George Pickens Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Pickens totaled 59 catches, 900 yards, and three TDs across 14 games last year. He posted five games with 85+ yards… and three shy of 30.

In eight games with QB Russell Wilson, Pickens averaged 4.1 catches, 67.1 yards, and 0.4 TDs per game.

In six contests with QB Justin Fields: 4.3 catches, 60.5 yards, and 0 TDs.

Pickens never became a trustworthy fantasy asset. He registered five top-24 fantasy finishes, including two in the top five. On the flip side, Pickens tallied six finishes at WR40 or worse.

He finished 2024 as the WR42 in total PPR points; WR36 in points per game.

Usage & Role

Overall, Pickens saw a career-high 24.6% target share.

In eight games with Wilson, that number stood at 23% (7.4 per game).

In six games with Fields: 27.3% (7.3 per game).

Regardless of QB, Pickens was featured as a downfield asset. He saw 29.5% of his targets come 20+ yards downfield – up from a 20.1% figure in 2023.

Efficiency Metrics

In the sample with Wilson, Pickens posted 1.95 yards per route run. That figure jumped to 2.27 alongside Fields.

Overall, Pickens remained a high yards per catch guy (15.4) with a relatively low catch rate (61%).

2024 also turned up a new issue with drops. His 12.3% drop rate ranked fourth-worst in a sample of 51 WRs.

Offensive Context

Pittsburgh didn’t support a pass-friendly offense. They ranked 28th in pass rate and 26th in pass rate over expected.

A similar approach continued near the goal line, with the Steelers slotting 22nd in red zone pass rate; 22nd in red zone pass rate over expected.

Injury History

Pickens missed three games in 2024 with a strained hamstring. He didn’t miss a game in either 2023 or 2022.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

Pickens joined the Cowboys in a May trade. He enters the final year of his rookie contract.

He’ll slot into a clear No. 2 WR role behind CeeDee Lamb, who’s tallied 150+ targets in three straight seasons. TE Jake Ferguson will garner a role, but he shouldn’t impact Pickens’ output.

There’s room for the former Steeler to easily clear 100 targets given Dallas’ shaky WR depth:

• Jalen Tolbert
• Jonathan Mingo
• KaVontae Turpin
• Jalen Brooks

Only Tolbert has a season with more than 450 yards.

It’s easy to see Pickens benefiting from more single coverage as defenses focus on Lamb. Note that in 2024, he tallied five catches of 40+ yards. Only six WRs beat that mark.

A downfield role also figures to produce more week-to-week volatility for Pickens.

Supporting Cast

Dak Prescott supplies a massive upgrade over Pickens’ prior passers:

• Russell Wilson
• Justin Fields
• Kenny Pickett
• Mason Rudolph
• Mitchell Trubisky

Prescott is coming off an injury-shortened 2024, but he’s back healthy this offseason. He’ll look to recapture a 2023 form that found him top-five in yards, TDs, TD rate, completion rate, QBR, and yards per attempt.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

Brian Schottenheimer – formerly the OC – enters his first season as HC. He’ll call plays for the first time in Dallas.

In 2024, the Cowboys finished first in offensive plays, second in situation-neutral pace, and fourth in total plays. They sat sixth in pass rate; ninth in situation-neutral pass rate.

So the environment is in place for Pickens to earn fantasy-friendly volume.

Here’s Schottenheimer on his early impressions of Pickens in May:

"I see a guy that's maturing. I see a guy that we're excited to put out there and watch him grow and get better. He obviously is a tremendous athlete, but I love watching him in meetings, because in meetings, he's been so dialed in, taking great notes. He knows he's a little bit behind, not a lot but a little bit behind in terms of what the veterans are doing. But his intentionality in the meeting room has been really cool for me to see."

Production & Efficiency Trends

Pickens enters his fourth season with a subpar 6.8% TD rate. He hasn’t topped five TDs in a single season.

That stat brings spike potential in Dallas, though. Dak ranked first in passing TDs during a healthy 2023 (36) and tied for fourth in a healthy 2021 (37).