Who Should I Start? George Pickens or Ladd McConkey

Thursday, December 12, 4:03 PM

According to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice for the second-straight day. Pickens now has one more opportunity on Friday to practice in some capacity. Earlier in the week, head coach Mike Tomlin noted that his No.1 wideout would be unlikely to suit up this weekend, and his current trajectory reinforces that claim. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status on Friday in case he can practice in some capacity. Since Russell Wilson has taken starting duties, Pickens has averaged an impressive 16.0 PPR points per game and averaged 81.2 yards per game during this span. If Pickens misses his second-straight contest, fantasy managers should expect tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receivers Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III to see an uptick in targets.

Thursday, December 12, 6:00 PM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Ladd McConkey (knee, shoulder) was limited again in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. McConkey was inactive for the team's Week 14 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It's good news that the 23-year-old second-round rookie is practicing at all, but it doesn't necessarily mean he'll return for a Week 15 clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fantasy managers would really like to see the Georgia product return to a full practice on Friday. With McConkey out last week, receivers Quentin Johnston and Joshua Palmer both saw added involvement in the aerial attack. If McConkey gets the green light to play this weekend, he should be returned to starting fantasy lineups. He leads the Bolts in most receiving categories and is tied for 32nd among all wideouts in average half-PPR points per game in 2024.