Player: WR George Pickens
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The Pittsburgh Steelers’ top receiver, George Pickens finally found the end zone. Though he previously scored on a play negated by penalty, he finally recorded his first touchdown with Russell Wilson. He also recorded his second 100-yard game of the season, a good sign for the start of a new phase.
George Pickens has certainly missed some opportunities this season, but by and large, he made the most of them last night. In a 37-15 win over the Jets Sunday, the Steelers standout caught five passes on nine targets for 111 yards. One of those targets also finally found the end zone, his first score of the 2024 season.
In fact, it marked just the second touchdown for a wide receiver on the year in Week 7. Justin Fields threw five touchdown passes in six games, but four found his tight ends. Outside of George Pickens, he lacked much of a rapport with the rest of his options.
Russell Wilson, however, seemed more equipped to deliver the ball, at least after a rough first quarter. And as you would expect, he preferred throwing in the direction of George Pickens. While their touchdown connection was significant, they also hit on a 44-yarder.
Under duress, Wilson also nearly found Pickens on another deep ball, the latter reaching over the other side of defender’s helmet. The effort alone was impressive. Later, he successfully drew a defensive pass interference penalty against Sauce Gardner.
And to the best of my knowledge, he didn’t throw any tantrums, which is always a plus. Pickens certainly has talent, but sometimes that talent is toting some baggage. The Steelers obviously hope that Russell Wilson can carry him along and lighten that load. They know that they have not had stable, quality quarterback play throughout Pickens’ career so far.
Some have even wondered if the Steelers in part wanted to sign Russell Wilson in order to find out what they really have in George Pickens. The former second-round pick is due a contract extension after this season. They want him to prove that he belongs in Pittsburgh for the long haul. If he can keep delivering shows like last night, then just maybe he does.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
