In Week 14, the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Entering this game, all eyes were on Steelers WR George Pickens and Browns CB Greg Newsome II because they exchanged trash talk throughout the week. But with Pickens popping up as a late addition to the injury report, is he playing against the Browns today?
George Pickens’ Status for Week 14 Against the Browns
Unfortunately, Pickens is inactive for today’s Steelers-Browns game. This is a surprise, as head coach Mike Tomlin previously indicated that Pickens should be able to play.
The Steelers added Pickens to their injury report on Friday. He was limited with a hamstring injury and was considered questionable for Week 14, but they ultimately ruled him out.
It seems that Pickens injured his hamstring during Friday’s practice, giving him just 48 hours to get right for today’s game. It remains to be seen how long Pickens will be sidelined due to this hamstring injury — it’s possible that this is just a one-week absence.
However, it’s worth noting that hamstring injuries can be tricky and often linger. This is a difficult situation for fantasy managers, who will need to pivot to another wide receiver at the last minute.
Who Will Step Up In Pickens’ Absence?
The Steelers don’t have an obvious replacement for Pickens, as he’s their alpha WR and he’s surrounded by role players.
Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III aren’t stepping into the Pickens role, and Mike Williams has largely been a disappointment since being acquired at the trade deadline.
Williams’ big catch with Pittsburgh was the 32-yard touchdown that we all remember, but he’s otherwise been an afterthought. Are they saving him? Is he struggling with the playbook? Look at his weekly snap shares with Pittsburgh:
- Week 11 vs. Baltimore Ravens: 31.1%
- Week 12 at Cleveland Browns: 28.4%
- Week 13 at Cincinnati Bengals: 24.2%
I like the idea of Williams in this offense, but at this point, I think it’s safe to say that redraft fantasy managers can stop holding onto hope. This could be the week that Williams plays a bigger role — he might be the biggest beneficiary of Pickens’ injury.
But even if Williams sees his role expand, there’s not enough time left in the fantasy season for him to emerge into a Flex-worthy name.