George Pickens

Matt Okada takes you through his biggest risers and fallers after Round 1 of the fantasy football playoffs.

Pickens recorded three receptions on six targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 34-26 loss to the Vikings.

Prescott and the Cowboys cashed in on their first two trips to the red zone, each time via a rushing score from one yard out. They would fail to find paint on their subsequent three red zone trips, each time resulting in a short Brandon Aubrey field goal. Two missed field goals from 50+ yards from Aubrey changed the tide of the game, as did the relentless and confusing pressure thrown at Prescott by Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores. It also didn't help to have a seemingly disinterested George Pickens, who was seen going through the motions on multiple occasions throughout the game. The loss all but ends the Cowboys' chances at a postseason berth, now requiring three consecutive wins and three losses by the Eagles to make the playoffs.

Lamb handily led the team in targets and yardage but failed to find the end zone on a night quarterback Dak Prescott failed to throw for a score. The veteran alpha was leaned on heavily throughout as George Pickens' bout of disinterested play continued into Week 15, but disguised coverages and unique blitz packages from Brian Flores' Minnesota defense made life continually difficult for all parties. Now all but eliminated from postseason contention, Lamb and the Cowboys move forward in another lost season as they prepare to face the Chargers in Week 16.

Pickens was hammered by the media throughout the week after his effort level was called into question in the team's Week 14 loss to the Lions, with those same tendencies rearing their head against the Vikings. He was seen giving up on the route at least once and was hardly a contributor to the run game, routinely running at half speed off the line on called rush attempts. He even walked off the line on one occasion. Pickens' talent has never been in question but putting mental lapses like this on film is surely going to influence offseason contract discussions, even with his eruption on the field through the middle parts of the season.