It’s been a rather trying second season in the NFL for Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver George Pickens, even with an increase in numbers compared to his rookie season.
He’s had his frustrations with the lack of targets at times, as well as the below-average quarterback play. His effort has waned, too, and he hasn’t handled the criticism well. He’s also seen a decline in one key metric that he was dominant at in his rookie season: contested catches.
Yet despite the decline in his success from a contested-catch standpoint, ESPN’s Matt Bowen named Pickens the NFL’s best receiver at 50-50 balls in a piece for ESPN.