The Dallas Cowboys have finally delivered on their promise to support Dak Prescott, and fantasy football managers should take notice. Jerry Jones made a bold move by trading for former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, sending a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth to Pittsburgh in exchange for Pickens and a 2027 sixth.
This wasn’t just a depth move; it was a swing for upside. With Pickens sliding into the WR2 role in Dallas, his fantasy football stock is suddenly on the rise.
THE COWBOYS FINALLY FILL THEIR WR2 VOID
Remember when the Cowboys thought Brandin Cooks was the answer to their WR2 problem? Or when they shipped Amari Cooper to Cleveland for peanuts? Yeah, that didn’t work out.
Since Cooper’s departure, the Cowboys have been searching for anyone to take pressure off CeeDee Lamb. Now, they’ve got a legitimate X receiver in George Pickens, who should settle in nicely on the perimeter while Lamb continues to wreak havoc from the slot.
Gone are the days of Dak Prescott targeting the ghost of Michael Gallup or trying to convince himself that Jonathan Mingo is a legit threat. George Pickens is here. And with him comes size, speed, and big-play potential that drips with crazy upside.
MASSIVE UPGRADE FOR GEORGE PICKENS
Let’s call a spade a spade: Pickens’ 2024 campaign wasn’t exactly lighting fantasy leaderboards on fire. He finished with 59 receptions, 900 yards, and a sad little trio of touchdowns, which led him to WR3/FLEX territory. But he still posted a 16.3 yards per reception mark (7th among WRs) and 9.7 yards per target (11th), despite playing in an offense that treated the forward pass like a novelty.
Thanks, Arthur Smith.
Now he goes from the inconsistent Justin Fields and what’s left of Russell Wilson to Dak Prescott, an accurate quarterback at all three levels.
Let’s put some more numbers to that claim:
- Pickens (2023): 59th in off-target rate among 103 WRs
- Prescott (last 2 seasons): 4th in off-target rate among QBs
- Prescott on 15+ yard throws: 6th in accuracy, leads the NFL in yardage
You want more optimism? Pickens has more receiving yards on 15+ yard go routes over the last two years than any other wide receiver. This could be a match made in fantasy heaven.
WHAT ABOUT CEEDEE LAMB?
Yes, Pickens had a respectable 26.5% target share last year in 14 healthy games. But in raw volume, that translates to just 7.4 targets per game, which would only be 26th among receivers.
Will his share go down in Dallas? Probably. After all, CeeDee Lamb is still the alpha and one of the premier target earners in the NFL. Lamb has been targeted on 29% of his routes the past two seasons and had a 27.1% target share last year while playing with one arm for a chunk of the season.
But here’s the twist: Dallas throws more. And that changes everything.
Even with a reduced share, Pickens could see the same or even more opportunities than he did in Pittsburgh, just with better accuracy, more touchdown potential, and a quarterback who’s not afraid to let it rip.
Jake Ferguson, for context, saw 6.1 targets per game with a 16.8% share last year. There’s plenty of room for Pickens to hover around that seven-to-eight target mark, and when those targets are coming from Prescott and going 20 yards downfield, you don’t need 12 per game to matter in fantasy.
PICKENS’ FIT IN THE OFFENSE? JUST FINE!
Let’s not pretend we know exactly what Brian Schottenheimer’s offense will look like in 2025. But the current version of this Cowboys attack isn’t the ground-and-pound slog you might associate with the Schottenheimer name.
Dallas is set up to pass a lot, especially with the limited options in the backfield, even after drafting the electric Jaydon Blue.
Their offensive line should be better in pass protection, Lamb is a slot monster, and now they’ve got Pickens as a vertical alpha on the outside. This isn’t just a fit, it’s exactly the kind of environment where Pickens’ skillset can flourish with big plays, red zone upside, and most eyes focusing on CeeDee.
GEORGE PICKENS FANTASY OUTLOOK: WR2 WITH WR1 WEEKS INCOMING
George Pickens is only 24 years old, has elite big-play chops, and just landed in one of the league’s most fantasy-friendly passing environments.
Sure, he’s not going to command a 30% target share. That’s fine. He doesn’t have to. What he does have is a massive QB upgrade, a major leap in pass-game volume, a clearly defined role as an every-down outside receiver, and surrounding talent that will allow him to exploit coverage.
He’s the perfect mid-round wide receiver target with boom week potential, especially in Underdog Best Ball or any format that rewards splash plays.
Keep an eye on The Wolf’s 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings and Best Ball Rankings to see where he slots the talented headcase.
