It's common for less-heralded receivers to gain some notoriety during the preseason. David Gilreath nearly made the team in 2012 on the speed of an outstanding preseason performance against Indianapolis. Derek Moye endeared fans to his effort - and his story - last season.
The only two real storylines coming out of the wide receivers group through two preseason games is the cartoonishly bad debut for rookie Martavis Bryant (who rebounded well in the second game, hence the reason we can joke about the first one now) and the impressive level of improvement being displayed by Markus Wheaton.
In what was supposed to be an intense battle for the team's fifth wide receiver position, it appears Justin Brown has all but locked that up with little challenge from anyone else. Darrius Heyward-Bey may be released in the team's first wave of cuts and while Derek Moye had four catches in the preseason opener, it's still Brown who's getting all the looks on the second team, and even the first team, as was the case on Saturday.
Perhaps the opportunities just aren't there. With a veteran-heavy offense that nearly entirely intact from a strong finish to 2013, breaking into the roster from the outside wasn't going to be easy. Lance Moore, who's been quiet to this point, is assured a spot, as is the team's fourth round pick, Bryant (although he has lived up to his billing as a supremely gifted athlete who's tremendously raw as a player). Along with Wheaton and Antonio Brown, it leaves on spot open, and a battle between Justin Brown, Moye and Heyward-Bey appears to have waged whatever fight it was going to wage.
Thursday's game may bring a different look, but it's really going to be a last-ditch effort for Moye and Heyward-Bey - who missed a good chunk of camp with a concussion. They need opportunities and they need them early and often against Philadelphia. Any notion the team had of keeping six wide receivers is all but gone at this point.