It took less than five minutes for George Pickens to break a big play in the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason opener.
That’s good news for Steelers fans hoping for a breakout season from the second-year wide receiver. And fantasy football players who think Pickens is a sleeper to watch took further notice after the big play.
Just over four minutes into the game, Pickens ran a crossing route and took a short pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett. He broke a tackle, juked a couple of defenders and then outraced the defense for a 33-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Pickett to Pickens 🔥
📱: Stream #PITvsTB on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXewtKp pic.twitter.com/Rhp6ZfXBWs
— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2023
Pickens had a frustrating rookie season, largely due to the Steelers offense being a mess. The second-round draft pick hauled in 52 passes for 801 yards and four touchdowns, but he wanted more. The most enduring image of him from last season is from a December game, when video showed him yelling at coaches to “Get me the ******* ball.”
George Pickens telling the coaches “to get him the f—king ball” after Dropson fumble pic.twitter.com/1Ns9AIeL3v
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 4, 2022
Pickens appears primed for a breakout season. The Steelers will look to open up the offense, and a year of QB experience for Pickett should help.
From a fantasy football standpoint, some are pointing to Pickens as a value at his current rankings of around 30-35 among wide receivers, with an average draft position of around 80.
Friday night’s big play probably opened some eyes to his possibilities this season.
[NFL]
