The Green Bay Packers have an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver. This is great for Jordan Love and the offense, but troublesome for fantasy football managers trying to figure out who the best ones are to draft. Could Dontayvion Wicks end up being the best value of the bunch?
Should You Select Dontayvion Wicks at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 175th Overall (WR65)
- Impressive Rookie Season: Wicks outperformed expectations as a fifth-round pick, catching 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns. He demonstrated efficiency with a 67.2% catch rate and 14.9 yards per reception, showing his ability to separate against man coverage.
- Crowded Receiving Corps: The Packers have a deep wide receiver room, including Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed, along with talented rookie tight ends and a pass-catching RB in Aaron Jones. This depth makes it difficult to predict who will emerge as the primary fantasy asset.
- Potential Upside: Wicks’ 10.0 yards per target ranked 11th in the league, indicating that when targeted, he was highly effective. If given a larger role, he has the talent to potentially reach fantasy WR2 upside, but the crowded situation in Green Bay limits his chances.
- Wide Receiver by Committee: The Packers are likely to rotate their wide receivers, which could cap the fantasy value of any single player, including Wicks. No one in the group clearly stands out as the dominant option, which might lead to inconsistent production across the board.
- ADP Analysis: Wicks is currently being drafted around WR63, making him a late-round flier in most fantasy drafts. Other Packers receivers, like Jayden Reed (WR35), Christian Watson (WR43), and Romeo Doubs (WR54), are being drafted higher.
- Final Verdict: Wicks is worth a shot in the final rounds of drafts, especially given the potential for injuries or other changes in the Packers’ receiving hierarchy. However, fantasy managers should be cautious and prepared to move on early in the season if his role remains limited. He’s a gamble, but at the cost of a late-round pick, it’s one that could pay off if circumstances align in his favor.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Dontayvion Wicks
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis. Since Wicks is ranked outside the top 75 in the PFN Consensus Rankings, we’ve listed the consensus WR rankings instead.
61) Joshua Palmer, WR | Los Angeles Chargers
62) Gabe Davis, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
63) DeMario Douglas, WR | New England Patriots
64) Jahan Dotson, WR | Washington Commanders
65) Adam Thielen, WR | Carolina Panthers
66) Dontayvion Wicks, WR | Green Bay Packers
67) Ja’Lynn Polk, WR | New England Patriots
68) Marvin Mims Jr., WR | Denver Broncos
69) Michael Wilson, WR | Arizona Cardinals
70) Ricky Pearsall, WR | San Francisco 49ers
71) Xavier Legette, WR | Carolina Panthers
Wicks’ Fantasy Profile for the 2024 Fantasy Season
Wicks was a fifth-round pick of the Packers last season. He joined a roster that also includes Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed, two talented rookie tight ends in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, and an elite pass-catching RB in Aaron Jones.
Wicks never should’ve seen enough snaps to even make a dent in anyone’s mind. Yet, he managed to catch 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns.
Wicks posted an impressive 67.2% catch rate and averaged 14.9 yards per reception. His 10.0 yards per target was 11th in the league. Film-wise, he was elite at separating against man coverage, which is a very good indicator of player ability. There’s a reason many NFL and fantasy analysts are high on Wicks.
I, too, am a Wicks fan. Having watched all of the Packers’ receivers, it’s close between him and Reed for who’s the most talented. Put Wicks on a roster where he could see a 90% snap share and command a 20% target share, and he has fantasy WR2 upside. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that’s possible in Green Bay.
It’s great for the Packers to have so many useful wide receivers. I would argue no team has more WRs that deserve to have a meaningful role in the NFL. However, no one really stands out above the rest. That creates a situation where the Packers are likely to run wide receiver by committee.
Is Wicks a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
Reed’s WR35 ADP is the highest among Green Bay wide receivers. Watson is next at WR43, and Doubs is not far behind at WR54. Wicks, meanwhile, is the cheapest of the bunch at WR63.
I want to like Wicks, but I can’t rank him much higher than his ADP, which is exactly where I have him. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to take shots on him in the final round of some of my drafts, though.
Things happen during an NFL season. Watson has struggled to stay on the field. Reed seems to be destined for less than an every-down role. Injuries can happen to any player.
There are certainly scenarios where Wicks could end up in a more prominent role than he’s currently projected for. Given what he showed us last season, there’s reason to believe that if given the opportunity, he would thrive. That’s worth the gamble at the cost of free.
Nevertheless, I caution fantasy managers against getting overzealous with Wicks. This is still a fifth-round sophomore who commanded a mere 11.7% target share as a rookie. He was better than expected and a legitimately good receiver, but not exactly close to being a relevant fantasy asset.
Take some shots. Just don’t be afraid to cut bait early in the season if Wicks’ role looks similar to what it was last season.