Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or George Pickens

Friday, November 15, 7:10 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) had surgery on his right knee earlier this week to fix a torn ACL and other damage. In addition to tearing his ACL, Aiyuk also tore his MCL in the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and will miss the rest of the season. He should have already been dropped in single-season fantasy leagues. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old will make enough progress in his rehab in the offseason in order to be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2025 regular season next fall. For the rest of 2024, receivers Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle should be the most-targeted pass-catchers, with rookie first-rounder Ricky Pearsall also seeing an expanded role in the passing attack. Aiyuk was an absolute fantasy bust this year, finishing with 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns in seven games.

Monday, January 20, 12:24 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens could be traded if the team adds a No. 1 receiver during the offseason, according to Mark Kaboly of 93.7 The Fan. In a post on X responding to fan questions, Kaboly wrote, "Can they land somebody? If so, I do think they will move [Pickens]." It was a turbulent year for the 23-year-old, who drew head coach Mike Tomlin's ire for unsportsmanlike penalties and reportedly showed up late to the team's Christmas Day game. He missed three contests due to injury this year, and his production was somewhat inconsistent when he was healthy. Pickens finished the campaign with 59 receptions, 900 yards, and a career-low three touchdowns. There's no indication that Pittsburgh is done with Pickens or committed to trading him, but Kaboly's post suggests he could certainly be moved.