CeeDee Lamb's return creates big questions for Cowboys' George Pickens usage

Lamb's return does present some big questions for how much Pickens is going to be used and what sort of trickle-down effect that might have.

How much will George Pickens be used with CeeDee Lamb back in the lineup?

While Lamb's absence has taken a big-play threat out of the Cowboys' lineup, it has opened the door for Pickens, an offseason trade addition from the Pittsburgh Steelers, to begin realizing all of his potential and performing like a superstar.

Entering the weekend Pickens is 14th in the NFL with 32 catches and third in the league with 525 yards. He also has six touchdowns, tying him for the league lead with Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. 

Pickens has been great, and everything the Steelers wanted him to be and everything the Cowboys hoped he could be.

It has also been a perfectly timed breakout given that he is in the final year of his rookie contract and in the market for a new big-money contract.

The problem Pickens might run into now is that as soon as Lamb returns to the lineup, Lamb will once again be the Cowboys' top passing option. Lamb is the better player, and for right now he is the higher paid player. 

Pickens' emergence has come with him — by default — being Prescott's best option. How will that look with Lamb back in the lineup? Will there be enough passes to split between the two wide receivers? And how will Pickens react to not getting as much of the workload? 

In the two games Lamb played this season, Pickens was targeted just 13 times and recorded just 98 yards receiving. 

In the games without Lamb he has been targeted 35 times (nearly three more per game than he had in the first two games) and has already two games with more than 130 receiving yards. 

Can the Cowboys keep both players happy? Can both be utilized as significant parts of the offense? If they can, that makes an already strong Cowboys offense even better. But if Lamb starts to get the lion's share of the passes and wins do not come with it, might not go over well with the player (Pickens) in search of the big contract this offseason.