Insiders around the NFL ranked the top wide receivers in the league, showing a clear preference for one former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout over the current No. 1 option.
ESPN polled league executives, coaches, and scouts to determine where the industry landed on the best wideouts in the sport. Former Steeler George Pickens ranked seventh on the list. One coach even had him above CeeDee Lamb as the Dallas Cowboys‘ top receiver. Metcalf did not make the top 10, but did receive votes.
Pittsburgh swapped out Pickens for Metcalf as the lead receiving option last season. The former broke out after getting traded to Dallas. The latter struggled to match the production from his peak years with the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL Survey Ranks Dallas Cowboys’ George Pickens Ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers’ DK Metcalf
Metcalf came to the organization in a March 2025 trade that sent a 2025 second-round draft pick back to the Seahawks. The Steelers quickly signed Metcalf to a four-year, $132 million extension. The early returns on the deal were mixed. Metcalf finished his first campaign in Pittsburgh with 59 catches on 99 targets for 850 yards. He easily paced an underwhelming group of Steelers wide receivers, but posted career lows in targets and receiving yards. Metcalf tied for the team lead with six touchdowns.
The schedule presented the former Seahawk with a near-immediate chance to face his former team. Seattle and Pittsburgh squared off at Acrisure Field in Week 2. The future 2026 Super Bowl champs cruised to a 31-17 victory. Metcalf was held to three catches for 20 yards.
Pickens excelled in his first season with the Cowboys. He came to the Cowboys in a May 2025 deal that saw the Steelers acquire a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Pickens exploded for 93 catches on 137 targets and 1,429 yards in Dallas’ pass-first offense. He also benefited from Lamb missing time with an injury. Pickens scored nine touchdowns, which was more than he had totaled between 2023 and 2024.
“One of the best I’ve ever seen at the contested catch,” an NFL offensive coach said, relayed by Jeremy Fowler in the survey. “There’s such untapped ability there. It’s just a consistency issue and where his head’s at week to week.”
Pittsburgh is well aware of Pickens’ lack of consistency. He was routinely chided for a dearth of effort and a general deficiency in awareness. Those issues largely dissipated with the Cowboys.
Steelers Make Moves to Improve Wide Receiver Room
Pittsburgh has made several additions to a wideout group lacking talent. The team acquired Michael Pittman in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers then took two wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, Germie Bernard out of Alabama and Kaden Wetjen out of Iowa. The club has big expectations for 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson as well.
Pittman was complimentary of Metcalf when he spoke to reporters, including Brooke Pryor of ESPN, in May. “DK [Metcalf] has been great,” Pittman said. “I think me and him are going to do well and like obviously if teams are going to double-team him, then that’s going to leave me free. If they’re going to double-team me, it’s going to leave him free. So it’s going to be great.”
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