Is Dontayvion Wicks a Bonified No. 2 Receiver?

Coming into the year, it was assumed that DeVonta Smith would take over the reigns as the Eagles top pass catcher. However, the rest of Philadelphia’s receiving corps remained unsettled.

It appears as though Dontayvion Wicks has emerged as the early favorite to be the Robin to Smith’s Batman. Through two games with the Eagles, Dontayvion Wicks is second on the team to Smith in receptions (7) and receiving yards (147). This past Sunday in Tennessee, Wicks caught five passes for 74 yards including a critical 20-yard catch on third-and-6 to place the ball on the Tennessee 41 during Philadelphia’s game winning drive.

Wicks currently holds a Pro Football Focus grade of 72.6, good for 22nd among 76 qualified players in the league. On the downside, Wicks already has one drop and has disappeared for long stretches in each of the first two games. That being the case, is Wicks ready to become a reliable second target in Philadelphia’s offense?

I believe the answer is yes because Philadelphia does not have much of a choice with their other receivers. First-round draft choice Makai Lemon has struggled to make an impact early on, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has yet to make his first reception as an Eagle, and Elijah Moore has yet to see the field in either game despite being healthy. Special teamer Darius Cooper, who caught the game winning touchdown pass in Tennessee, has 11 career receptions, so he is not a viable candidate at this point either.

Another problem facing the Eagles is that tight end Dallas Goedert is expected to miss the next several weeks with a knee injury. Recently acquired 35-year-old free agent tight end Zach Ertz is certainly not going to be Hurts’ second option right off the bat. For better or worse, offensive coordinator Sean Mannion must rely on Wicks as the second target in Philadelphia’s scheme.

To this point, Wicks has shown flashes of brilliance. He caught a 64-yard bomb in Week 1, as well as the aforementioned 20-yard reception in Week 2. At 25, Wicks is on a one-year contract with the Eagles. The former fifth-round draft choice has an opportunity to solidify himself as an unquestioned second option in an NFL offense for the first time in his career. Time will tell if he can seize the moment and capitalize.