Don't overreact. Don't overreact.
Dontayvion Wicks is slowly becoming the next Davante Adams for the Green Bay Packers. OK, I overreacted.
But hear me out. Of course, that statement borders on the ludicrous after one breakout game for Wicks on Thanksgiving. He will likely never become a multi-time All-Pro as Adams did in Green Bay, but that doesn't mean his performance against the Detroit Lions has to be a one-off or a fluke.
The Adams comparisons began in his rookie season. In 2023, even Matt LaFleur couldn't resist comparing the then-rookie Wicks to his former all-world wide receiver. So, if you'd like to overreact and come on this journey with me, let's break it down together.
Dontayvion Wicks reignited the Davante Adams career arc with breakout performance we've all been waiting for
Wicks' talent has never been in question. His route-running is arguably the best on the team. So, too, is his footwork off the line of scrimmage. LaFleur once compared Wicks' "short-area quickness" to Adams'.
After an impressive rookie season, Wicks entered Year 2 with sky-high expectations. Fans had memories of him torching Stephon Gilmore for a touchdown in the playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
But progress isn't always linear, and Wicks' performances undoubtedly regressed in 2024. Not because of his route-running, though. According to ESPN Analytics, his OPEN score of 84 ranked fourth in the NFL. Per Pro Football Focus, his separation percentage ranked second. Wicks was still one of the league's best at getting open.
He just couldn't catch the ball. PFF had him at nine drops, and his 18 percent drop percentage was far too steep to overcome.
Who does that sound like? That's right: Davante Adams.
He, too, endured a disastrous second season, dropping 10 passes at a rate of 15.6 percent. A vocal minority of Packers fans wanted the team to move on from him that offseason, which is truly hard to believe in hindsight.
Adams finally enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, his third year, but it was a slow burn. He made a solid start, but his first big-time performance came in Week 7, when he hauled in 13 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears.
On Thanksgiving, Wicks crushed another division rival, hauling in six passes for 94 yards and two scores, including the game-winning fourth-down conversion with only one shoe.
Like Adams in 2016, Wicks made a solid start to his third campaign, catching six passes for 74 yards in the opening two contests. But he battled a calf injury that had already limited him in the summer and then cost him two games in the regular season.
In Week 13, on the eve of Thanksgiving, Wicks logged his first full participation at practice since Week 6. A day later, he looked fully healthy and carved open the Lions' defense. With Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, and Jayden Reed out of the lineup, Wicks stepped up and reminded everyone why he drew Adams comparisons in the first place.
He won with that same smooth route-running, which is even more polished in Year 3. Crucially, Wicks caught everything, and that included some tough grabs. This is the Dontayvion Wicks that earned him the Davante-vion Wicks nickname as a rookie.
Wicks' speed coach, Les Spellman, once predicted that he would take over the league, and that his incoming breakout was a "big secret" that "nobody knows yet." Again, there's a reason why so many have made such bold predictions about Wicks. He has the tools to become a star player.
"Wicks is Green Bay's best WR. They just always seem to forget that," FanSided's Marcus Mosher wrote during the Packers' win over the Lions.
The Adams comparisons began in 2023, and in many ways, Wicks is still following his career arc. Flashes of potential as a rookie. A disappointing sophomore season. A slow burn in Year 3, and then, finally, the breakout.
Time will tell if Wicks can complete that final step and launch his career to stardom. It's unfair to compare him to a generational talent like Adams, and nobody is expecting a Hall of Fame resume. Wicks will also have to fend off snaps from the soon-returning Golden, Reed, and Williams, not to mention Christian Watson, who looks better than ever, and Romeo Doubs.
But if Wicks can maintain this level, there might be no stopping him. He has a chance to become undeniable and turn those Adams comparisons into reality.