Who Should I Start? George Pickens or Chase Brown

Friday, December 20, 6:15 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) didn't officially practice this week and was ruled out for Saturday's game against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens for the third straight game, but he is running and did make an effort to be cleared this week. The Steelers are optimistic that Pickens will be ready to go next Wednesday on Christmas Day to face the Kansas City Chiefs. The 23-year-old picked the worst possible time to miss games for fantasy managers relying on him in the postseason, but he could be back next week to resume his role as Pittsburgh's No. 1 wideout. If Pickens is active next week, fantasy managers will be hard-pressed not to throw him back in their starting lineups, even in a tough matchup against the Chiefs' stingy defense. Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson and Mike Williams have done little in Pickens' absence, with tight end Pat Freiermuth being the biggest beneficiary.

Friday, December 20, 10:32 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has had an excellent 2024-25 campaign. The 24-year-old has 832 yards off 191 carries and 47 catches for 318 yards. He's also combined for 11 touchdowns, finding the end zone at least once in seven of his previous nine appearances. With the Browns on tap for Week 16, Chase will need to stay involved for the Bengals, a team barely alive for the postseason. But since the 2023 No. 163 overall pick has been a go-to option for Joe Burrow (wrist, knee) all year, there's no reason to believe that will change versus a Cleveland defense that has allowed 25.4 points per game this season. As expected, Chase remains a must-start in all fantasy setups in Week 16.