Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings Update: George Pickens Gets An Upgrade

As July draws to a close, all 32 NFL teams have officially reported for training camp. That means it's time to refresh my dynasty fantasy football rankings and as the fantasy landscape starts coming into clearer focus. The season is almost here!

Updates To My Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Late-July

Upgrade George Pickens (WR16)

One of the more significant moves I made to my dynasty rankings was moving George Pickens up to WR16. When he first arrived in Dallas, I liked the move more from a football perspective than a dynasty perspective, at least initially. However, after studying his situation more and listening to people much smarter than me, I've come around in a big way.

I've previously talked about how I like targeting offenses with condensed target shares. That typically means offenses where two players could conceivably combine to earn over 50% of the targets, or more.

Here's something for you—we project CeeDee Lamb to lead the Dallas wideouts with 152 targets. Next, we project Pickens to see 114 targets. The No. 3 projected target-earner from the receivers is none other than Jalen Tolbert with … 35 targets.

Talk about a two-man show. Candidly, I didn't include TE Jake Ferguson, who recently signed a lucrative contract extension. We project him to see 85 targets of his own.

This all adds up to me coming around in Pickens being a big winner both this season and beyond. Dwain McFarland recently said the following about Pickens:

Pickens is a strong bet to up his game to a WR2 level, and if the Cowboys' passing game returns to form, a WR1 outcome isn't out of reach given the ascending talent profile.

I'm finding myself more bullish on Dak Prescott than most heading into this season. The QB position continues to feel a bit deeper each year, and I would be fine with Prescott as my late-round option in redraft leagues. That also makes him a prime trade target in dynasty formats.

Our projections have Prescott at QB16, but he's within seven points of QB12. We have him topping 4,000 passing yards and throwing for 28 TDs. If he gets some positive TD regression coming his way, and he stays healthy, there's no reason he can't support a pair of top-15 dynasty WRs for the next few seasons.

Brock Bowers - TE1 (No. 9 Overall Player)

I'm firmly treating sophomore TE Brock Bowers as prime Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce. If I have a late first-round pick in 1QB dynasty startup drafts, it's going to be tough for me to pass up making Bowers the cornerstone of my squad.

As a rookie, Bowers posted:

153 targets
112 receptions
1,194 receiving yards
5 TDs

Not to throw cold water on my own argument, but we do project him falling short of his rookie-year marks in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in 2025. Even so, his profile, role, and overall usage make him one of the highest floor and ceiling options at a scarce position.

Depending on how you prefer to construct your roster, especially during a startup draft, you might be naturally against spending a premium pick (like your first-round pick) on a onesie position like TE, especially if there's no premium scoring option.

Even so, if you draft smartly (which you can practice using our amazing Draft Champion fantasy football mock draft simulator), there are many ways to build a dominant team even when you take someone like Bowers at the end of the first round.

Let's not forget that fantasy football is supposed to be fun, and one of the most fun experiences in the entirety of the crazy game we play is a dynasty startup draft. Don't be afraid to mix it up a bit and make Bowers the face of your franchise for years to come.

Atlanta Falcons: Ascending Offense?

It's always an enjoyable experience to project which teams will emerge as being able to support fantasy viable options in dynasty leagues. Generally, when a rookie QB takes over, that signifies to dynasty managers to pay closer attention in the hopes that the franchise-hopeful can elevate the entire offense.

The offense in question for me is the Atlanta Falcons under second-year QB Michael Penix.

As a rookie, Penix started the final three weeks of the season and averaged 245 passing yards per game, and tallied three passing touchdowns and three interceptions. It's a small sample size over a handful of games, so I'm excited to see what he does with a full offseason under his belt.

As far as sneaking up on people, no one is ignoring guys like Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Even … Kyle Pitts … continues to get annual buzz. The player with the potential to see his stock rise the most in the months and years to come is actually Penix.

Candidly, for this season, we have Penix projected at the QB28, but it's worth noting he's within 15 points of being a low-end QB2. The path to ascending the dynasty rankings is there for the taking, as many of the guys in front of him, both in redraft and dynasty rankings, are either older, have durability issues, or have general questions of their own.

Taking swings on guys like Penix, who has the playmakers around him, is always a smart move in dynasty. We've seen how traditionally unheralded players can take advantage of their offensive system and climb the rankings with ease. Penix fits that profile perfectly.

Buffalo's WR1 in Dynasty

I have Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman within seven spots of each other in my dynasty rankings; that means they're basically in the same tier.

A quick glance over at KTC and you'll see the general masses have them right next to each other in the dynasty rankings section.

How should you approach this suddenly open wideout room?

Coleman is young and has both the draft capital and overall profile to be a solid NFL contributor for many years. However, his rookie season fell flat as he tallied just 29 receptions for 556 yards and four TDs. Admittedly, his ratio of TDs to receptions is pretty solid, as was his 19.2 yards per reception, but he'll have to generate significantly more opportunities in Year 2.

Shakir steadily progressed over his first three years in the league:

2022 - 20 targets, 10 receptions, 161 receiving yards, 1 TD
2023 - 45/39/611/2
2024 - 100/76/821/4

Shakir turned last season's performance into a four-year/$60 million contract with $32 million guaranteed. Not bad for a guy who has seven total TDs in his three-year career.

Our projections show Shakir having a similar season in 2025 as he did last year, as well as a markedly improved season for Coleman.

From a money perspective, you have to follow what the Bills did when they threw a ton of money at Shakir. However, Year 2 for Coleman is going to be critical. I expect him to see some key opportunities early this fall and, if he can make the most of them, his price is going to rise significantly.

I would suggest getting shares of both Shakir and Coleman across your dynasty leagues this offseason. Both have profiles worth following, and this season will be very telling for both young players.