Steelers 3rd year wideout George Picken’s talent is the engine that will drive the Steelers into a playoff run, or off a cliff.
It is no secret that the Steelers offensive ceiling is directly tied to George Pickens ability to make big plays. He tied for 5th in the league in air yards share at 44.9%, combining that with 515 yards receiving on 15 receptions on passes that travel 20+ air yards. Those are all positives for the offense, now lets talk about the elephant in the room.
George Pickens has not provided that to the offense in recent memory, outside of 1 reception for 41 yards against the Chiefs in week 17. He missed games against the Browns, Eagles, and Ravens where his absence was felt. You could argue that he derailed the offense in their Week 18 loss to the Bengals, recording 0 yards on 1 catch with 3 drops. For the Steelers to have any chance in this game, Pickens will have to shake off the tepid performance of week 18 and deliver on the promise of what makes him one of the most polarizing singular talents in the entire league.
A dud performance today leads to a murky future and what is unquestionably a top talent in the league’s future becomes very uncertain. He would be heading into a contract year with two other marquee names from his draft class, Drake London and Garrett Wilson achieving career highs in catches and likely earning a 2nd contracts. While Pickens will likely have to prove he can be a reliable talent that can be a franchise’s flagship wide receiver.
Justin Currie
@Chev90 on X
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Despite appearing at practice on Thursday morning, the Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out George Pickens ahead of their week 16 matchup, per Brooke Pryor.
Through 12 games this season, Pickens had established himself as the clear leader in Pittsburgh’s receiver room. He was in the midst of a career year, racking up 55 receptions for 850 yards and three touchdowns. Then, after the Steelers’ final practice before a week 14 matchup against the Browns, Pickens popped up on the injury report with a hamstring injury. He didn’t play that week and is now confirmed to miss his third game in a row.
In his absence, the Steelers’ passing attack has been non-existent. They ran the ball effectively in a win against the Browns but were suffocated by the Eagles’ run defense in week 15, resulting in a measly 20:08 in time of possession. With Pickens out of the lineup, Russell Wilson has completed just 29 passes for 286 yards through two games. There’s no questioning the ripple effect this injury caused for the rest of the offense.
The Steelers are set to take on their heated division rivals, the Ravens, in Baltimore on Saturday. Matchups between these two teams have earned the reputation of being low-scoring, defensive battles. With the Steelers’ top wide receiver ruled out, expect more of the same this weekend. Wilson is likely off the fantasy radar, even in superflex and 2QB leagues, as his team looks to lean on the ground game again. Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, and Jaylen Warren are each intriguing options as volume-based plays in week 16 fantasy football matchups.
Reported by Trey Kroll (@TreyK_FB on Twitter/X)
With Brandon Aiyuk having firm footing in San Francisco, George Pickens drafters are saved from an ADP earthquake in best ball.
With the news that Brandon Aiyuk will be staying in San Francisco for the next 4 seasons, George Pickens drafters are able to breathe a sigh of relief. Marked as a breakout candidate, George Pickens will now have to overcome the play-calling of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Juxtaposed with the prospect of having to share targets with Brandon Aiyuk, ironically this is seen as a win for Pickens drafters.
Currently on UnderDog, George Pickens can be selected at the 4-5 turn as the WR-30. Pickens was No.1 in yards per reception in 2023 with 18.1 and will need to keep that sort of efficiency in a low pass volume offense. While Pickens won’t be in a throw first offense, he is easily the prime alpha target in the Steelers offense.
With an ADP in early round 3 on UnderDog, Brandon Aiyuk is a smash click in remaining drafts and should scorch into the middle of the 2nd round in drafts leading up to week 1 of the NFL season. Savvy gamers who have gotten the Brandon Aiyuk dip will benefit from closing line value versus the field. Keep clicking Brandon Aiyuk and George Pickens in every form of fantasy.
