Who Should I Start? George Pickens or Matthew Golden
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 4.7 | 70.1 | 0.4 |
George Pickens News
Wednesday, July 15, 4:10 PM
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens will officially play the 2026 season on his $27.3 million franchise tender after the deadline for tagged players to agree on long-term contracts passed on Wednesday, per ESPN. The Cowboys announced before the NFL draft in April that they didn't plan to engage Pickens in long-term extension talks, so this was the expected outcome. The last time Dallas signed a tagged player to an extension was receiver Dez Bryant in 2015. Pickens has signed his tender, which puts him under contract for 2026. Since reaching an extension with Bryant in 2015, quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, tight end Dalton Schultz, running back Tony Pollard, and now Pickens have played on the franchise tag. Pickens, 25, was a first-time Pro Bowler and broke out for a career year in 2025 in his first year in Dallas after they acquired him in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching 93 of 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games. He'll be pricey in fantasy drafts going into his second year in Dallas, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 9 fantasy WR for 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 41.8 | 0.2 |
Matthew Golden News
Monday, July 27, 5:49 AM
As a first-round rookie in 2025, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden was never able to build any consistency, six times being held beneath 10 receiving yards in a game, but his performance in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Bears provided a glimpse of bigger things to come in year two. The Packers traded away Dontayvion Wicks and allowed Romeo Doubs to depart in free agency, so when the team kicks off its first practice of training camp on Wednesday, Golden will be penciled in to the starting outside spot opposite Christian Watson. Jayden Reed's usual role out of the slot could expand in 2026 out of necessity, but Golden will have every opportunity to prove he belongs on the field in two-receiver sets, and his breakout candidacy is gaining steam. After dealing with a nagging ankle injury throughout his rookie season, better health and increased opportunity could lead to notable growth in year two, making Golden a potential bargain at RotoBaller's WR50.
George Pickens vs. Matthew Golden
Still trying to decide between Pickens and Golden? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that George Pickens is projected to score 14.3 points this week while Matthew Golden is projected to score 9.0 points.
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