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George Pickens is a fantasy football sleeper and undervalued draft target for 2025. Read the fantasy football outlook and draft advice for the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver.
RotoBaller Ranking (half-PPR): WR36
Fantasy Draft Analysis: This should be fun. Pickens goes from a team that passed on just 51.7% of its offensive plays last season to a team that passed on 61.1% of its offensive plays. He also goes from Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson to Dak Prescott, who has thrown for 260 yards per game in his last four seasons.
The Cowboys have attempted the third-most passes per game in each of the last two seasons. Meanwhile, an Arthur Smith-led Steelers team attempted just 29.4 passes per game in 2024. So we know there will be more opportunities in Dallas, but how many targets will go to Pickens?
CeeDee Lamb is the clear-cut WR1 in Dallas and a top-three receiver in the NFL. There's no arguing that. One might argue that's better for Pickens, who won't see as much attention in coverage with defenses worried about Lamb getting loose. That's a scary thought!
Don't get it twisted, despite the character concerns during his time in Pittsburgh, Pickens has been a very productive wide receiver. He's averaged over 2.15 yards per route run (YPRR) in each of the last two seasons and recorded a career-best 26.5% target share last season.
As long as he can keep his head straight, he can produce something similar to that of a guy like Tee Higgins. Higgins, like Pickens, would be a WR1 on most teams. But in Cincinnati, he's the WR2 behind Ja'Marr Chase, just like Pickens is the WR2 behind Lamb.
In Pittsburgh, Pickens has only caught 12 touchdown passes on 293 career targets (4.1%). Meanwhile, Higgins has caught 34 touchdowns on 513 career targets (6.6%).
This angle of George Pickens Touchdown...
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥#NFL #Steelers pic.twitter.com/5W7YcLmMrN
— The Standard (@TheStandard412) October 24, 2024
Don't be surprised when Pickens has by far his best statistical season to date in his first year in Dallas. He's an easy click at his current ADP of WR33. The breakout is upon us.
- Adam Koffler
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