George Pickens vs. Zay Flowers: Who Should I Draft in 2024 Fantasy Football?

June 17, 2024

Should fantasy players draft George Pickens or Zay Flowers during their 2024 fantasy football drafts? Examining the case for both star wide receivers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL last year, yet George Pickens performed quite well and put the league on notice in his sophomore season. Zay Flowers, on the other hand, flourished in the Baltimore Ravens' new offense under Todd Monken and had a stellar rookie season.

Everyone expects Pickens and Flowers to take another leap, making them good additions for fantasy football teams this year. However, if you had to choose one of the two rising stars, which AFC North wide receiver should you draft?

Let's take a look at both of their fantasy outlooks for the upcoming season, which might help you in making decisions in the upcoming fantasy football drafts.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

George Pickens’ 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

The Steelers drafted George Pickens with the 52nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and like many expected, it was a steal. The Georgia product has started his NFL career on a high note and has solidified his spot as the team's WR1.

The Steelers also traded away Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason, and it further goes on to show that Pickens will be "The Guy" for the franchise. This year, with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields set to take the field as the Steelers' quarterback, expect the entire offense to improve from last season.

Pickens had 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games last season. If Wilson or Fields even play like they did last year, then the 23-year-old wide receiver could put up a monster season and come close to 1,400–1,500 receiving yards this season.

Pickett to Pickens 🔥

📱: Stream #PITvsTB on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXewtKp pic.twitter.com/Rhp6ZfXBWs

— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2023

Zay Flowers' 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Zay Flowers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Boston College product has also emerged as the franchise's WR1. The 23-year-old wideout had 77 receptions for 858 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games during his rookie season.

Last year, Lamar Jackson won MVP and got better at throwing the ball. The Ravens are expected to continue throwing the ball much more than they did in the past. This will benefit Flowers, who should be able to have more than 1,000 receiving yards this upcoming season if he stays healthy.

The Ravens star will be determined to bounce back from his fumble in the AFC Championship Game last season against the Kansas City Chiefs and help his team win their first Super Bowl since 2013.

.@Lj_era8 ➡️ @ZayFlowers 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Gx2am1LB9z

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 12, 2024

Who Should I Draft?

Both Zay Flowers and George Pickens will be worthy additions to any fantasy team this year. However, if I had to choose one, I'd go with the Steelers' star.

Pickens will be the go-to guy in Pittsburgh, and with a better quarterback situation, he can easily have a monster season. Flowers, on the other hand, will have to share targets with Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman. Furthermore, the Ravens will continue to focus on running the ball, a strategy that has proven successful for them.

Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields can throw the deep ball well, which will help Pickens immensely. He has an ADP of #62 and will be a solid WR2 for your team this year.

More Fantasy Football Analysis