George Pickens vs Ladd McConkey: Who Should You Start?
Two wide receivers who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. George Pickens (Dallas Cowboys) finished the 2025 season averaging 14.4 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Ladd McConkey (Los Angeles Chargers) came in at 9.2 PPG over 16 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
George Pickens carries a 5.2-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Target volume is the story here. George Pickens saw 137 targets in 2025, while Ladd McConkey drew 106. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for George Pickens, even in weeks where Ladd McConkey posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One scheduling note: George Pickens is off Week 7 and Ladd McConkey Week 5. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in wide receiver for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
