Going into the 2023 NFL season, Christian Watson was considered by most to be the Green Bay Packers‘ No. 1 receiver, and Romeo Doubs was looked at as the No. 2.
However, heading into 2024, things may have changed.
For the second straight year, Watson had difficulty staying on the field, which has caused some to sour on him, at least as far as him being the Packers’ top guy at wide out.
But another candidate may be emerging: Dontayvion Wicks.
Pro Football Focus has dubbed Wicks as Green Bay’s most underrated player, which makes sense considering he tends to get lost in the fog in a receiving corps that includes Watson, Doubs and Jayden Reed.
Wicks’ draft position doesn’t help his case, either, as the University of Virginia product was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the NFL Draft last spring.
But the 22-year-old stepped up and produced during his rookie campaign, hauling in 39 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns.
Wicks ranked third on the team in receiving yards behind Reed and Doubs, but it should be noted that much of his production came in the second half of the season.
In September and October, Wicks logged just 10 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. But then, in November, December and one game in January, Wicks exploded, totaling 29 receptions for 441 yards and three scores. That production after November came over a span of eight games, so you figure that over the course of a full season, that’s around 60 catches for nearly 900 yards and six touchdowns.
Obviously, Jordan Love will have numerous young receivers at his disposal in 2024, and he’s probably still determining his favorites. Reed caught 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns last season, so he may be Love’s top target at the moment, but Wicks appears to be gaining on him.
At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Wicks has great size. He isn’t particularly explosive, as he ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash, but his route-running ability allows him to create separation regardless. He also has great hands, as Pro Football Focus notes that he caught 95.1 percent of his catchable targets in 2023, which ranked second among all receivers.
It seems hard to believe that the Packers will keep all of these pass-catchers long term. At some point, they are going to want more touches, and right now, Love is distributing the ball fairly evenly.
But someone will have to stand out from the pack at receiver next season. Could it be Wicks?
