Great article! I wish I had Pickens stock. I do believe he will be the best Steeler WR by end of season. I would also flip him for a ‘23 1st though as his rookie season may be bumpy.
One more trade (from yesterday, safeleagues 511)
George Pickens, Nico Collins
for
Jerry Jeudy, Brian Robinson, 2023 3rd and 4th (SF, TEP)
I completely understand the market dynamics involved here. I’m also of the mindset in that thinking a couple steps down the road, the 2023 draft class will show itself and these 1st rounders at some point will become real, living, breathing physical assets. The “hope” in trading away something you can see catch, run, block, and score today for the future is that the future may not be all it’s cracked up to be. I would mention please take yourselves back two years to where we were as a country and compare it to the future, today, as an example, but I won’t. To apply that point to something football-related, please read this story: https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/28/falcons-mock-draft-carson-strong-si-2022/. Spencer Rattler, Carson Strong, Sam Howell. All college QBs mocked in June 2021 to go in the first round of the 2022 draft. Carson Strong, future world, mocked NUMBER TEN! …with chatter about going #1 overall! Carson Strong, reality world, not even drafted! Point is, do we really know how great the 2023 draft class is? We THINK it’s good but how sure are we?
BUT, BUT, BUT I do want to clarify I understand the idea here: use a current asset like Pickens’ fantasy value right now to acquire something else that has, right now, a larger, greater perceived value like a 2023 1st round pick. Take advantage of that. This sort of maneuvering is how to build a winning team. My commentary is that at some point in time that 2023 1st rounder will become a live asset and what if that class isn’t as great as it is thought of now? If you “made some money” or increased your team’s value by flipping, great, you just don’t want to be the one left holding the bag. It’s kinda like trading Bitcoin all the way up to $60k and then circumstances out of your control (like Carson Strong’s knee) crashes the value of Bitcoin to $20k and you’re the one left holding the bag. Meanwhile, George Pickens goes 75-1210-8 (?) in his rookie season and you’re wondering why did I hope and pray for the 2023 draft class??
Just thoughts to consider. Great column, Shane, I like your work!
I agree with your comment as I have taken this strategy over the last 5 years and created a dynasty team that won its first championship last year and is hopefully set for years to come. With this strategy and was able to amass the following team: QBs Burrow, Murray, Lawrence & Tua, RBs McCaffrey, Chubb, N Harris, Akers, Conner and Sermon, WRs Chase, Jefferson, Lamb, AJ Brown, Bateman & Sutton and TE G. Kittle. I have the 4th and 12th pick in the first 2 rounds this year (draft this weekend) and plan on listening to each and every offer that comes in as I was high on Burks (who I think should be #4) but have cooled on him recently.
In reference to Pickens, I would suggest not trading him as his future QB Pickett looks very solid and any future #1 next year, unless a high #1 may be risky as it looks like Pickens and Pickett are the real deal. I was frankly hoping he would drop to 1.12 but there does not appear to any chance of that happening now.
I can hear it already – Pickett to Pickens, the PP boys go the distance in Pittsburgh. Gives a new meaning to the bumble bee colors.
