Pittsburgh Steelers George Pickens was a popular preseason breakout candidate. The former Georgia star has flashed massive fantasy football upside in his career.
Unfortunately, he has struggled with consistency. While the third-year pro has taken over as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 wide receiver this year, Pickens remains a boom-or-bust option for fantasy players.
Should fantasy players drop the veteran wide receiver, or are better days ahead for him? Let’s dive into it.
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Should I Drop George Pickens?
It’s been a frustrating season for Pickens and his fantasy players. He is the WR42 for the year, averaging 7.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Target volume hasn’t been a problem for the veteran, averaging 7.2 per game over the first five contests, totaling seven or more in all but one matchup. However, he hasn’t found the end zone and has only two games with more than 57 receiving yards.
George Pickens First-Team Always Pissed Off
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 7, 2024
Ideally, fantasy players can bench Pickens rather than drop him. He has significant upside and could become a league winner if the Steelers’ passing attack becomes more consistent. However, fantasy players in smaller leagues (10-team or less) can drop Pickens this week if there are better options on the waiver wire.
Yet, fantasy players in 12-team leagues or larger should hold onto the former Georgia wide receiver. Hopefully, better days are ahead for him.
Who Can I Add Off The Waiver Wire?
I would consider dropping Pickens for a handful of wide receivers on the waiver wire. Ladd McConkey is at the top of the list. The rookie receiver is rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues coming off his bye in Week 5.
McConkey is the WR51 for the year, averaging 9.3 fantasy points per game. He has two receiving touchdowns, the second-most on the team. The rookie leads the Los Angeles Chargers in receiving yards market share (29.2%), target per route run rate (30%), and first-read target share (30.5%) despite ranking third in route participation (76.9%) this season (per Fantasy Points Data).
A LIL LADD.
📺: #KCvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/Xw1vnCSPcs— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
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