George Pickens Traded to Dallas for 3rd Round, 5th Round Picks

After passing on the top talent at wide receiver both in free agency and in last month’s draft, the Cowboys finally make a splash to get Ceedee Lamb a running mate and Dak Prescott a capable WR2. For Pickens, this is a relatively lateral move – he’s still a boom-bust WR2 candidate with Ceedee Lamb set to earn ≥25% target share, but going from having no QB in Pittsburgh to a proven one in Dak Prescott constitutes an upgrade that could give him a bit safer of a floor than he’s had in recent seasons. Lamb’s status as a fantasy WR1 remains intact despite the addition, as Pickens is set to fill the role in Dallas’ offense that’s been vacant for years since Michael Gallup left: the vertical threat. Dak Prescott gets a slight boost, but he should still only be considered in 2QB leagues.

Meanwhile, for the Steelers, D.K. Metcalf is now the unquestioned WR1 in their offense that currently doesn’t have a promising name at quarterback. He should be peppered with targets by default with Pickens out of the way, but Metcalf’s upside and his potential to achieve it could very well be determined by who’s under center come Week 1.