Who Should I Start? Van Jefferson or George Pickens

Friday, March 15, 7:06 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing free-agent wide receiver Van Jefferson to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday. After the trade of receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this week, the move to sign Jefferson will give new quarterback Russell Wilson a new weapon alongside George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. The 27-year-old former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 spent time with new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with the Atlanta Falcons last year, catching 12 of 28 targets for 101 yards in 12 games (five starts) with the team. The move to Pittsburgh should be a boost for Jefferson's weak fantasy value, but the Steelers could also add to the position in the upcoming NFL draft. In four years in the NFL, Jefferson has 113 receptions for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns in 61 games (35 starts).

Sunday, April 7, 9:36 PM

According to Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, he recently got together with new quarterback Russell Wilson in San Diego for throwing drills. Also in attendance were Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson, who signed with the Steelers a few weeks ago. Interestingly enough, wideout George Pickens reportedly skipped out on participating with the group. Although a reason hasn't been revealed, it's something to monitor ahead of offseason workouts and moving toward training camp. However, with Wilson looking to bounce back from an unproductive year, not having his No. 1 wideout join him for voluntary drills isn't ideal. It also isn't a good look for Pickens, who fell below expectations throughout the 2023-24 campaign.