George Pickens was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft at 52nd overall out of the University of Georgia. Pickens made an immediate impact his freshman year for the Bulldogs leading the team in receptions and yards in 2019. Pickens could have gone much higher in the draft than he did if it weren’t for multiple instances in college that brought his maturity into question.
George Pickens to Pittsburgh
George Pickens was infamous for his after-the-play antics, especially when he threw Georgia Tech corner Tre Swilling into a wall following an altercation. This was away from the play in the last game of the regular season for the Georgia Bulldogs. It resulted in Pickens being suspended for the first half of the SEC championship game against LSU.
Quarterback Proof
Unfortunately for Pickens, he was drafted by the Steelers the year after franchise quarterback Ben Rothlisberger retired. The Steelers had high hopes for the quarterback they drafted out of Pitt in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft as the successor for Big Ben.
However, Kenny Pickett never took the starting job and ran away with it leading to a quarterback carousel for the Steelers. In addition to Pickett, the Steelers also gave starts to Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph in the two seasons since Roethlisberger retired.
While having three starting quarterbacks in your first two years in the league is not ideal, it didn’t slow Pickens. The star receiver had an 801-yard, 4-touchdown rookie campaign that he followed up with an 1140-yard, 5-touchdown sophomore season.
There is indeed room for improvement in the touchdown category, but the raw talent is undeniable and has been shown in his young career. This offseason, the Steelers added two new faces to the quarterback room Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. If Pittsburgh can find some stability at the quarterback position, it would bode well for Pickens’ stock in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty Value Going Forward
Going into his third year in the NFL, George Pickens is going to have the best quarterback play he’s had in his career. Pickens is also the clear number-one receiving option in Pittsburgh now that the Steelers sent receiver Diontae Johnson to the Panthers in the offseason.
While Pickens’ touchdown totals have been lower than fantasy owners have expected, that sentiment rings true for the entire Steelers offense the past two seasons. It is something head coach Mike Tomlin is working diligently on improving.
On a sour note, the Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator this offseason, who is typically a play caller who relies heavily on the run game. This would limit the fantasy potential for Pickens. Smith’s 2 years as offensive coordinator for the Titans in 2019 and 2020 each featured wide receiver 1 A.J. Brown going over 1000 yards each season.
Smith could redeem himself from his failed time in Atlanta as head coach. He would be wise to utilize the athletic Pickens and get the ball to the playmaker as much as possible. The good news about the offensive scheme being run-heavy is that it does open up the deep ball, which is one of the strongest skill sets for Pickens.
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