Although some voices around the league and in Pittsburgh believe star wide receiver George Pickens will be out for a third week beyond the upcoming matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has heard otherwise. 

“George Pickens is out for the second straight week,” Fowler said on Saturday’s SportsCenter. “They’re hopeful, though, for next week.”

Pittsburgh may want to play it safe with their star, who is arguably the most important offensive player on the roster, but there is some scientific evidence to suggest that a two-week absence is more likely than three. 

While a Grade 2 hamstring strain can hold players out for as much as four weeks, a study by Pittsburgh’s very own Dr. James Bradley shows the average to be much lower. 

In his data, the mean number of games missed for Grade 2 hamstring for NFL players was 1.74 games, while for all hamstring injuries it was 2.6.

Similar studies in following years by Bradley again and by British sports scientists on soccer players have yielded similar results. 

Though the Steelers have a two-game lead in the AFC North, their upcoming gauntlet of elite teams means their Week 16 matchup with Baltimore could decide which of the two arch-rivals wins the AFC North and gets a home game in the playoffs. 

However, with the Steelers only needing one more win in the next four games to make the playoffs, it may be more crucial to save Pickens from potential reinjury as Pittsburgh seeks its first playoff win since 2016, and perhaps more than that.

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