George Pickens officially questionable for Week 8

Rapoport added that “as of right now, there’s nothing there,” as far as a potential trade is concerned. Pickens, who is playing out the season on the franchise tag, hasn’t produced at the level he did in 2025 when he broke out for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, but he remains a focal point in the offense despite his underwhelming production. Pickens still ranks 14th in the league among all receivers in targets and is 12th in total air yards. Despite the Cowboys’ disappointing 3-5 record, they remain in the race to win what has been an underwhelming NFC East. With team owner Jerry Jones saying earlier that Pickens needs to be targeted more, it’s safe to assume he will remain with the Cowboys for the season.

Jones apparently isn’t happy with Pickens’ usage through Week 8. Pickens has been targeted on 22 percent of his pass routes on the season, well below CeeDee Lamb’s 34 percent rate. He’s accounted for 31 percent of the team’s air yards, nearly the same rate he saw in 2025. In the Cowboys’ humiliating Week 8 loss to the Cardinals, Pickens had nine targets, one short of Lamb’s ten. Perhaps Jerry has not adequately studied the spreadsheets. Either way, Pickens remains an upside WR2 headed into Week 9.

Pickens had a 35-yard touchdown taken off the board by an offensive holding penalty. Outside of feasting on Thursday Night in Week 5 while CeeDee Lamb rested following his bludgeoning of the Texans, this is mostly just what it’s been for Pickens. He has one touchdown and zero games over 82 yards outside of that one. He’ll remain a reasonable WR2 next week against the Colts but the boom weeks have been tough to come by this year.

Pickens was expected to play after being listed as questionable. He can be counted on as a WR2 against a rough Cardinals defense. Inactive for the Cowboys are: WR KaVontae Turpin (rib), LB Dee Winters (Achilles), TE Luke Schoonmaker (groin), CB Shavon Revel Jr., OLB Tyrus Wheat and OT Drew Shelton. Winters and Turpin were ruled out on Friday, Schoonmaker was questionable. Also playing off questionable tags are DT Kenny Clark (bakc) and DT Jonathan Bullard (calf).

Pickens has been playing through the shoulder issue for a few weeks, but the hamstring was a new addition to his injury report. We suspect the hamstring injury is what earned him the questionable tag on Friday, though it’s a moot point now. Staring down a likely shootout with a weak Arizona defense, Pickens, even at less than full strength, is a locked-in WR2 for Week 8.

It’s the second consecutive limited showing for the co-alpha receiver, who will likely need to upgrade to a full showing on Friday to avoid carrying an injury designation into the weekend. Pickens has played through the shoulder issue for two weeks, but the hamstring ailment is worth monitoring as the weekend approaches. Pickens is a viable WR2 in a solid matchup against the Cardinals, if active.

Pickens played through a minor shoulder injury last week, but the hamstring designation is new. He was still a limited practice participant, indicating neither injury should be an issue for his Week 8 status. Meanwhile, WR/KR KaVontae Turpin (ribs) was an estimated DNP in practice after not playing last week. The Cowboys may be missing Turpin again as a kick returner and gadget player on offense, but Pickens should still be the WR2 for Sunday against the Cardinals.

The Cowboys face the Eagles in Week 7’s Monday Night Football game, giving Pickens an extra day to recover. ESPN’s Todd Archer said yesterday that Pickens has been icing his shoulder in-game during the Cowboys’ last two games. He encouragingly practiced in full today. Start him as a WR2 as usual this week.

Reliable ESPN beat reporter Todd Archer notes that Pickens has had ice on his shoulder during the Cowboys’ last two games. He does not think that this injury threatens Pickens’ Week 7 availability. Thanks, Todd. Ideally, Pickens jumps back up to full participation tomorrow, and we head into Sunday carefree. Stay tuned.

Pickens was targeted just once in the first half as the Cowboys were held under 100 yards of total offense before the break. He would remain quiet through the third quarter, adding a single catch to his ledger on two additional targets before seeing eight looks in the final frame with the Cowboys in desperation mode. The 11 targets finished second on the team to CeeDee Lamb’s 18 while the 73 yards slightly edged the 70 of Lamb. Pickens remains an upside WR2 ahead of a divisional matchup against the inside-funnel Eagles’ secondary in Week 7.