NFL Wild Card X-Factors: Can Kupp return to form against tough Vikings?

The 2024 regular season is officially in the books, which means the best time of the year is finally here: the NFL Playoffs have arrived. 

What will happen this year? Will a top seed roll to a Lombardi Trophy, or will a Cinderella story emerge? Which team will pull an upset on Wild Card Weekend, and which players are poised to become household names? 

With all that and more in mind, let’s take a look at one player from each remaining game this weekend who has a chance to play hero. 

DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles | vs. Green Bay Packers, Sunday 4:30 p.m. ET 

It’s easy to see why the Eagles’ offence has been humming this season, considering running back Saquon Barkley rumbled for over 2,000 yards on the ground. As you might imagine, the club’s passing stats have taken a step back from years past, throwing almost 100 fewer passing attempts and tallying 640 fewer passing yards than 2023.  

Even with a slightly different offensive approach this season, opposing defences know they can’t let the Eagles’ wideouts run wild — and DeVonta Smith is a big reason why. Despite the increased focus on the run game (or perhaps because of it), Smith racked up 833 yards and eight touchdowns, including 317 yards and four touchdowns in the month of December alone, which also saw three different quarterbacks throwing to him. 

The health of quarterback Jalen Hurts will certainly factor greatly for the Eagles, but no matter who is under center, Smith will need to continue being a focal point for this offence. 

Zach Ertz, TE, Washington Commanders | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET 

This season ushered in a lot of change in a short period of time in Washington, which entered the year with a new head coach in Dan Quinn, a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, and plenty of unknowns.  

We learned pretty early on that Daniels is the real deal — and, more recently, we’ve also learned that he loves to target his tight end in the end zone. After catching just one touchdown through Week 10, Ertz saw an uptick in targets down the stretch. He tallied six touchdown catches in the past seven games and finished the year second on the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns through the air. 

The Commanders wrapped up the season as the third-highest scoring offence in the NFC behind only the Lions and their wild card opponents in Tampa Bay. In a game where defence might be optional, Ertz — the oldest offensive player on the team, at 34 — will have to use that veteran presence and step up once again. 

Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs. Washington Commanders, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET 

It’s been a year of discovery for the Buccaneers offence. After losing trusted wide receiver Chris Godwin in Week 7 to a dislocated ankle, quarterback Baker Mayfield seemed to test a variety of options behind Mike Evans to be his No. 2 target. From rookie running back Bucky Irving to tight end Cade Otton, the Buccaneers auditioned several players for the role through much of the season.  

Mayfield may have found his answer in rookie Jalen McMillan. After totalling 13 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown from Weeks 1 through 12, the third-rounder turned his season around in a hurry: from Weeks 13 through 17, he racked up 24 catches for 316 yards and seven touchdowns en route to the NFC South title. 

McMillan clearly has chemistry with Mayfield, but more importantly, he has the quarterback’s trust. The Buccaneers are going to need both to continue if they want to make a run to the Super Bowl. 

Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams | vs. Minnesota Vikings, Monday 8:00 p.m. ET 

If you’ve watched football at any point in the last few years, you’d know the name Cooper Kupp. After all, he’s been one of the league’s most prolific wide receivers for several seasons as a focal point of the Rams’ offence, including being named MVP of Super Bowl LVI to cap a 2021 season in which he led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. 

Things have been different this year. Despite his offensive success under head coach Sean McVay, Kupp has turned in just 710 yards and six touchdown catches over 12 games this season. The last three games of the season (before starters were rested in Week 18) yielded just four total catches for 53 scoreless yards. If McVay and company are going to find success against a stout Vikings defence on Monday night, they’re going to need more from Kupp.