The NFC East is almost certain to be decided this week in the Philadelphia Eagles’ favor, marking the first time since 2004 that the division will have a repeat champion. Philadelphia just needs one more win or the Dallas Cowboys one more loss to secure the Eagles’ coronation. Despite likely falling short of the postseason for the second straight season, Dallas should come away from this season with its head held high: Dak Prescott returned from a serious injury to play like one of the best quarterbacks in football, Brian Schottenheimer looks like a solid head coach, and wideout George Pickens — acquired in the offseason for just two mid-round picks — ranks third in the league in receiving yards.
However, after an absurdly hot two-week stretch (18 catches, 290 yards, two touchdowns, and 65 FPTS), in Weeks 11 and 12, he’s slowed down significantly. Over his last two weeks, he’s once again taken a backseat to CeeDee Lamb, pulling in just eight of his 15 targets for 70 yards (15 total FPTS) as the Cowboys have lost both games. More worryingly, one of his incompletions in Dallas’ loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 14 was a drop, though he’s generally been fairly steady-handed throughout his career. Pickens’ status as a primary target shouldn’t be in question, but the Cowboys’ receiving corps only got deeper when Ryan Flournoy had nine catches for 115 yards and a score (29.5 FPTS) against the Lions.
Still, Dallas will exhibit patience with Pickens, and fantasy managers should as well. He’s never been a player known for his week-to-week consistency, but the highs are extremely high; for instance, near the start of the 2024 season, he combined for just seven catches and 86 yards (13.6 FPTS) in Weeks 2 and 3 but had a seven-catch, 113-yard, one-score (20.3-FPT) performance in Week 4. The athleticism, frame, and sure hands that made Pickens a surefire fantasy asset between Weeks 2 and 13 are still there, so any major concern would be undue. The Cowboys did suffer a loss in pass protection prior to Week 13, when Tyler Guyton with a high-ankle sprain, but Dallas’ pass protection has been shoddy all season regardless. Week 15 was partially attributable to Prescott making more off-target throws than usual, which isn’t typically a factor, given that he ranks second in completion percentage over expectation.
Of course, the Los Angeles Chargers are the hardest possible matchup for Pickens — they’ve allowed the fewest FPTS per game to opposing wide receivers this season — but that doesn’t mean he can’t be fantasy-viable. Los Angeles has done a good job keeping opposing wideouts of the end zone, but Pickens is still a reliable part of the Cowboys’ red zone plans. Plus, while top outside corner Donte Jackson is one of the best in the league at his position, he was poor in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers prefer to play zone, and Pickens’ production against zone drops off less from his numbers against man coverage vis-a-vis Lamb’s, making him the more versatile target.
