Who Should I Start? DK Metcalf or George Pickens

Wednesday, February 4, 4:33 PM

Wide receiver DK Metcalf's first year in Pittsburgh with the Steelers didn't go as planned after he signed a four-year, $132 million contract with the team in March of last year. Metcalf was the team's leading receiver, but he finished under 1,000 yards for the second straight year while catching 59 of a career-low 99 targets for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. A two-game suspension to close out the year for punching a fan didn't help his cause. The 28-year-old didn't show much chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but in Metcalf's defense, the Steelers' lack of WR led to plenty of double-teams. The two-time Pro Bowler is still one of the most physically gifted receivers in the game, but the Steelers need to get him some help. His two-year decline will drop his fantasy value in 2026, especially since there's a good chance Metcalf will be working with a new QB in his eighth year in the NFL.

Thursday, February 12, 4:26 PM

It's a foregone conclusion that the Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on impending free-agent wide receiver George Pickens this offseason after his breakout 2025 season. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport wonders if the Cowboys would be willing to slap the franchise tag on Pickens and then turn around and trade him. Dallas acquired the 24-year-old from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a third-rounder, so in theory, the Cowboys could entertain the idea of flipping Pickens for a potential second-rounder. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has shown in the past that he's not afraid of trading star players (see Micah Parsons just last year) for high-end draft capital. Alongside CeeDee Lamb, though, Pickens took Dallas' offense to another level in 2025, and he finished with a career-high 1,429 yards, 93 receptions, and nine touchdowns in 17 games. If Pickens stays in Dallas in 2026, he'll be a strong WR1 target in fantasy football drafts.