George Pickens

Pickens' nine targets were second only to Ryan Flournoy, who surprised with a team-high 13 targets. The Lions kept the clamps on Pickens for most of the evening, but he had multiple chances at hauling in a long score, with one of those chances being ruined by a defensive pass interference. CeeDee Lamb exited with a concussion in the first half of Thursday's game. If he is unable to go, Pickens would be firmly in the WR1 conversation for Week 15 against the Vikings. Even if Lamb does play, Pickens would still be a must-start in the fantasy playoffs.

Pickens brought in five of nine targets for 37 yards in the Cowboys' 44-30 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.

Cast out of Pittsburgh before taking flight in Dallas, will Pickens re-sign as a free agent?

A source inside the building put it as bluntly as possible, telling Archer, "He ain't leaving." The franchise tag would cost Dallas just over $27 million, which could actually be a discount on his services. According to Archer and Jeremy Fowler, Pickens could be looking for more than $30 million per year. It's a steep price, but one that Dallas will almost certainly pay or delay via the franchise tag. Pickens is currently second in the league in receiving yards (1,142) and third in touchdowns (eight). Dak Prescott is playing near an MVP level, supported by the best receiver duo in the NFL. It's hard to imagine the Cowboys letting this level of production hit the open market.

The Steelers actively pursued Aiyuk last year, but, as Lombardi notes, Pickens was not on the trade block until the 2025 offseason. Aiyuk ultimately stayed in San Francisco on a new contract and the Steelers moved Pickens to Dallas ahead of the 2025 season. The move worked out terrifically for Pickens, who is putting up top-five receiving numbers with the Cowboys. Everyone else involved likely wishes they had handled things differently. Aiyuk has since had guarantees in his contract voided, meaning he and the 49ers are headed for an ugly split after the season. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers pursue him again next offseason.