective. Dehner also notes that former CFL WR Dohnte Meyers “has been a talk of camp” thus far.

Baby’s practice notes indicate that incumbent No. 3 WR Andrei Iosivas and No. 1 TE Mike Gesicki are the other two competitors for the role, and both players “had productive springs.” Pitcher also said RB Chase Brown “can sometimes be viewed as a slot receiver,” but those types of comments are common in the summer and rarely pan out in the fall. Iosivas and Gesicki have been helpful contributors, but the fact that the team is searching for an answer at the No. 3 receiving role is indicative of their ceilings. Pitcher believes Young is “going to fight and battle” this summer, and thinks there are things Young “can do quickly and help us.” If he can actually become the team’s third-most voluminous target earner, he could pay off as a late-round best ball pick.

Young is a towering X-receiver (6’5/218) who The Athletic’s Dane Brugler compared “stylistically” to Broncos WR Courtland Sutton. Young, 23, spent one season at Lackawanna College before transferring to Miami in 2022 and Georgia in 2024. He was suspended for nine games and served 12 months of probation following a 2024 and missed six games in 2025 after undergoing surgery in-season for a fractured left fibula and torn ligament. Young averaged 14.7 yards per reception in his final college season. He will likely begin as an NFL backup entering a Bengals wide receiver room led by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.