George Pickens had a profession season in his first 12 months in Dallas in 2025. Now, we may get a repeat efficiency in 2026 after the Cowboys positioned the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens on Friday.
Underneath the non-exclusive franchise tag, Pickens can negotiate with different groups, however Dallas has the fitting to match any supply. And either side will nonetheless have till mid-July to barter a possible multi-year deal, which is one thing the Cowboys have expressed curiosity in doing. If no long-term extension is finalized, Pickens will play out the 2026 marketing campaign on a one-year, $28.8 million contract, which is totally assured.
We hope this contract scenario would not get messy and trigger Pickens to overlook any time in coaching camp. If he stays with the Cowboys as anticipated then he has the possibility to be a low-end No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and he can be price drafting as early as Spherical 3.
Pickens got here to Dallas previous to final season in a commerce from Pittsburgh, and it was a implausible deal for the Cowboys. He had profession highs in catches (93), yards (1,429), touchdowns (9) and targets (137), and he performed all 17 video games. He averaged a career-best 17.2 PPR factors per sport, which was No. 6 behind Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Rashee Rice.
Pickens had 5 video games with greater than 100 yards receiving, and he set a franchise document with 5 video games of at the least 130 yards receiving and a landing. In keeping with ESPN, his 13 catches of at the least 25 yards and 73 first-down receptions ranked within the high 5 within the NFL.
Now, whereas Pickens was nice all season, he was a dominant power when CeeDee Lamb missed three video games and nearly all of one other from Weeks 3-6 with an ankle harm. Pickens scored at the least 17.8 PPR factors in three of these 4 video games and averaged 24.2 PPR factors over that span, with 5 touchdowns.
Pickens staying in Dallas is not nice information for Lamb, who had a down 12 months in 2025. He completed the season with 75 catches for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns on 117 targets in 14 video games, and he averaged simply 14.4 PPR factors per sport. It was his lowest reception and yardage complete since his rookie season in 2020, and this was the worst landing complete of his profession.
We’re relying on Lamb to bounce again in 2026, even with Pickens on the roster, and he must be drafted no later than Spherical 2 within the majority of leagues. However Lamb is now not in the identical tier as Nacua, Smith-Njigba, Chase and St. Brown, and also you should not attain for Lamb on Draft Day.
Pickens’ return is nice information for Dak Prescott, who handed for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2025, together with 177 dashing yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 21.9 Fantasy factors per sport, which was No. 7 amongst quarterbacks behind Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen, Drake Maye, Brock Purdy, Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence.
This was the third time in Prescott’s profession that he handed for at the least 4,500 yards and fourth time with at the least 30 touchdowns. Together with his elite duo of receivers again, Prescott is price drafting as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues with a mid-round choose.
The Cowboys have been aggressive to date this offseason by utilizing the franchise tag on Pickens and signing Javonte Williams to a contract extension. Dallas ought to as soon as once more be a standout offense, and we like that as Fantasy managers.
We’ll proceed to observe the scenario for Pickens and if he’ll get a long-term contract. So long as he would not maintain out in coaching camp, Pickens has the possibility to as soon as once more be an superior Fantasy receiver in 2026.
