The second-year receiver Pickens has breakout potential, but because it's contingent on so many factors that you may want to let someone else reach for him. Averaging 9.8 PPR points per game over his rookie year, he finished 2022 with 16-plus PPR in two of his final three games while managing to lead all Steelers receivers in touchdowns (four), explosive play rate (21.8%) and average depth of target (10.39). He didn't get it done by speeding away from coverage either; it was a combination of really good ball placement and fighting for perfect position against defensive backs. If Pickens is going to take a big step forward, he'll need to continue mastering contested catches and see a huge boost in targets. And he'll have to do this while Diontae Johnson somehow sees fewer targets and the quarterback play from the Steelers improves quite a bit. That's a lot to ask for. Pickens is a terrific talent, but he might not see even 6.9 targets per game, which is 2.0 more than what he had in 2022. Round 6 is the absolute earliest point to go after him.
Steelers' George Pickens: Leads team in receiving Sunday
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Pickens hauled in four of his six targets for 75 yards in Sunday's 23-18 win over the Raiders.
Pickens was unable to recreate his highlight-reel score from last week's victory, but he still provided managers with a solid fantasy line while finishing as Pittsburgh's leading receiver Sunday. The 22-year-old should continue to see as many targets as he can handle while Diontae Johnson (hamstring) mends on injured reserve, making Pickens a strong play against Houston next Sunday.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Flex Starter (Lineup Decisions)
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Two things make Pickens a worthy flex starter: The expectation that Kenny Pickett won't get pressured a ton, and the likelihood that Pickens will lead Pittsburgh in targets. But on top of Pickens' flaws is the thought that the Steelers should be able to run the ball effectively this week as the Raiders have not been good against the run. If that's the case then Pickett may not have to throw a ton. So keep expectations mild for Pickens, who I would start over Tutu Atwell, Terry McLaurin and the Chiefs WRs.
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Steelers' George Pickens: WRs to Start
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In the first game without Diontae Johnson (hamstring) in Week 3 against Cleveland, Pickens was heavily involved from Kenny Pickett, which was fun to see. Pickett leaned on his second receiver with a career-high 10 targets, and Pickens responded with a career-best 127 receiving yards and a touchdown. He only had four catches, but I hope the double-digit targets become the norm for Pickens moving forward while Johnson is out. The Raiders have allowed three receivers to score at least 13.2 PPR points this season, with four touchdowns allowed, and I would start Pickens in all leagues in this matchup on the road.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Huge game on MNF
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Pickens turned 10 targets into four catches, 127 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 26-22 win over the Browns.
Pickens bounced back from a quiet Week 1 to record his first 100-yard receiving game as well as his first touchdown of the 2023 season. Most of the damage was done on a 71-yard connection between him and quarterback Kenny Pickett late in the second quarter. Outside of the poor catch rate (40 percent), Pickens proved he can be the Steelers' top option after Diontae Johnson (hamstring) was placed on IR this week. Pickens will be aiming for similar results against a less-than-intimidating Raiders secondary Sunday.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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I'd be much more inclined to start Pickens if I believed the Steelers would actually change how they use him. For this game, shorter routes over the middle of the field would theoretically work with some deep shots mixed in. But because Pickett isn't expected to have much quiet time in the pocket, and because the Steelers will probably aim to run more so they can control the tempo of the game, Pickens feels like a risky Week 2 choice. I'd rather start Romeo Doubs, Courtland Sutton and Michael Thomas.
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Steelers' George Pickens: WRs to Sit
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Pickens should see a boost in targets with Diontae Johnson (hamstring) out, but I would only start Pickens in three-receiver leagues against the Browns on Monday night. Without Johnson, we'll see if the Steelers will lean on Pickens more or just give more targets to Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin III. Against the 49ers in Week 1, Robinson led Pittsburgh in targets with eight and finished with five catches for 64 yards. Austin had six catches for 37 yards on six targets, and Pickens had five catches for 36 yards on seven targets. The Cleveland pass rush will make things tough on Kenny Pickett, and he might not have the time to connect with Pickens downfield. Also, in Week 1, the Browns held Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to a combined five catches for 39 yards on 17 targets.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Limited to 36 yards in loss
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Pickens secured five of seven targets for 36 yards during the Steelers' 30-7 loss to San Francisco on Sunday.
Even though Diontae Johnson (hamstring) was unavailable in the fourth quarter of Sunday's matchup, Pickens was unable to generate a stellar stat line in the blowout loss. However, the 2022 second-rounder had an impressive sideline catch in the end zone in which he was narrowly out of bounds. Despite his lackluster performance overall, Pickens still ranked second on the team in targets and should serve as one of the Steelers' top pass-catching options, especially if Johnson is forced to miss additional time.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Pickens should have the chance for a big sophomore campaign, but I would only use him in three-receiver leagues this week. Now that the 49ers have Nick Bosa back, this San Francisco defense should be tough on Kenny Pickett, and he could struggle to get the ball down the field to Pickens. Diontae Johnson is also a questionable starter, but he should still get his share of receptions. If Pickens doesn't find the end zone then he should have a minimal stat line in Week 1 at home.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Hauls in lone target
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Pickens was targeted once and caught the pass for a 35-yard gain in Thursday's exhibition with Atlanta.
Pickens jumped over a defender for the long gain, showcasing a talent that was often on display during his rookie year. He was targeted once in each of Pittsburgh's three preseason games, accounting for three of the 15 targets (20 percent) from Kenny Pickett, and and caught all three passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. Pickens will open his second-year-breakout bid with a Week 1 home game against the 49ers.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Limited work against Bills
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Pickens recorded one reception on one target for eight yards in Saturday's 27-15 preseason win over the Bills.
Pickens was targeted on Kenny Pickett's first attempt of the game. He worked solely with the first-team offense, which ran only seven plays on the day. It's unclear whether Pickens will see the field in the third week of preseason action, but he appears to have a solid grasp of the No. 2 receiver role in Pittsburgh heading into the regular season.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Impresses on lone catch
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Pickens caught his lone target for a 33-yard touchdown in Friday's preseason win over the Buccaneers.
Pickens took a short pass from Kenny Pickett and cut across the field before shaking multiple Tampa defenders en route to the end zone. With a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and tremendous athleticism, it is easy to see the excitement surrounding Pickens' fantasy potential, especially if his quarterback takes a step forward in his second year as a pro. Pickens and veteran Diontae Johnson are the clear starting duo in Pittsburgh, so we could see another brief appearance from the starters when the Steelers take on the Bills on Aug. 18.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Held in check on SNF
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Pickens was held to two catches (four targets) for 29 yards in Sunday's 16-13 win over Baltimore.
The Steelers continue to commit to a run-heavy game plan on their recent run of success, resulting in no receiver netting over 36 receiving yards Sunday. Pickens possesses the talent to produce big fantasy totals despite the occasional dud, and he has developed a strong rapport with fellow rookie Kenny Pickett. The young quarterback-receiver duo will look for improved results in Pittsburgh's final attempt to sneak into the playoffs against Cleveland on Sunday.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Only two grabs
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Pickens caught two of five targets for 53 yards in Sunday's 24-16 win over the Panthers.
Pickens made another impressive contested catch during the first half, going for 38 yards on what was ultimately Pittsburgh's longest passing play of the game. The rookie only hauled in one other throw his way, but Pickens has still now topped 50 yards in four of his last five games.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Shows off big-play ability
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Pickens recorded three receptions on three targets for 78 yards in Sunday's 16-14 loss to the Ravens.
Pickens was an afterthought in terms of targets, and he's now seen four or fewer looks in four of his last six games. However, he continued to show off his playmaking ability by recording receptions of 42 and 25 yards. While he has only one touchdown in that span, Pickens has five catches of 20 or more yards in his last four contests.
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Steelers' George Pickens: WRs to Sit
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Pickens is coming off a down game at Atlanta in Week 13 when he had one catch for 2 yards on two targets. He also struggled at Indianapolis in Week 12 with three catches for 57 yards on six targets, and he's been at six targets or less for seven games in a row. Now, he's had some productive moments over that span, scoring at least 14 PPR points three times, but this is a difficult matchup for him in Week 14 against Baltimore. The Ravens have allowed just two touchdowns to opposing receivers since Week 8 and only three guys (Chris Olave in Week 9 and Zay Jones and Jamal Agnew in Week 12) to score more than 11 PPR points over that span. Pickens and Diontae Johnson, who still hasn't scored a touchdown this season, are only worth using as No. 3 Fantasy receivers in most leagues for Week 14.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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I want to love Pickens, but the Ravens are so clearly a tough matchup. Tack on Kenny Pickett making his first-ever start in this hard-fought, low-scoring series, and there's no reason to push Pickens into lineups. Give me receivers with upside like D.J. Chark and Mack Hollins, and in PPR, even Diontae Johnson.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Pickens, who played at Georgia, will likely enjoy this trip to Atlanta, especially against this Falcons defense. There have been eight receivers with at least 12 PPR points against Atlanta in the past six games, and Pickens has scored at least 14 PPR points in three of his past five outings. He's just missed some big plays with Kenny Pickett, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them connect in this matchup. Pickett is worth trusting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, and hopefully the matchup works for Diontae Johnson as well.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Possible Bust (Lineup Decisions)
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Pickens is an intoxicating prospect who should be more productive than he's been. Some of that is because of his mistakes, some of it is because of his quarterback's mistakes. But what looked like a great matchup three weeks ago is now a little tougher. Put him in the flex category, but behind Zay Jones, Christian Watson and Josh Palmer (assuming Mike Williams is out).
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Steelers' George Pickens: Leading receiver in Week 12 win
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Pickens caught three of six targets for 57 yards and also scored a two-point conversion in Monday's 24-17 win over the Colts.
Pickens got open in the end zone late in the first half, but rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett overthrew him. The pair linked up for a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter as Pittsburgh pulled ahead 24-17, so Pickens got a chance to celebrate in the end zone after all. The rookie wideout led the team in receiving yards, topping 50 for the fifth time in his last eight games. He'll have a nice opportunity to build on this effort in Week 13 against the vulnerable Atlanta secondary.
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Steelers' George Pickens: Reaches end zone against Saints
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Pickens secured three of four targets for 32 yards while rushing twice for 23 yards and a touchdown during the Steelers' 20-10 win over New Orleans on Sunday.
Pickens was held without any touches during Pittsburgh's Week 8 loss to the Eagles, but he reached the end zone for the second time this season as the Steelers returned from the bye week Sunday. The rookie second-rounder should have more opportunities to contribute down the stretch after Chase Claypool was dealt to the Bears ahead of the trade deadline.
