Who Should I Start? Michael Thomas or George Pickens

Wednesday, September 11, 8:40 PM

The National Football League on Wednesday announced that it has lifted the suspension of free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas. Thomas was suspended for the first game of the 2024 NFL season for an incident with a construction worker near his home last year. The fact that the 31-year-old remained without a team all offseason is a sign that he may struggle to latch on with an organization despite the fact that he's past his one-game suspension. Just several years ago, Thomas was the best receiver in the league, but injuries have limited him to 20 games since the start of the 2020 campaign, and he played in just 10 games with the New Orleans Saints last year before a knee injury ended his season. He caught 39 passes for 448 yards and one touchdown in 2023. Thomas belongs on the waiver wire in all leagues and is unlikely to be on the fantasy radar in 2024.

Tuesday, January 14, 12:15 PM

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo suggests that the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider trading wide receiver George Pickens this offseason despite the fact that he's without a doubt the team's best offensive player. However, Pickens will enter the fourth and final year of his rookie deal in 2025, which means he could be a "hold in" during training camp this summer as he seeks a contract extension. DeFabo believes giving Pickens a big extension would be a mistake when considering some of his antics on the field. Instead of paying Pickens, the Steelers could choose from receivers scheduled to hit free agency in March that includes Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin, Marquise Brown, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins and Stefon Diggs. In fantasy, Pickens was the WR41 in 2024 with 59 catches for 900 yards and only three touchdowns in 14 games played.