Dontayvion Wicks: A Must-Have Across All Fantasy Football Formats – Waiver Wire, Rest of Season, Dynasty Outlook

Dontayvion Wicks fantasy football outlook

This past Sunday, Dontayvion Wicks broke out in a big way. After Christian Watson went down with a high-ankle injury, Wicks never looked back. After brushing off a few drops, Wicks ultimately took advantage of the opportunity – recording five catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets.

Dontayvion Wicks Fantasy Outlook: Start in Week 5 + LEAGUE-WINNING UPSIDE

Over this past offseason, I discussed just how much I am mesmerized by the young receiver Dontayvion Wicks and crowned him as my favorite sleeper in fantasy football. In 11 personnel last season, he was 6th in yards per route run (1.86 YPRR) amongst rookie pass catchers.

Additionally, he ranked alongside the elite in first downs per route run last season. The only players that recorded higher first downs per route run (min. 250 routes) than Wicks last season were:

  • Jaylen Waddle
  • Brandon Aiyuk
  • A.J. Brown
  • Puka Nacua
  • Nico Collins
  • Rashee Rice
  • Amon-Ra St. Brown
  • CeeDee Lamb
  • Justin Jefferson

When we fast forward to this season, Wicks is tied with Cooper Kupp for the most expected fantasy points per route run (0.67 XFP/RR) in the league and is 6th in targets per route run (0.31 TPRR) amongst all wide receivers with 50-plus routes in 2024.

At the moment, Wicks is averaging 9.1 fantasy points per game. However, Fantasy Points has Wicks averaging 11.9 expected fantasy points per game – just behind Michael Pittman (12.0 XFP), tied with Rashee Rice (11.9 XFP), and ahead of his teammate who much of the community deems superior, Jayden Reed (11.5 XFP).

Before this past Sunday, Wicks hadn’t logged a single game with more than 70 percent of the snaps on offense this season. In 2023, he did record higher than a 70 percent snap rate twice. Although it’s a small sample, looking at all of these games together tells the tale:

  • Week 15, 2023: 6 REC (7 TGTS), 97 YD
  • Week 18, 2023: 6 REC (7 TGTS), 61 YD, 2 TD
  • Week 4, 2024: 5 REC (13 TGTS), 78 YD, 2 TD

Again, this is a small sample size but – Wicks is averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game in contests he plays more than 70 percent of the snaps. Christian Watson picked up a high-ankle sprain in last week’s game, meaning he likely will not be in the lineup anytime soon and Wicks will be given opportunities that he can capitalize on.

DONTAYVION WICKS DYNASTY OUTLOOK

This may be the last time you can acquire Dontayvion Wicks at his current market value. Wicks and the Green Bay Packers head to Los Angeles to face the Rams in So-Fi stadium next weekend. Through four games this season, the Los Angeles Rams are tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions for the 3rd-most fantasy points per game (25.0 FPPG) given up to wide receivers – in addition to allowing the 2nd-most receiving touchdowns (1.8 per game) to WRs.

It’s a good thing for Wicks, as he is 2nd in the NFL (min. 50 routes) in end-zone targets per route (5.63%) this season. Not only that but Dontayvion is also tied (min. 50 routes) with players such as Malik Nabers and DJ Moore for 6th amongst WRs in end-zone targets (4) in 2024.

DONTAYVION WICKS FANTASY OUTLOOK

In redraft leagues, I am spending as much FAAB as I have to acquire Dontayvion Wicks if he still remains on the waiver wire. If I get beat, I ask the owner what it takes to get him. In dynasty, I am buying high in any leagues I may have missed a share in – as receivers’ value increases greatly during a breakout. I would put Wicks in the top 30-40 WRs for the rest of the season with the upside for more, as well as personally rank Wicks just outside of my top 30 dynasty WRs.

But as you know, I believe the sky is the limit for Wicks, as does head coach Matt LaFleur. There is a reason I call him Davante Adams 2.0.

The Wolf is higher than Wicks than the experts, penciling him in at WR46 (+5 ECR) in his most recent Rest of Season Fantasy Rankings.

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