5 Steelers players having their most disappointing season in 2023

4. George Pickens, Wide Receiver

After taking the NFL world by storm as a 21-year-old rookie in 2022, Pittsburgh Steelers fans had lofty expectations for George Pickens. The uber-talented wide receiver appeared to have the makings of a go-to target for Kenny Pickett and flashed star potential.

However, Pickens has certainly taken us on a rollercoaster ride of emotion in 2023. In the first six games of his sophomore campaign with the Steelers, Pickens racked up over 100 receiving yards 3 times. Much of this came while Diontae Johnson was out of the lineup.

Since Johnson returned, Pickens hasn't been nearly as productive on a per-game basis, and his market share has withered as Pickett and Mitch Trubisky elected to target Johnson more frequently. As a result, Pickens has seen multiple games with under 20 receiving yards. In Week 15, Pickens caught 5 of 6 passes for a mere 19 yards.

Some of this isn't his fault, but watching the film a second time through you can see the young receiver take off plays and jog on some of his routes. Pickens' maturity continues to be an issue, which is what landed him on this list this year.