Throughout the rest of the offseason, the Steelers Depot crew will debate a number of hot-button topics ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season. We weigh in on each side of a discussion while you tell us who you agree with.
Today’s topic: Will George Pickens improve upon his 2023 receiving yard total?
Joe Clark: Yes
I don’t see a world that exists where a healthy Pickens can’t surpass the 1,140 yards that he had last season. Pickens was largely invisible at times last season, with seven games under 40 yards receiving, and that shouldn’t be the case in 2024. He’s going to be the focal point of the offensive passing attack, as the Steelers traded away Diontae Johnson and have yet to add another reliable No. 2 option,
Sure, that means Pickens might get blanketed in coverage more and that could make things harder for him. But his target volume is going to increase, and he’s also playing with a better quarterback. Either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will be an upgrade over Kenny Pickett was last season, and assuming Wilson starts, his accuracy could make things a lot easier for Pickens, even if he faces tougher coverage.
I think that this could be a breakout season for Pickens, and he’ll easily exceed the 1,140-yard mark he achieved on just 63 receptions last season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 80+ receptions out of Pickens this season, and somewhere around 1,350 yards feels like a good benchmark. He’s going to ascend to one of the top receivers in football, and even Vegas is confident he’ll come close to his total from last year. His over/under receiving yards total from BetOnline is 1000.5, and I think that’s a pretty safe over bet, providing he’s healthy.
If Pickens stays healthy and has fewer yards than last season, that’s a very bad sign for the Steelers, but it’s just something I can’t see happening.
Tony Calderone
Unfortunately, I don’t think George Pickens will surpass his 2023 total of 1,140 receiving yards in 2024.
And it’s no knock on his talent. He’s one of the most athletic and one of the best spectacular catch receivers in the league. It’s more of a sad truth of his situation in 2024.
I think of 2024 George Pickens as a great MLB hitter with no protection in the lineup. No pitcher is going to give him anything to hit, and no defense is going to give him much single coverage. At least last year he had Diontae Johnson as a proven guy alongside him to give him some protection.
Because look at this roster. The gap from Pickens to the next-best pass catcher might be the widest of any team in the league. I think he’s probably a borderline top-15 guy, and even still I don’t see him getting to 1,140 yards.
Obviously any injury effectively kills his chances, but there are other factors to consider too. He led the league in yards per catch last year with 18.1. He’s going to be a big play guy this year too, but I would expect at least some natural regression in that area. He’s a little too reliant on the big 80-yard plays for my liking, at least when it comes to reaching a receiving yard total.
He’s going to have a great year, but I imagine it will be one that is considered great because of his contributions beyond the box score. We’ll look at someone like Van Jefferson after the season and wonder how the heck he got 700 or so yards. And a lot of it will be due to the attention that George Pickens commands.
