2024 Receiving Stats
REC
59
YDS
900
TD
3
AVG
15.3
TAR
103
2025 Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Statistically speaking, Pickens' third NFL season in 2024 looked a lot like his second, with the main difference being three missed games in December because of a hamstring injury. He thrived right before the absence while catching passes from Russell Wilson, averaging 4.8 catches for 81.2 yards and 0.5 TDs on 7.7 targets over a six-game stretch (compared to 4.3 catches for 60.5 yards and no TDs in Justin Fields' six starts beforehand). The Steelers apparently weren't all that impressed, considering they traded for WR DK Metcalf in March and sent Pickens packing to Dallas in May. The 24-year-old likely wanted an extension ahead of the final year of his rookie contract, but he may be more willing to play out the deal in Dallas, where the presence of QB Dak Prescott and lack of other secondary receiving options behind CeeDee Lamb gives Pickens a nice chance to improve on his numbers from Pittsburgh. The Cowboys' new head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, mostly oversaw balanced or run-first offenses in his previous stints as an NFL playcaller, but he was the offensive coordinator in Dallas the past two years when the team ranked third and eighth in pass attempts. It won't come as any surprise if Pickens exceeds some of his career highs, namely 106 targets and five TDs, even though he'll be a No. 2 WR rather than a No. 1 now. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Traded to Dallas
The Steelers are trading Pickens and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
The Cowboys confirmed earlier reports of a trade, giving the team a huge upgrade at the No. 2 WR spot alongside superstar CeeDee Lamb. Fellow Dallas wideouts Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin drop down the depth chart, while Pittsburgh is left with Calvin Austin, Robert Woods and Roman Wilson as potential starters alongside March trade acquisition DK Metcalf. The trade is excellent news for Pickens' fantasy value, pairing him with QB Dak Prescott under new Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer in an offense that likely will throw the ball more often than the Steelers will. The 24-year-old Pickens topped 800 yards in each of his first three campaigns, including a career-high 1,140 in 2023, but he's never gone higher than 106 targets, 63 catches or five touchdowns in a single regular season.
The Cowboys confirmed earlier reports of a trade, giving the team a huge upgrade at the No. 2 WR spot alongside superstar CeeDee Lamb. Fellow Dallas wideouts Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin drop down the depth chart, while Pittsburgh is left with Calvin Austin, Robert Woods and Roman Wilson as potential starters alongside March trade acquisition DK Metcalf. The trade is excellent news for Pickens' fantasy value, pairing him with QB Dak Prescott under new Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer in an offense that likely will throw the ball more often than the Steelers will. The 24-year-old Pickens topped 800 yards in each of his first three campaigns, including a career-high 1,140 in 2023, but he's never gone higher than 106 targets, 63 catches or five touchdowns in a single regular season.
NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do George Pickens' 2024 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank.
The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
Air Yards Per Game
95.4Air Yards Per Snap
1.82% Team Air Yards
37.1%% Team Targets
22.2%Avg Depth of Target
13.1 YdsCatch Rate
57.3%Drop Rate
2.9%Avg Yds After Catch
4.0% Targeted On Route
23.5%Avg Yds Per Route Run
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2024
2023
2022
2024 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where George Pickens lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
Grouped
Side
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2024 George Pickens Split Stats
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Measurables Review
View College Player Page
How do George Pickens' measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"Weight
200 lbs40-Yard Dash
4.47 secVertical Jump
33.0 inBroad Jump
125 inHand Length
8.75 inArm Length
32.38 in
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
Pickens quickly earned a reputation for making difficult deep catches after the Steelers made him a second-round pick in 2022, and last season he took things to the next level with increased contributions on short and intermediate passes. His quantity of targets 20-plus yards downfield actually dropped by eight compared to his rookie season, but he caught 11 of the 22 for 405 yards and then saw 17 more looks in the range of 10-to-19 yards and 11 more within 10 yards of the line. When all was said and done, he'd topped his rookie-year totals by 22 targets, 11 catches, 339 yards and one TD. Pickens isn't quite an athletic freak -- he posted a 4.47 40 and 33-inch vertical at 6-3, 195 -- but he's smoother than most tall wideouts and already has a long highlight reel of contested catches. The question now is whether he'll progress to true No. 1 receiver volume/production, entering his age-23 season with a new coordinator (Arthur Smith), new QBs (Russell Wilson, Justin Fields) and no Diontae Johnson. Smith has a track record of directing run-heavy offenses and inherits a unit that finished 2023 ranked 29th in pass attempts (506) and ninth in rushes (487) . Wilson's preference for throwing to the perimeter and reputation for accurate deep passing would seem to make him a good fit for Pickens in particular, and Johnson's departure is also promising given that Pickens was targeted on 27.3 percent of his routes in the four games Johnson missed last year (17-357-2 on 33 targets). Pickens is a strong bet to improve on last year's 22.2 percent target share, but it won't necessarily equate to taking the next step in fantasy football if he's cutting his slice from one of the smallest passing-game pies in the league.
More Fantasy News
Deal to Cowboys being finalized
The Steelers are finalizing a trade to send Pickens to the Cowboys, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Target of trade interest
The Steelers have received calls inquiring about trading for Pickens leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
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May consider hold-in this summer
Pickens is entering a contract year and may "hold in" if he doesn't have an extension before the summer, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Bright spot in playoff loss
Pickens recorded five receptions on five targets for 87 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 28-14 loss to the Ravens.
ANALYSIS
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Disastrous Week 18 showing
Pickens recorded one catch on six targets for zero yards in Saturday's 19-17 loss to the Bengals.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Upgrades outlook via trade
Pickens' outlook for the 2025 season is considerably improved as a result of his trade to the Cowboys on Wednesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
The mercurial but talented wideout had been mired in uncertainty as part of the Steelers' roster, given the team's still unsettled situation at quarterback and coordinator Arthur Smith's reputation for relatively conservative attacks. However, with his move to Dallas, Pickens, who was exchanged for third- and fifth-round picks in 2026 and 2027, respectively, will be paired with an elite quarterback in Dak Prescott, as well as a perennial Pro Bowl receiver in CeeDee Lamb that should open up plenty of downfield opportunities.
The mercurial but talented wideout had been mired in uncertainty as part of the Steelers' roster, given the team's still unsettled situation at quarterback and coordinator Arthur Smith's reputation for relatively conservative attacks. However, with his move to Dallas, Pickens, who was exchanged for third- and fifth-round picks in 2026 and 2027, respectively, will be paired with an elite quarterback in Dak Prescott, as well as a perennial Pro Bowl receiver in CeeDee Lamb that should open up plenty of downfield opportunities.