The Green Bay Packers have plenty of talented young receivers, but Dontayvion Wicks was named the team’s most underrated player ahead of the 2024 season.
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Zoltan Buday with Pro Football Focus named the most underrated player for all 32 teams ahead of training camp. Buday laid out what makes Wicks stand out despite the Packers having several options.
“There are multiple candidates here, considering the Packers’ young, ascending offense, but second-year receiver Dontayvion Wicks finished as Green Bay’s highest-graded receiver in 2023 (77.8),” Buday wrote. “The then-rookie was playing at a high level toward the second half of the season, earning an 83.6 PFF overall grade from Week 11 onward, which ranked 10th among wide receivers. He caught 95.1% of his catchable targets in 2023, which ranked second among all wide receivers.”
Regardless of how the outside world views him, Wicks is still a key part of Green Bay’s passing attack.
Dontayvion Wicks’ Impact in Green Bay
It may have taken Wicks some time to turn into a playmaker as a rookie. However, by the end of the season, he was one of the most reliable weapons for Jordan Love.
Wicks was a 4-star high school recruit before he was even thinking about the NFL. Despite his talent, Wicks only had a handful of college offers. He decided to leave his home state of Louisiana to play for the Virginia Cavaliers.
After a modest freshman season in 2019, Wicks missed the following year with a season-ending injury. He bounced back in a big way in 2021, earning first-team All-ACC honors with 57 catches for 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns.
Wicks took a step back in 2022. Along with issues with drops, Wicks and the entire Virginia program were dealing with a shooting that killed three players in November of 2022.
The Packers still saw something in Wicks despite a dip in production in his final college season. They took him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 159th overall pick.
While it took some time, Wicks broke out in the tail end of his rookie year. He caught 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season. He added another receiving touchdown in the NFC Wild Card round against the Dallas Cowboys.
Now, Wicks is looking to build on that rookie performance in 2024.
The Packers Are Loaded at Wide Receiver
Wicks isn’t the only young receiver showing a lot of promise in Green Bay.
Jayden Reed was Green Bay’s second-round pick in 2023. He had a dominant rookie season of his own, racking up eight receiving touchdowns and another two scores on the ground. His versatile skill set in the slot made him a dynamic weapon for the Packers.
The “veteran” receivers are also showing legitimate promise. Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are entering their third seasons in the NFL. Although the pair have dealt with injuries early into their careers, the two have combined for 23 receiving touchdowns in 53 games.
Love is looking to ascend into an MVP-caliber quarterback in 2024. Having so many young weapons around him should help him reach that next level this season.
