Is George Pickens Actually Underrated?
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
You may have heard: There’s a question or two brewing when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver room. Maybe the Steelers will finally pull off a trade for Brandon Aiyuk or another premier wideout, or maybe a relative unknown like rookie Roman Wilson or Calvin Austin III will step up in a secondary role. But what we do know is this: Pittsburgh has at least one really good option in George Pickens.
A big percentage of the Steelers’ fate is going to swing on just how good Pickens is. This season is shaping up to be the one where he truly establishes himself among the league’s elite. One person who believes Pickens is going to do exactly that is Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report. In naming Pickens the NFL’s No. 1 underrated wide receiver, he says:
It shouldn’t be all that shocking if Pickens winds up in the discussion as a top-10 wide receiver in the league if he takes the next step in his third season. Pickens is on pace for that kind of start to his career.
Currently, Pickens is rated as the 30th-best wideout in the league, according to Sam Monson. That’s a No. 1 receiver in the league, by virtue of there being 32 teams, but not a slam-dunk No. 1 option in the eyes of the league. Pickens sits behind three rookies on the list in Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze, for example.
Is Pickens a top-10 receiver waiting for this year’s opportunities, or is he the low-end No. 1 that most in the league see him as? We’ll dive into the cases for him being Underrated or Properly Rated.
George Pickens Is Underrated
Let’s be real: When Greg Maddux first observed in 1998 that “Chicks dig the long ball,” he wasn’t just talking about his own sport. Big-play ability is king in football, as well. There’s a reason you don’t see too many flat routes featured on “You Got Mossed.”
Pickens has this big-play ability in spades, as much as anyone in the NFL. He famously led the league with 18.1 yards per catch and reeled off explosive plays in ways few others did last year. His six catches of 40-plus yards was tied with Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel for third in the NFL, with Tyreek Hill (9) and Amari Cooper (8) being the only players ahead of him.
While upgrading in quarterback from the Kenny Pickett/Mason Rudolph/Mitchell Trubisky Triumvirate is obviously a big deal, less has been said about how Russell Wilson is suited to only help Pickens’ big-play game.
Last season, Wilson, even in a “bad” season with the Denver Broncos, threw 10 40-plus-yard passes, fifth in the NFL. We’re talking about more such passes than Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Patrick Mahomes. And all due respect to the likes of Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton… but they’re no Pickens. Adding a big-play quarterback to the mix should only enhance Pickens’ ability to get deep, and getting more explosive could propel Pickens into the league’s top-10.
Pickens Is Properly Rated
On the other hand, big plays aren’t the whole picture. In his rookie year, Pickens ran more “Go” routes than anyone, according to The Ringer’s Kevin Clark, and it’s safe to assume he was near the top of the league last season, as well.
Pickens is on a bit of an island now, with Diontae Johnson having been traded this offseason. Johnson had more targets per game than Pickens last year, and with Johnson out of the picture, Pickens will be Wilson’s undisputed No. 1 option.
Because of this, he’ll have to be relied on for short-to-intermediate routes, which he wasn’t often asked to do last season, notes our own Scott Allen. That role demands a variety of routes beyond his bread-and-butter “Go” plays, and a heavier share of the target load than he’s handled in the past.
Pickens will also have to adjust to this while facing much more defensive attention. He should expect to face double coverage regularly, especially if Wilson and Austin III can’t establish themselves as legitimate secondary threats.
None of this is to say Pickens can’t ascend to the top of the wide receiver pecking order. Pickens clearly has the talent to do so, and his numbers over his first two seasons suggest he can take that next step. But until he proves that he can be the No. 1 guy and excel at the role, it’s hard to put him in that stratosphere just yet.
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