Who Should I Start? Cooper Kupp or George Pickens


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
11.9 0.0 0.0 4.9 48.9 0.3

Cooper Kupp News

Demotion Coming in Seattle for Cooper Kupp?

Tuesday, March 10, 12:38 PM

The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar writes that Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed's new deal "suggests a demotion" for Cooper Kupp, who turns 33 years old in June. Last year, Kupp was second on the team in targets (70) and receiving yards (593), and third in catches (47). His 2026 salary cap hit sits at $17.4 million, fourth-highest on the team behind Sam Darnold, Leonard Williams, and Uchenna Nwosu. One of either Shaheed or Kupp will end up being a pricey WR3, and the team still has second-year wideout Tory Horton. If the Seahawks were to trade Kupp, they'd save around $9.4 million in 2026. Kupp led the NFL in catches (145), targets (191), receiving yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16) in 2021 with the Los Angeles Rams, but he's steadily declined since then. He caught only two touchdown passes in 16 regular-season games in 2025 and might have an even smaller role in his 10th year in the NFL if he stays in Seattle.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
14.2 0.0 0.0 5.0 63.1 0.5

George Pickens News

George Pickens Expected to Hold Out Until Long-Term Deal is Reached

Friday, February 27, 12:45 PM

The Dallas Cowboys officially placed the franchise tag on impending free-agent wide receiver George Pickens on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Now the two sides will try to work out a long-term contract extension before the July 15 deadline, with executive vice president Stephen Jones saying that the team isn't putting any timeframe on it. Rapoport said he does not expect Pickens to report to the team's facilities "unless and until there is a long-term deal." Rapoport also wonders if there is a team out there that would be willing to give up a premium draft pick and sign Pickens to a long-term deal themselves to try to pry the 24-year-old away from Dallas for 2026 and beyond. If Dallas and Pickens are unable to reach a long-term deal by July 15, and he's not traded, he'd play the upcoming season on a one-year, fully guaranteed $28 million contract. All signs point to the former second-rounder playing in Dallas again in 2026, where he had a career-best 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Pickens is a locked-in WR1 in fantasy for this fall.


Cooper Kupp vs. George Pickens

Still trying to decide between Kupp and Pickens? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Cooper Kupp is projected to score 11.9 points this week while George Pickens is projected to score 14.2 points.