I’m Buying All The George Pickens Fantasy Football Stock In 2023
Coming out of the University of Georgia last year, George Pickens was viewed as a steal when the Pittsburgh Steelers took him No. 52 overall. Had it not been for a torn ACL suffered in a spring practice in 2021 that cost him most of his final season, he would’ve been regarded as one of the top receivers in an already loaded class. With a full training camp with Kenny Pickett, the sky should be the limit for Pickens in 2023.
There are some key stats to share when talking about a potential breakout season for George Pickens in 2023 for fantasy purposes.
First, he finished first among rookie receivers in yards per catch at 15.4. This number also places him eighth in the NFL, ahead of names like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, and more. Pickens also led the league in contested catch rate among receivers with 80+ targets at 67.9 percent.
He finished with 16 catches that were 20+ yards downfield in 2022, second most ever by a rookie behind Evans who had 18. The stats tell the story of why Pickens is a breakout candidate in 2023.
George Pickens should also be incredibly motivated to break out in 2023. Steelers wide receiver coach Frisman Jackson said that his rookie season was a “failure on his [Pickens] part” as well as a “failure on his [Jackson] part”. Not only should he be motivated to change that narrative, but he also could be in line for a future WR1 spot.
Diontae Johnson is only signed for two more years and carries a cap hit of $16.3M this year. Johnson took a major step back last year from his production in 2021, and if that regression continues, the Steelers could be apt to move his contract and give the reigns to Pickens to lead that group.
Heed the message. Buy all of the George Pickens stock you can. Make drafting Pickens a priority in your fantasy football leagues. If you were impressed with how he played last year, buckle up and see what he can do in 2023.
