With rookie quarterback Drew Allar taking the NFL world by storm in his first preseason game, Pittsburgh Steelers fans have reason to feel a bit more justified in the team's George Pickens trade last May. The talented receiver was sent packing to Dallas in exchange for the third-round pick the team would later use to select Allar in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Now we just found another reason to feel slightly better about the trade.
FanSided's Jason Reed recently released a list of the most overrated players in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season, as voted on by FanSided's NFL editorial team. While it was discouraging (but understandable) to see DK Metcalf's name show up as the first non-quarterback on the list, Steelers fans can take comfort in knowing that Pickens also cracked these infamous rankings.
With seven vote points, Pickens tied Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner as the eighth-most overrated player on FanSided's rankings. This is interesting, considering Pickens is coming off a 2025 season with the Cowboys that included 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens ranked as a top-10 most overrated NFL player entering the 2026 season
After recording 4,270 receiving yards over his first four seasons, Pickens has put up every bit of production football fans could have expected from the Steelers' former 2022 second-round pick. But it's not a lack of production that lands Pickens in this category; rather, it's his attitude and inconsistencies.
Pickens forced his way out of Pittsburgh after egregious effort issues showed up in big moments of games. Pickens' final regular-season contest with the Steelers was a perfect example. In a must-have contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, with playoff seeding on the line, Pickens reeled in just one reception on six targets for zero yards against one of the league's worst defenses.
Quite frankly, Pickens has a tendency of falling flat (and some would even argue 'giving up') when his team needs him most.
This isn't to say that Pickens will be a perennial candidate for the most overrated players list, but considering he's earning $27.298 million fully guaranteed on the franchise tag, not all FanSided voters believe he's worth the headache that accompanies the lofty price tag.
When at his best, Pickens is clearly worth more than the third-round pick the Cowboys traded to acquire him, but there are risks that come with potentially giving a troubled receiver a long-term contract extension.
George Pickens received a ton of hype for his impressive 2025 performance with the Cowboys, but Steelers fans know he's capable of sabotaging his team at any moment, and it's not surprising to see him land on the most overrated list ahead of the 2026 season.
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