The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted George Pickens with the 52nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. They needed someone who could be WR3 behind Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Fans truly love the match for Pickens here with the Steelers, who never seem to miss out on wideouts. That should be a good sign for George Pickens' fantasy outlook in this 2022 NFL season.

Recall that Pickens' draft stock was hampered by injuries and off-field concerns. Still, he appears totally healthy based on what he showed at the NFL Combine and during the preseason. Pittsburgh also appears to be the appropriate place for him to get his head on straight. Coach Mike Tomlin will ensure that.

He really competed during training camp as well. Pickens didn't shy away from vying for targets against Claypool, and don't be shocked if Pickens actually gets more targets.

Pickens' persona just screams true alpha. He's ripe to be among the best rookie wideouts this year, and that should up his fantasy stock as well.

Remember that as a true 18-year-old freshman, the Georgia Bulldog WR finished 2019 as PFF's 17th-highest-graded receiver in the country (88.0), ahead of future NFL wideouts like Jerry Jeudy, Justin Jefferson, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle. Now, three years later, he's in the pros and ready to light it up.

Here's what George Pickens' 2022 fantasy football outlook looks like.

George Pickens’ 2022 fantasy football outlook

George Pickens will be one of the best rookie wide receivers in the NFL. That's on the field and in fantasy football leagues. You'll find him in myriad YouTube highlights, too. Put that on wax.

Pickens projects to be a late-round fantasy draft pick in 2022 with an outlook that equals the finest rookie sleepers in the game.

To put it simply, Pickens is a top-tier wide receiver in this year's rookie class. The Steelers hit the jackpot by getting him. Don't even think about him tearing his ACL in 2021. That won't matter. He'll be awesome.

Sure, Pickens is a touch wiry at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, but he checks every single box in terms of skills and qualities. His body control is exceptional. He can catch the ball away from his body just as effectively as anyone else. The manner in which he enters and exits his breaks is reminiscent of Jerry Jeudy. Add in a 4.47 40-yard sprint, and you've got the makings of a bright future in Steel City.

Yes, of course, he has some flaws in his game that need to be ironed out, but so does everyone else. Pickens has the talent to compete for the No. 2 role in this Steelers offense on Day 1.

The bigger question is, what will this Steelers offensive unit look like in 2022? The Steelers might be a pretty unproductive offensive as they enter a new era without Ben Roethlisberger.

The truth is Pickens will be most affected by the quarterback position. For the first time in a long time, the Steelers enter the season without a clear QB1. It was, is, and will continue to be a quarterback battle on the squad.

Mitch Trubisky is expected to be the quarterback for Week 1, but who knows how long Tomlin's leash will be on him, right? Rookie Kenny Pickett is a fan favorite, and his connection with Pickens could be magical.

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Right now, Trubisky appears to be slightly in the lead in this contest and is certainly the safest option. Pickett, on the other hand, has done admirably in both training camp and the preseason games.

Pickett is truly more of a wild card, but he might pay off big time. He can make almost any throw. He nails ball placement and touch. Because of their route-running skill sets, I could see him and both Johnson and Pickens establishing synergy on timing routes. Trubisky or Pickett are each likely upgrades over an elderly Roethlisberger. That can't be a bad thing for fantasy, can it?

Volume will be important for Pickens. No matter who the QB is, he needs a ton of targets to really put up big numbers. Having said that, whatever number of targets he gets may still not likely be enough to consistently enter the top 10. Pickens also has to get his feet wet and up to game speed early in the season. Once he's at ease, his impact on the offense should grow.

Still, it will take a huge dropoff or injury to someone else for Pickens to reach the WR4+ area in 2022. The reality is it is unlikely Pittsburgh can handle three fantasy-relevant receivers plus Pat Freiermuth.

Pickens is currently ranked as the WR58 in PPR settings, with an ADP of 143. That puts him in the 12th round in 12-team fantasy teams. Meanwhile, Claypool has an ADP of 104 (WR43), while Johnson has an ADP of 38 (WR15).

In my view, that means Pickens could be a golden steal in 2022. To be frank, I'd pick Pickens over Claypool in 2022, and I believe Pickens will be the No. 2 target. Here's another bold prediction as well: Pickens will lead the team in receiving yards by season's end. Book it.