Colbie Young Is Pushing Andrei Iosivas for Bengals' No. 3 Receiver Job

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young as a high-ceiling pass catcher who could provide depth in the Bengals' receiving corps. However, after a week of training camp, he appears firmly in position to challenge Andrei Iosivas for the No. 3 wide receiver role in Zac Taylor's offense.

The offense as a whole continues to struggle as Taylor implements more under-center snaps, motion, and 12- and 13-personnel groupings. However, Ja'Marr Chase's veteran rest day allowed other receivers to take on larger roles, and Young capitalized on his opportunities.

The 6-foot-4, 218-pound receiver made a big catch on a post route over the middle during 7-on-7 drills. Quarterback Joe Burrow delivered the pass. Young also ran an excellent out route during one-on-one drills against Josh Newton, as the cornerback bit on Young's fake toward the middle of the field. Young then broke toward the sideline and made an easy catch with a couple of yards of separation.

On Aug. 4, Young made another impressive catch down the left sideline on a deep ball from Joe Flacco. Flacco threaded the pass between the cornerback and safety, who were converging on the ball, and Young laid out to make the catch before getting up to finish the play at a full sprint.

Meanwhile, Andrei Iosivas had a day to forget on Thursday. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic said Iosivas had an ugly drop on a crossing route to end practice. During a one-on-one drill, Iosivas created enough separation against DJ Turner but dropped a perfectly thrown pass that landed in the bucket for what would have been a touchdown, much to the dismay of the fans in attendance.

Dehner went on to say there is a lot to like about where Iosivas is in his development, but if he does not clean up the drops, Young could take over the WR3 role sooner rather than later.

The No. 3 wide receiver role in the Bengals' offense may not be a massive one, but it has produced some significant moments over the past couple of seasons. The 2026 season is a contract year for Iosivas, who has spent the past three seasons with the Bengals after being selected in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Princeton.

If Iosivas continues to struggle while Young's stock continues to rise, Young could spend the next several seasons in a Bengals uniform as Cincinnati's third receiving option, while Iosivas could find himself playing for another team.