George Pickens' 2024 fantasy value could be rescued by Russell Wilson
If Russell Wilson indeed becomes the Steelers' starting quarterback, it should be a good thing for George Pickens' fantasy prospects from here on out this season.
Through Week 6, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is WR46 in 0.5-point PPR fantasy scoring). Not what fantasy football managers who took him in the fifth round of a draft are looking for.
On the good side, Pickens has at least seven targets in five of six games. But he has topped 60 yards twice (once in the last five games). But he has zero touchdowns, with some close calls there due to drops or penalties negating the play. He’s on pace for a career-high in catches (73.7).
Pickens appeared on the FS1 show “The Facility” on Tuesday. While throwing odd shade at Lions’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, he passive-aggressively lamented his own situation.
I probably say schematically is the big thing in football. That's how you get Amon-Ra St. Brown, slot merchants, that's schematically getting fed the ball," Pickens said. “When it comes to that, I ain't playing QB, o-line, and defense all at once. So schematically, that's probably the biggest thing in that way for me to really show the world a bigger platform over my game style."
I definitely feel like, you know, me averaging 18.1 (yards per reception) last season, in, what is it, year three? Yeah", Pickens said. "Not five, six, seven, eight or nine. So I definitely feel like I’m top five, top three just off of, I just got here. I definitely think I’m top five, if not better. Some guys, certain situations are better for certain receivers. That’s really the most I can say.”
The Steelers have gone 4-2 with Justin Fields starting under center. But Russell Wilson is now healthy, and he’s taking first-team reps in practice this week.
So it seems Wilson will start in Week 7 against the New York Jets, and until further notice. While it can be debated how good that will be for the Steelers overall, it can only be good for Pickens’ rest-of-season fantasy outlook.
The Steelers are averaging the third-fewest pass attempts per game in the league through six weeks (26.8), and they are 28th in passing yards per game (166.8 yards per game). Despite that, Pickens is 19th in the league in receiving yards (363).
Talking about the rumored switch to Wilson, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pointed to Pickens as the “biggest beneficiary.”
The Jets are not a great matchup in Week 7, so Pickens is no better than a WR3/flex option in 12-team leagues. The New York Giants (Week 8) are middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers (Yahoo! scoring, 0.5.point PPR). Then the Steelers have their bye in Week 9.
On the other side of that bye, here’s how the Steelers’ opponents rank in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers entering Week 7 (Yahoo! scoring, 0.5-point PPR).
Week 10: Washington Commanders (5th-most)
Week 11: Baltimore Ravens (most)
Week 12: Cleveland Browns (9th-most)
Week 13: Cincinnati Bengals (12th-fewest)
Week 14: Cleveland Browns (9th-most)
Week 15: Philadelphia Eagles (6th-most)
Week 16: Ravens (most)
Week 17: Kansas City Chiefs (7th-fewest)
Pickens is bench material for his fantasy managers who have alternatives in Week 7. Things look a little better against the Giants in Week 8. Then comes a stretch with six out of eight games against teams who are bottom-10 against wide receivers with nearly half the fantasy regular season done.
As long as Wilson becomes and stays the Steelers’ starting quarterback, which he was signed to be, the offense should open up and bring better production for Pickens. If Pittsburgh trades for a wide receiver, that would change the equation (good and bad).
But it can’t get much worse than what it’s been for Pickens up to this point. His fantasy managers would be selling low to trade him right now, and he should not be dropped. So it’s fine to just stay patient, and hope for a Wilson-driven boost. And depending on when the trade deadline is in your league, maybe try to sell high on Pickens after a big game in one of those post-bye matchups.