Coming off a strong rookie season, expectations entering Year 2 are rather high for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens.
Pickens, who came off the board at No. 52 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft and was largely viewed as a steal by the Steelers, put together a strong rookie season in Pittsburgh, finishing with 52 receptions for 802 yards and four touchdowns, making a number of highlight-reel plays in the process.
Now, entering Year 2 with a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in the NFL, and a full offseason under his belt that has him even further removed from the knee injury he suffered at Georgia, Pickens is primed for a big jump in production and name recognition in Year 2.
That includes in fantasy football as well, where ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell tabbed Pickens as a guy who could be a breakout star in the fantasy football world in 2023.
“Nobody had it harder in 2022 than George Pickens. He had the lowest expected catch rate of any receiver in football,” Barnwell said on ESPN’s NFL Live Thursday. “If he has easier throws to catch in 2023 it could unlock a new level from a possible star receiver.”
The lowest expected catch rate of any receiver in football was a rather startling stat for Pickens. On top of that, Pickens’ catch rate overall was just 61.9 last season, putting him in a similar bucket with fellow rookie receivers Christian Watson in Green Bay and Drake London in Atlanta, according to NextGen Stats.
Some of those struggles from Pickens early in the season were tied to quarterback play. Veteran Mitch Trubisky got off to a rather slow start and Pickens didn’t see many targets through the first two weeks of the season (five) until seeing seven in a Thursday night loss on the road to Cleveland. The very next week, Pickens didn’t see much action in the first half against the New York Jets until fellow rookie Kenny Pickett was inserted into the starting lineup at halftime, leading to Pickens really blossoming from there, recording his first — and only — 100-yard game of the season.
Creating separation and having a fully-developed route tree remains a bit of a concern with Picken, but entering Year 2 as a contested-catch force and having that rapport with Pickett has the standout young receiver on the cusp of stardom.
Things should be a bit easier (using that word very loosely) for Pickens in Year Two from a physical and mental standpoint. That said, Pickens does have a couple of things going against him from completely breaking out this season. He needs to become more than just a one-trick pony after running vertical routes all the time last season. He also is in a crowded pass-catching room with Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson II, Calvin Austin III, Pat Freiermuth, and Darnell Washington all expected to see their share of targets.
But, Pickens has the talent to become one of the premier playmakers in the league and has the tools to become a true No. 1 receiver for the Steelers in general. We will see if the Georgia product can make that leap and improve as a well-rounded receiver as well as if the opportunities will be there for him to post WR1 numbers this season. Regardless, one should reasonably expect Pickens to crack the 1,000-yard mark in 2023 while tacking on seven to eight TDs as well for a successful sophomore campaign.
