Dallas entered the offseason seeking a top wide receiver but made minimal moves until recently. On Wednesday, they finalized a trade with the Steelers, acquiring George Pickens for draft picks, filtering in a crucial third-round pick to Pittsburgh.

Now, Pickens joins a promising setup alongside Dak Prescott, marking a significant upgrade in quarterbacks for him, as he becomes the secondary receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb. Simultaneously, DK Metcalf, who joined the Steelers from the Seahawks, takes on the primary receiving role there.

Looking at the implications from a fantasy angle, this trade appears favorable for both clubs. At just 24, Pickens’ career has been hindered by less-than-ideal quarterbacks like Kenny Pickett and others, but he thrived with Russell Wilson last season! Now, with Prescott at the helm, we anticipate an uptick in Pickens’ production.

In fact, if we consider his recent statistics, his potential showcases promise: he accrued at least 16.4 PPR points in four of his first six games last season. Had he played all those games, he could have finished with approximately 82 receptions for 1,379 yards and nine touchdowns.

Had Pickens remained in Pittsburgh, he would have shared resources with Metcalf, also dealing with precarious quarterback dynamic. Although there are assumptions regarding the Steelers potentially signing Aaron Rodgers, the need to enhance their quarterback corps remains uncertain. From my perspective, Pickens in Dallas feels like the superior option with pressing opportunities, even while sharing the field with Lamb.

The Cowboys have few vacated targets to fill from their last season—largest among them being Brandin Cooks, who performed underwhelmingly. If Pickens manages to avoid conflicts off the field, he then becomes a candidate as a third receiver in many leagues, possibly crowning his draft as early as Round 6.

Lamb’s Fantasy Outlook: With the addition of Pickens, Lamb’s perceived value may slightly dip, but he retains status as a top-10 positional player despite willingly sharing targets with Pickens.

Dak Prescott stands to gain the most from this deal—his value climbing as a low-end QB1 in fantasy circles, with a mid-round pick now appearing attractive. Come July, at 32 and recovering from a hamstring injury, Prescott displayed magnificent traits last season averaging 24.4 fantasy points per game, demonstrating that pedigree more than half the time over his last six seasons.

Ferguson’s Role: Moving forward, Jake Ferguson sees potential declines. Earlier viewed as a promising TE option due to a heightened target expectation, Ferguson now seems more a shot in the dark and is likely to find himself drafted late.

Pittsburgh’s Gain: Lastly, as for the Steelers, Metcalf instantly emerges as the unequivocal primary receiver, significantly boosting his fantasy potential. After signing a hefty extension, fans are eager to see how he flourishes next season, particularly if the quarterback situation stabilizes with a savvy signing.

Mike Tomlin has been vocal about his enthusiasm around Metcalf, reinforcing confidence:

“There’s very little on the football field from a wide receiver perspective that he can’t do. He’s got short game, he’s got long game, he’s a combat catch guy. We’re really excited about the addition of DK Metcalf.”