Who Should I Start? George Pickens or Omarion Hampton

Wednesday, September 3, 11:13 AM

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has been "energized" by playing in a different offensive scheme this year, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Additionally, Machota writes that the 24-year-old is "being showcased in different routes and concepts" than he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Pickens spent the first three seasons of his career. Pickens is known as a ball-winning outside receiver, and he led the NFL in yards per reception (18.1) back in 2023. However, it sounds as though Dallas could be looking to vary Pickens' route tree in 2025, which could help him see more target volume (career 6.1 targets per game). He enters the year as the clear number two option in the Cowboys' passing game behind star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Pickens profiles as a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 in fantasy.

Saturday, September 6, 12:59 AM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton rushed for 48 yards on 15 carries during Friday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught two passes for an additional 13 yards through the air. While it was promising that the Chargers trusted Hampton to handle heavy volume, his inefficiency (3.2 yards per carry) was somewhat worrisome. Going forward, it's possible that the rookie will need to score touchdowns in order to be fantasy relevant. Nevertheless, he is the clear No. 1 running back in Los Angeles, so his value will increase as he starts to face easier defenses. For example, he gets a much more favorable matchup in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders.