It’s hard to overstate just how good George Pickens has been for the Dallas Cowboys this season. After missing out on Tetairoa McMillan in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cowboys opted to pass on drafting a receiver altogether. Instead, they traded for Pickens quickly after the draft and so far, that appears to be the right decision.
Pickens has been everything the Cowboys had hoped for and more to start the year. When CeeDee Lamb was out of the lineup, Pickens was able to function as the No. 1 receiver, and the offense didn’t miss a beat. And when both players have been in the lineup, the offense has been unstoppable.
Now, it’s time to have a conversation about just how good Pickens is and where he stacks up among the top receivers in the NFL. Spoiler: it’s way higher than you might think.
Cowboys' George Pickens has been a top-5 WR this season
Pickens has played just eight games with the Cowboys, but he’s already set a career-high in touchdown receptions with six and he’s averaging over 85 yards per game. His previous best was 67.1 during the 2023 season and there is no doubt that Pickens is playing the best football of his NFL or college career. But where does he rank among the NFL’s best receivers this year?
In a recent article by Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus, she wrote about the top-32 receivers in the NFL through the first eight weeks of the season. Pickens was obviously on the list, but coming in at No. 5 was something that no one could have predicted. Here is a snippet of what she had to say about the new receiver for the Cowboys in 2025:
"Pickens closed out October with 22 catches for 385 yards (fourth most), two touchdowns and 17 first downs. He earned an 83.4 PFF receiving grade over that stretch (seventh best). While his vertical routes dominated his highlight reel, Pickens has also been excellent close to the line of scrimmage, where he boasts a 91.6 PFF receiving grade within nine yards over the past four weeks."
Lauren Gray on George Pickens
Pickens was ranked higher than CeeDee Lamb, who came in at No. 30 on their list. Lamb’s grade is lower than usual due to some early-season drops and the fact that he missed multiple games with a high-ankle injury. Oddly enough, Lamb was the third-highest-ranked Cowboys receiver, with Ryan Flournoy coming in at No. 26.
But the point of this article isn’t to discuss where Lamb ranks among the NFL’s elite because we already know he’s an All-Pro receiver. It’s to highlight that Dallas might have another one in Pickens. Just a few months ago, no one would have put Pickens inside their top-20 receivers in the league, and after eight games, it would be foolish to leave him outside the top-10.
The Cowboys wanted to let the 2025 season play out before deciding on Pickens’ future, but at this point, he’s one of their five best players on the roster, and it would be foolish to let him leave. Pickens has displayed all of the traits you could want from a high-level receiver, and playing with Dak Prescott has unlocked a portion of his game that we never saw in Pittsburgh.
It’s not too bold to say that Pickens is officially an elite receiver and the clear-cut best No. 2 receiver in the league. But at this point, that almost feels like an insult because he’s another No. 1 receiver who happens to play with an All-Pro opposite of him. You would be hard-pressed to name six wide receivers in the league right now that you would take over Pickens moving forward. And that is incredible considering how little Dallas gave up to acquire him in May.