2024 Michigan Football Fall Position Breakdown Wide Receiver
For our Position Breakdown series, we will look at each position group for Michigan Football as we head toward fall camp.
How does the current depth chart shake out? What are the storylines or things you should watch heading into the spring and, eventually, the season? What's the X factor, whether it's a player, coach, or situation, that could change how the group looks?
Let's talk about the pass catchers.
POSITION BREAKDOWN SERIES
Wide Reciever
Tight End
Defensive Tackle
Linebacker
DEPTH CHART
| STATUS | PLAYER |
|---|---|
|
X STARTER |
TYLER MORRIS |
|
X ROTATION |
AMORION WALKER OR KENDRICK BELL OR PEYTON O'LEARY |
|
Z STARTER |
FRED MOORE |
|
Z ROTATION |
CJ CHARLESTON |
|
SLOT STARTER |
SEMAJ MORGAN |
|
SLOT ROTATION |
CJ CHARLESTON |
|
DEPTH |
DALE CHESSON, I'MARION STEWART, CHANNING GOODWIN |
WHAT'S THE STORY?
Semaj Morgan and Tyler Morris are in their own tier heading into 2024, with Kirk Cambell saying they are the starters who will always be on the field in 11 personnel.
Each had moments last season, including big games against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, but each will need to take leaps and become WR1 and WR2 in 2024.
Regarding X,Z, and slot, we are using this more for sorting purposes, because there will be plenty of rotation.
The staff has tasked Morris with being the primary receiver and filling gaps left by Cornelius Johnson, so we are calling him the X. Colston Loveland is arguably a top X receiver this season, but Morris may see more action filling the role Roman Wilson and Ronnie Bell previously held. Point is, he is penciled in as WR1 to start the season.
Many expected Morris would break out last year, and a big reason he had only 4 starts and fewer snaps than expected was freshman star Semaj Morgan. Morgan immediately caught attention in week 2 with a 35-yard back-shoulder touchdown against UNLV. By Big Ten play against Nebraska, Morgan was getting more snaps in the slot, with Wilson moving back to the Z role, taking reps away from Morris. Morgan finished the year with 22 receptions for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns, having the best freshman WR season for Michigan since Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Morgan is WR2 this season, but I expect him to take the vast majority of his snaps from the slot. However, he could easily take over a Z role similar to what happened with Roman Wilson.
Fred Moore is the WR3 before the season begins. He is fast and can play lineup anywhere on the field, including the slot. Michigan's top three receivers all have serious yard-after-the-catch potential and will give the offense a lot of versatility.
X FACTOR
In the spring, I said the X Factor was the transfer portal, I was correct, and those are the guys I am going with here.
Michigan brought into two transfers, including a familiar face.
CJ Charleston will challenge Moore as WR3 because of his experience. The Youngstown State transfer is similar to the others in that he can line up anywhere and is dangerous on crossing routes, intermediate routes, and screens behind the line of scrimmage. Whoever shows they can be explosive will get more looks, but even if he stays WR4, Charleston is an excellent addition to a room needing depth and experience.
Back after a spring at Ole Miss is Amorion Walker. But Walker is also back at wide receiver. In spring 2023, Walker moved to defensive back, and an injury in the fall delayed much of his development, and he didn't see much action.
While I defend nearly every position change Harbaugh made, I do think Walker should have stayed at wide receiver. He will get a chance this season to fill a role Michigan has been desperately trying to find the last few seasons: a deep-threat outside receiver.
Andrel Anthony looked the part going into his sophomore season, but he and J.J. McCarthy struggled to connect in 2022. Many, like me, thought Darrius Clemons would break out last season, but he only saw 4 targets.
Walker has looked good early in fall camp, and if he can make big plays with his early opportunities his role will only expand. Michigan doesn't need Walker to become a heavy contributor, but his rise would dramatically elevate the wide receiver room.
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