George Pickens: The Ultimate Flex Appeal (sounds better than WR32)

“The stars at night — are big and bright — down at the bottom of my roster!”

(Clap, clap, clap, clap… not like The Stallion, but you know.)

George Pickens is now in Dallas — home of oversized hats, bold predictions, and fantasy football wet dreams.

He’s got the swagger. The highlight-reel toe drag swag. The deep ball sizzle.

But don’t let that big ol’ Cowboy star and wide-eyed hype fool you…

This ain’t Friday Night Lights. This is fantasy football. And Pickens is more Tweeter from Varsity Blues than he is Boobie Miles.

As a former Pickens owner, I can tell you — it’s frustrating.

The lack of consistency. The boom-or-bust rollercoaster. It’s hard to start him with confidence when you know he’s got 22.5 in him… but also a 2-catch, 24-yard dud that tanks your week and leaves you wondering how the hell Josh Palmer outscored him.

And if Mike Tomlin — Mr. Wide Receiver Whisperer himself — is out on a WR?

Yeah… I’m out too.

So tell me why…

(TELL ME WHY!?)

Pickens is now in Dallas, and there’s this fantasy fiction feverishly floating around that he’ll somehow see more opportunity just because he’s in a “better offense.”

But lesbi-honest — this ain’t a promotion.

It’s a transfer into a system with a clear alpha, a red zone tight end on the rise (Turd Ferguson — it’s a fun name!), and a QB who throws with timing, not vibes.

We know who the bottom b— in Big D is. (…and he knows how to hit the carpet too)

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Here’s what we know:

• 2024 Targets: 94 (Tied for 41st among WRs)

• Receptions: 59

• Games with 5 or fewer targets: 6

• Games with 4 or fewer receptions: 9

• Touchdowns: 3

• Fantasy PPG (PPR): 11.7 (WR35)

Pickens might be flashy, but you can’t call someone a “WR2” when half his season looks like a WR5 in disguise. Not THE WR5–a WR5!

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Now in Dallas:

• CeeDee Lamb averaged 10.6 targets per game

• Jake Ferguson had 16 red zone targets (T-3rd among TEs)

• The RB room is still TBD, but even if it’s mid, checkdown volume will exist.

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Translation?

Pickens isn’t moving up the food chain — he’s fighting for scraps at the buffet.

2. Separation & Scheme Fit – Zone Ain’t It, Chief

Pickens truthers have a heart-on for words like “explosive,” “alpha traits,” and “contested winner.”

Cool. Now tell me what that gets you against Cover-3 when you can’t separate and your QB isn’t throwing YOLO balls off-script. (Love you Jameis!)

Here’s the reality:

• YAC per Reception: 3.6 (Ranked 68th among WRs)

• Separation Grade: Mid to bad. Lives off contested catches, not route breaks

• Beats Man Coverage: 4.8 Yards per Route Run vs man (Top 3)

• Now Playing… Zone Heavy Division

Eagles, Giants, and Commanders all ran zone at a 60-70% rate in 2024.

That’s bad news for a guy who makes his money on physicality — not nuance.

Pickens isn’t a technician. He’s not hitting whip routes or settling in soft spots like CeeDee. He’s on the outside running go-balls and back-shoulders, praying Dak buys enough time.

But this ain’t Pittsburgh. There’s structure in Dallas and Dak protects the ball well enough not to force plays. And unless that play breaks down, Pickens ain’t breaking free.

He’s built to box out, not break out.

3. Big Play or Bust – The Touchdown Mirage

Pickens isn’t a volume guy. He’s a “Did you see that one play??” guy. Give it another week or two and I’m sure the toe-tap hype reels from training camp will be flooding X.

And don’t get it twisted — that one play might be gorgeous. A 40-yard sideline toe-tap. A one-handed snag in traffic in the back corner of the end zone.

But that’s all it is: one play.

And unless you’re playing in a Top 10 Catches of the Week league, then it doesn’t make sense to draft him—and if it don’t make sense then it don’t make dollars! And I like winning my money every year!

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The 2024 Truth:

• 3 total touchdowns

• Games with 0 TDs: 11

• Games over 75 yards: 4

• Games under 40 yards: 7

• Red zone targets: 9 (Tied for 55th among WRs)

Pickens lives on splash plays. If he doesn’t house one, you’re left holding 6.3 points and regret. Sure TD opportunity and offensive efficiency will increase but the grass isn’t always greener in the hot ass desert!

You know what that sounds like?

Your WR4… in a bye week pinch.

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Now Consider This:

In Dallas, CeeDee Lamb is the alpha on early downs and in the red zone.

Ferguson is the preferred RZ seam target.

And the checkdowns? Those belong to whatever RB has working knees and two functioning hands. And while the receiving room isn’t deep Jalen Tolbert will put up 4-40 and Johnathan Mingo will make a few big plays a game.

Pickens is what you call a “fantasy land mine” —

He’ll blow up… just not for you. Good thing he’s in Dallas cause 3rd and long are the only opportunities he’s going to see!

He’s the guy who ruins your week from your bench… and then burns your lineup when you chase it.

Final Verdict – Hercules! Hercules! Get Them Scraps!

Damn George—is that oatmeal…or Cheerios? Look, I get it. George Pickens looks like a WR1.

He talks like a WR1.

He even high-points the ball like a WR1.

But you know how some ducks don’t look like ducks—they look like ugly geese—those ugly ones with the big red danglers? Yeah…fantasy football isn’t about vibes — it’s about volume, consistency, and schemes that feed your players.

And Pickens? He’s over here scraping together second servings behind CeeDee Lamb, hoping Turd Ferguson leaves him a crust of red zone pie. Mmm mmm

He’s the “flex-iest belle

at the ball—all glitz no guarantee” and your fantasy footballs are once again blue…not a foundational  piece for your roster.

A land mine with highlights.

A WR4 in WR1 cosplay.

So go ahead — draft him. Get all hyped that you think you got a two round discount on a receiver in the 4th that’s paired with Dak.

Clap at the toe-tap highlights. Go on…just make it clap!

Pray for that 4-100-1 game.

But don’t act surprised when “Hercules, Hercules!” is just you sarcastically clapping at your lineup while he’s down at the bottom of your roster… again.

Get those scraps! I’m eating Ribeye!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and support a dream to do this full time.

Love ya,

Steve-O

Founder, Analyst, Fantasy Scoundrel

Disagree? Love the chaos?

Drop a comment or catch the full debate on this week’s OG Fantasy Football Show.

Because somebody has to tell you the truth before WR32 burns your flex spot again.

Patience. Preparation. Domination.

That’s the OG way.

This ain’t analysis — this is ammunition.

And if you draft George Pickens like a WR2…

You better pray Third and Long is just the podcast — not your team name by Week 5.

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Catch you next time, champ.

— OG Fantasy Football