As we inch our way towards the start of training camp, many Fantasy Football players are just beginning to emerge from their slumber. Now, I know that if you're reading my Dynasty content in the offseason, you never went into hibernation...just like you know that half of your league did. So as they awake it's a great time to try to engage them in trade talks. With that in mind, I'm sharing some of my favorite Dynasty buys as we head into the preseason. There can be several things that make a player a Dynasty buy. For a contender, it's simply someone who can help you win a ring this season, what else matters? For others, it may be a player who I expect to greatly increase his value this season, or simply someone the industry is simply too low on. The best buys fit multiple categories.
George Pickens fits all three of those categories as my WR17 in the rankings below, and the WR25 in current consensus rankings. Pickens is a 23-year-old heading into his third season, which is a prime breakout season for a wide receiver. He accounted for an astounding 33% of the Steelers receiving yards last year and 38% of their receiving touchdowns as a 22-year-old. And I expect that pie to grow with Russell Wilson (or Justin Fields) replacing Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. Most of the industry is already expecting a breakout season from Garrett Wilson and Drake London this season due to a QB upgrade, but Pickens is not getting the same hype.
On Wednesday we discussed how Pickens is perceived versus Wilson and London:
The guy just ahead of Pickens in my rankings is Tank Dell, and while I do think he has league-winning upside, I also think he's a great buy for a rebuilder because the preseason of Stefon Diggs could limit his upside in 2024. Still, as a rookie, Dell played at least 50% of the snaps in eight games and compiled 41 catches for 618 yards and seven touchdowns. Those types of numbers over a full season would turn him into a surefire top-12 wide receiver in Dynasty. The only rookie receivers I would rather have than him are Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers.
Here are my updated Dynasty Wide receiver rankings:
