Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or George Pickens

Monday, November 18, 5:32 AM

On Sunday, Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen had another quiet performance in the team's Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Allen finished with just four receptions for 41 yards, a far cry from the dynamic playmaker he was last season. Despite being targeted 8 times by quarterback Caleb Williams, Allen could not make a significant impact. That said, it was encouraging to see him come up clutch on a few vital third-down plays, proving he's still effective at getting open in critical situations. The recent coaching change, with Thomas Brown taking over as offensive coordinator, seems to have sparked some life in the Bears' offense, even if Allen's production didn't reflect that shift. The Bears won't have much time to regroup as they host the tough Minnesotabrutalngs at Soldier Field next Sunday. A challenging matchup against Brian Flores' defense awaits.

Wednesday, November 20, 7:46 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens enters Week 12 with the fourth-most receiving yards in the NFL and will look to advance his breakout campaign against the Cleveland Browns. Although the Browns have been solid defensively this year, they have been exploited by opposing wideouts. Cleveland allows the fourth-most fantasy points per game to receivers despite surrendering the fourth-fewest receptions to the position. In other words, the Browns give up big plays and touchdowns, which is exactly how Pickens tends to make an impact. The third-year pro has only scored twice this season but is tied for the sixth-most red zone targets in the league and has had multiple touchdowns overturned or nullified by penalties. Fantasy managers should confidently deploy Pickens as a low-end WR1 on Thursday night.