Notre Dame football enters the 2026 season with some of the highest expectations the program has carried since the turn of the century. Coach Marcus Freeman’s recruiting impact and talent retention have built one of the deepest Fighting Irish rosters in recent memory, and the offense has a chance to be fantastic if a few key questions get answered before the season kicks off.

The biggest variable remains health on the offensive line, a unit that has been plagued by injuries over the last couple of years. Beyond that, quarterback CJ Carr will lead a Notre Dame offense loaded with talent at the skill positions. The depth is there, but so are legitimate position battles that could determine whether this unit is very good or one of the best the program has produced in several years.

Here are the three offensive position battles to keep a close eye on heading into fall camp.

Boundary wide receiver: Micah Gilbert vs. Quincy Porter

Micah Gilbert spent most of the spring getting a large number of the reps at boundary receiver, but the real battle begins when Ohio State wide receiver transfer Quincy Porter is fully healthy. Porter was sidelined during the spring while recovering from an injury but is expected to be full go at some point this summer.

The former five-star recruit brings a huge boundary presence at 6-foot-4 and almost 210 pounds, a body type Notre Dame does not have enough of on this roster. Gilbert is a player many liked coming out of high school, but injuries have limited him over the last couple of years, as well.

The talent with Porter is not in question. The question is whether he can make a huge ascension as a sophomore after missing spring reps. Gilbert versus Porter could end up being one of the more consequential battles on the entire roster. The impact Notre Dame can generate at boundary receiver will go a long way toward determining how explosive this offense becomes.

Cam Williams, a redshirt sophomore and former top recruit, also has the skill set to play in the boundary and at Z receiver. Expect to see more of Williams in 2026, though the primary competition appears to be between Gilbert and Porter.

Running back: Aneyas Williams, Nolan James Jr., and Kedren Young

Most assume Aneyas Williams will be the lead back to start the season, but it is a crowded group at the top. Nolan James Jr. and Kedren Young round out what could be a three-deep rotation, while true freshmen Jonaz Walton and Javian Osborne add even more depth to the room.

I don’t expect either of those freshmen to crack the rotation to begin the season, but I am very interested to watch how the snap share shakes out among the top three. Is it a runaway for Williams, or does a player like James eat into that workload? How much does Young earn if he is healthy this fall?

Even after the losses of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price this offseason, Notre Dame has a loaded running back room. There are fun conversations to continue to have about how Freeman’s staff distributes carries in what should be a strength of this offense.

Tight end: Cooper Flanagan, James Flanigan, and Ian Premer

There is a lot of talent at tight end, but not much proven production returning in the passing game. Cooper Flanagan has been a tremendous blocking tight end when healthy during his career, and James Flanigan flashed in that department a year ago heading into his sophomore season. The presence of true freshman five-star tight end Ian Premer, who enrolled this summer, adds another layer of intrigue.

Along with Ty Washington, there is a strong chance that all four tight ends play a decent amount in 2026. The question is who becomes the top pass-catching threat out of the group. Can one of the assumed top two make an ascension this year, or does Premer come in and immediately become a focal point of the passing attack?

That answer could shape the ceiling of this Notre Dame offense. How these three position battles sort themselves out during fall camp will determine whether this group takes a step from very good to elite, and with CJ Carr at quarterback and a deep collection of weapons around him, the roster is built to find out.