Player News

• Steelers' George Pickens: May consider hold-in this summer

  27D ago • By RotoWire

  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. Pickens will turn 24 in March, having topped 800 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. He hasn't quite reached an elite level at his position, but his ability to make difficult, contested catches downfield is second to none, and there's no doubt his production has been negatively impacted by poor quarterback play in Pittsburgh. It's unclear if the QB situation will improve in 2025, potentially adding an extra element of contention to contract negotiations, which may already be difficult in light of Pickens' reputation for mercurial behavior and the gap between his production and his perceived talent/skill. The current CBA essentially eliminates the ability for players to hold out, but if Pickens is unhappy this summer he could opt to show up to the team facilities but not participate in practice.

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• Steelers' George Pickens: Bright spot in playoff loss

  01/12/2025 • By RotoWire

  Pickens recorded five receptions on five targets for 87 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 28-14 loss to the Ravens. Pickens was coming off a poor close to the regular season, though he keyed the slight offensive resurgence the Steelers showed in the second half of their playoff loss. That began with an impressive 36-yard touchdown catch, during which Pickens spun to split two defenders along the sideline. He also chipped in an acrobatic 26-yard leaping reception on an underthrown ball from Russell Wilson midway through the fourth quarter. Pickens will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, making him a potential extension candidate this offseason. Regardless of whether a deal gets done, he should be set to lead the Pittsburgh receiving corps once again next season.

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• Steelers' George Pickens: Disastrous Week 18 showing

  01/05/2025 • By RotoWire

  Pickens recorded one catch on six targets for zero yards in Saturday's 19-17 loss to the Bengals. Pickens was uninvolved for much of the first half as Russell Wilson took to the air only eight times. However, even with more extensive looks in the final two quarters, Pickens failed to deliver. He had three drops and was also not on the same page with Wilson late in the fourth quarter when he was streaking down the right sideline after beating his defender to set up a potential game-winning field goal or touchdown. Pickens will remain a focal point of the Pittsburgh offense in the postseason, but both he and the entire unit had a lackluster effort in Saturday's loss.

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• Steelers' George Pickens: WRs to Start

  01/02/2025 • By Jamey Eisenberg

  Pickens had a down game against Kansas City in Week 17 following a three-game absence with a hamstring injury with three catches for 50 yards on seven targets. Prior to getting hurt, Pickens did well in the first game against Cincinnati in Week 13 with three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on six targets. Pickens has now played seven games with Russell Wilson, and Pickens has scored at least 16.4 PPR points in four of them. The Bengals have allowed four receivers to score at least 16.4 PPR points in their past four games, and Pickens is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.

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• Steelers' George Pickens: Three grabs in return

  12/26/2024 • By RotoWire

  Pickens (hamstring) caught three of seven targets for 50 yards in Wednesday's 29-10 loss to Kansas City. Russell Wilson was under constant pressure and didn't have much time to wait for deep routes to develop, but he hit Pickens for a 41-yard gain late in the first quarter. The third-year wideout had missed the prior three games with a hamstring strain, but he appeared fully healthy Wednesday. Pickens needs exactly 100 yards to reach 1,000 on the season, a mark he'll take aim at in Week 18 against the Bengals.

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