CeeDee Lamb is always the main attraction when discussing the Dallas Cowboys' offense, as he and Dak Prescott possess one of the best QB-WR connections in football. But after New York Giants fans could only laugh at the ineptitude of the Micah Parsons trade, they forgot that Lamb isn't the only wideout the team has to worry about in Week 2.
George Pickens could be in for a massive Sunday against Big Blue's secondary. America's Team traded for the 24-year-old wideout, but he didn't make much of an impact in Week 1. The former second-round pick of the Steelers recorded just four receptions for 30 yards in his Dallas debut, an opening night loss to the Eagles.
Pickens is one of the best big-play receivers in football, and Dak Prescott is by far the best quarterback he's played with, so it's a matter of time before the hyped-up offseason acquisition makes his mark. And against a secondary that struggled against Deebo Samuel, the former Georgia standout could be in for a similar Sunday.
George Pickens will abuse the Giants' secondary on Sunday
The Giants haven't beat the Cowboys since Dak Prescott's NFL debut, and it would be surprising to see that streak snap now, even if Russell Wilson bounces back like anticipated. Especially because this NFC East rivalry matchup serves as Dallas' home opener.
After the Steelers acquired DK Metcalf, it was only a matter of time before Pickens got moved. Entering a contract year, he also has a proven pedigree — he amassed over 800 receiving yards in each of his first three NFL seasons — and recorded a career-high 1,140 yards in 2023.
Additionally, Pickens is the best receiver to ever play opposite the four-time Pro Bowler, and that could help the entire offense boom.
For the first time since entering the NFL, he is entrenched as WR2 on the depth chart. However, Lamb registered four drops on 13 targets in the Week 1 defeat and cost the Cowboys the victory, so they will certainly turn to the fourth-year pass-catcher more often in Week 2.
Unfortunately, this assessment is also an indictment on the Giants' defense.
Shane Bowen's unit was one of the best in football against the pass in 2024, but Lamb is likely to draw coverage from free-agent pickup Paulson Adebo. That means that either Deonte Banks or Cor'dale Flott will be tasked with covering Pickens, and his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame serves a benefit in the red zone.
Neither DB is significantly smaller, but they are less seasoned. Banks has struggled to adjust to Bowen's scheme after excelling as a rookie, to the point where Flott managed to steal the CB2 job from the 2023 first-rounder. And even Jevon Holland struggled in the opener after signing a three-year deal with Big Blue this offseason.
Against a stout Giants' stout defensive front, Brian Schottenheimer is going to have to take to the air to beat the G-Men, and that means that there will be enough targets for both Lamb and Pickens to eat in Week 2.