George Pickens Traded to Cowboys: Fantasy Football Takeaways (2025)

We have a trade, and it has significant fantasy football impact! The Dallas Cowboys have acquired WR George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, while also receiving a 2027 sixth-rounder in return.

It’s a classic Cowboys move – overpaying (again) for a former college star they likely had a draft crush on. But at least this time, it fills a very real need. Behind CeeDee Lamb, the Dallas WR room was barren: Ryan Flournoy, Jonathan Mingo, and Jalen Tolbert were the next men up. That wasn’t going to cut it.

From a real-life football lens, this is a fair value acquisition for a player entering the final year of his rookie deal. However, it’s not just the picks Dallas is giving up – it’s the cost to keep Pickens in 2026 and beyond. Unless the Cowboys extend him early, they risk overpaying later or losing him entirely.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has a sterling record when it comes to knowing exactly when to move on from polarizing WRs:

All were traded or let go before their fantasy value cratered. That track record is tough to ignore. Wish I had paid attention to the trend more when I was drafting Diontae Johnson last season…

Fantasy Football Implications

Let’s dive into the fantasy football implications of the trade that sent George Pickens from the Steelers to the Cowboys.

Dak Prescott (QB – DAL)

This is a clear upgrade for Dak Prescott, who needed another viable weapon to maintain his fantasy ceiling. Pickens gives Dallas a legitimate deep threat and another vertical option – something they’ve lacked outside of Lamb.

Jake Ferguson (TE – DAL)

This trade hurts Jake Ferguson, who could drop to No. 3 or even No. 4 in the target hierarchy. That dramatically lowers his odds of finishing as a top-12 TE in fantasy, especially in redraft.

George Pickens (WR – DAL)

Let’s be clear – George Pickens has real on-field upside. We have seen the ceiling with him the last two seasons when he has had better QB play, and Prescott is by far the best QB he’s had at the NFL level.

In fact, his production took off in 2024 once Russell Wilson took over in Week 7 of the 2024 season. In six games played from Weeks 7-13 before Pickens’ injury, the Steelers’ WR averaged 13.6 half-PPR points per game (WR14). Pickens averaged just 7.7 points per game from Weeks 1-6.

But Pickens still profiles as a boom-bust, big-play receiver who isn’t likely to command elite target volume. He’s more valuable to the Dallas offense than to fantasy managers – especially if his ADP spikes post-trade, which it likely will. That makes him a strong sell candidate in dynasty leagues.

Given the Steelers’ elite track record of knowing when to bail on wide receivers, George Pickens is an immediate sell-high in all dynasty formats. Don’t get caught holding the bag. The hype will grow – capitalize now.

Also keep in mind: Dallas really likes KaVontae Turpin, recently signing him to a 3-year, $13.5M deal. Pickens may be the presumed WR2, but it’s not locked in.

DK Metcalf (WR – PIT)

With Pickens gone, DK Metcalf becomes the unquestioned alpha in Pittsburgh – both in 2025 and beyond. His target share should remain robust regardless of who’s under center. Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson now have paths to relevance, though they’ll need help from the QB position to matter in fantasy. Robert Woods?

Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)

Pat Freiermuth slides back into a No. 2 pass-catcher role. Coming off career-highs in catches (65) and 7 TDs, he finished as the TE10 in half-PPR last year. He’s once again on the late-round radar. Still, everything here hinges on one major question: Can the Steelers upgrade the QB room? Until they do, Metcalf is the only fantasy starter worth banking on.