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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) has shown his value to his team nearly as much being off the field as he has by being on it. The Steelers offense had no answers for the stingy defense of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, as they lost, 13-27.
It tied for the lowest point total put up by the Steelers offense this season, and was the lowest in a game with quarterback Russell Wilson. The team doesn't have many good options outside of Pickens at receiver, and tight end Pat Freiermuth best serves as a complimentary option rather than an alpha pass-catcher.
So when will Pickens return to play?
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George Pickens Injury Update for Fantasy Football
There is some good news. After having missed two straight contests, Pickens returned to practice on Tuesday. While the official practice report hasn't been released yet, it's safe to assume he'll be a limited participant. But it's possible the team planned on holding him out of practice entirely until they were sure it was the week he could return.
#Steelers wide receiver George Pickens back at practice today, returning to some applause from Scotty Miller. pic.twitter.com/yFQGrMJl5j
— Alan Saunders (@ASaunders_PGH) December 17, 2024
Fantasy managers will need to stay updated on this situation. A DNP designation today would've been much less encouraging, but there's reason for optimism now.
George Pickens Fantasy Football Outlook
He's a must-start when he's healthy. He typically earns a very nice target share, first-read target share, reception total, and yardage in his games. He's the clear WR1 for his team, and since the bye week, he has been targeted seven, 12, seven, and six times. We'd like to see those lower numbers come up a bit, but he's produced nicely anyway.
GEORGE PICKENS TD OH MY
📺: #PITvsWAS on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/rFXdORC9VE— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
You can't expect an offense run by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to properly fully utilize its top pass-catching option, but still, Pickens is worth starting in all leagues when healthy. He could easily have another stretch of WR1 numbers through the last few weeks of the season.
He'll face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16, who have been porous against receivers overall this year, and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, who have major holes in their pass defense due to player injuries. Pickens should be started in both games without question if he returns.
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