Who Should I Start? Julio Jones or George Pickens

Friday, April 4, 7:32 PM

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has officially announced his retirement. The Alabama product had an incredible run as a Falcon, with whom he spent nine seasons before serving three consecutive one-year stints with the Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles. Jones tallied 914 receptions, 13,703 yards, and 66 touchdowns in 166 career games. The 35-year-old is the author of the third-highest single-season receiving yardage total of all time and ranks No. 16 on the all-time list of most receiving yards in a career. Jones was a spectacle on the field, with a rare blend of size, speed, and physicality that sought to give any defensive back fits. The former sixth-overall pick of the 2011 draft holds an excellent case for becoming a member of the Hall of Fame.

Wednesday, May 7, 1:02 PM

The Dallas Cowboys' plan is for newly acquired wide receiver George Pickens to play out his rookie deal in 2025, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The Cowboys swung a trade for Pickens and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday in exchange for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The 24-year-old Pickens gives Dallas a big upgrade at the No. 2 receiver spot behind All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Although Pickens is going to have plenty of competition for targets from Lamb -- he would have had that in Pittsburgh as well alongside DK Metcalf -- the move to Dallas should be overwhelmingly positive for his fantasy value in 2025. Pickens will now be working with quarterback Dak Prescott in an offense that could be very pass-heavy when considering their mediocre backfield options. The former second-rounder has 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in his three NFL seasons.