The Philadelphia Eagles escaped Week 1 with a 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders, and Saquon Barkley had every reason to gloat about Dontayvion Wicks. The new Eagles receiver delivered in his debut, giving Philadelphia another weapon when the offense needed one. Barkley had already seen the signs in practice. After the game, he made sure everyone knew it.

“I tried to tell y'all.”

Barkley then explained why Wicks had caught his attention before the opener, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro.

“He had a route in practice and he just broke off a DB and I was just like, ‘Wow, he’s good at football.’ Happy for him. I got him a little bit on the big one. I said, ‘You have to find a way to get in the end zone.’ That’s the level I think he can take it to. And he found a way to get into the end zone a drive or two later. It’s going to be really good.”

For Philadelphia, Barkley’s praise looked spot-on once Wicks took the field.

Wicks backed it up under the lights in Week 1 against the Commanders. He gave the Eagles a needed spark and showed why Barkley had been so bullish on him before the season.

Dontayvion Wicks gives Eagles another weapon

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Wicks’ debut also mattered because defenses know where Philadelphia’s biggest threats live. Barkley remains the focal point, and opponents will load extra attention toward him whenever possible.

That is where Wicks can change the math.

“If people gonna sit out there and cloud me all game, you gotta take over.”

Zangaro noted that it was a good Eagles debut for Wicks, but Philadelphia will need more of it moving forward. That challenge starts immediately.

The Eagles now travel to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 2, and Wicks has already made his first impression. Now comes the harder part: proving Saquon Barkley’s confidence was only the beginning.