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Home / frontfantasy / 2024 Fantasy Football Preview: Arizona Cardinals
Caitlyn Epes/Arizona Cardinals

2024 Fantasy Football Preview: Arizona Cardinals


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Player Outlooks (2024)

 

QB Kyler Murray: Murray returned for Arizona in Week 10 last year after recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2022 season, and he certainly showed flashes of high-level play despite limited passing production (224.9 yards per game). The dynamic quarterback was helped by production as a runner with a rushing score in each of his first three appearances last year, and the selection of No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. will give the Cardinals an immediate impact player on the outside to complement Trey McBride at tight end. Murray playing well versus tough opponents down the stretch is another positive, and he’s a top-ten fantasy option.

 

QB Desmond Ridder: Acquired this offseason in a trade with the Falcons, Ridder went 8-9 with a 14:12 touchdown-interception ratio over the past two years, and something to note is that the former third-rounder has five game-winning drives in his short career. Of course, the Cardinals will hope he doesn’t have to see the field for them, but he could have decent streaming value in a new situation if ever forced into the lineup.

 

RB James Conner: Conner has been one of the most underrated backs in football over the past several years—averaging a per-17-game pace of 293 touches, 1,443 total yards, and 13 total touchdowns since originally stepping in for Le’Veon Bell with the Steelers back in 2018. Durability has been an issue, but Conner was better than ever over the final five games last season by totaling 104 carries for 514 yards and five touchdowns while producing through the air (13/129/2). For this year at least, there shouldn’t be much concern about Conner being supplanted by rookie Trey Benson.

 

RB Trey Benson: Again, there probably isn’t a path to Benson taking the starting job without an injury, but he’s a big, fast, and smooth runner that can learn how to run with power more consistently from the hard-charging James Conner. The tackle spots being set for Arizona could spring Benson to chunk gains when he gets opportunities off the bench, and the schedule appears to set up very favorably for Arizona’s running game—which is a boost to the third-rounder’s handcuff value for 2024.

 

RB Emari Demercado: Demercado saw inconsistent usage as a rookie and missed time with injury, but he flashed his potential, including 21 touches for 79 yards versus a tough Baltimore defense, a 49-yard touchdown run versus San Francisco, and a seven-catch game on Christmas Eve. The former TCU standout could earn a role with a strong training camp to force himself onto the field.

 

RB Michael Carter: The Cardinals might keep four running backs, but if not, Carter will be battling Emari Demercado for the No. 3 job—and he showed well in limited action with Arizona by rushing 22 times for 149 yards (6.8 YPC) last year after coming over from the Jets. If he makes the team and James Conner misses time at some point, Carter could have value in deeper PPR leagues in a probable committee led by Trey Benson.

 

WR Marvin Harrison Jr.: From prototype size to elite top speed to outstanding ball skills and physicality, Harrison is the total package, and he landed in the perfect spot to immediately compile massive numbers on an Arizona team that lacked a proven No. 1 wideout but showed it knows how to play through pass- catchers based on how tight end Trey McBride closed out 2023. Playing with a quarterback in Kyler Murray that can hit the deep ball and helped DeAndre Hopkins to a career-high 115 receptions in 2020, Harrison can reach low-end WR1 expectations in redraft leagues.

 

WR Zay Jones: A career-best 82/823/5 line for Jones two years ago was followed up by a disappointing, injury-riddled season in 2023 that led to Jacksonville releasing him after the draft, but the 29-year-old was a hot commodity with Dallas and others also pursuing him—so it’s notable that he chose Arizona. Our guess is that Jones was promised a bigger role with a chance to be the No. 2 wideout alongside Marvin Harrison Jr., so he needs to fend off Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch for snaps/targets to have a shot at reaching the value he had in 2022.

 

WR Michael Wilson: The signing of Zay Jones limits the breakout appeal for Wilson with the offense playing through James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey McBride, but he was very efficient as a rookie (9.7 yards per target) with a vertical skillset to make an impact for fantasy owners. Also, Kyler Murray’s connection with Wilson—after he was held without a catch on seven targets between Week 15 and Week 16—picked up in the final two games with a combined 10/130/1 line, so that’s something to build on entering the summer with roles up for grabs.

 

WR Greg Dortch: Two seasons ago, Dortch caught 52-of-64 targets for 467 yards and two touchdowns in an expanded role, and an open depth chart behind Marvin Harrison Jr. could give him a decent shot at emerging this year. That’s especially true with Rondale Moore now in Atlanta, and Dortch could get a lot of the underneath opportunities that resulted in 530 total yards for Moore in 2023.

 

WRs Zach Pascal and Chris Moore: Pascal struggled to earn an offensive role last year after coming over with head coach Jonathan Gannon with the Eagles—catching four-of-15 targets for 19 yards (and two of the targets were intercepted). He might be safe as veteran depth that can contribute on special teams, but Moore will make a strong push to hop him on the depth chart after being highly efficient last year with the Titans (424 receiving yards on 12.1 yards per target).

 

TE Trey McBride: McBride went for a season-long pace of 113/1,143/4 with Kyler Murray in the lineup last season, and he should see plenty of volume working the middle of the field with Marvin Harrison Jr. drawing attention away. The touchdowns need to climb for him to be a high-end TE1 option, but McBride’s play versus top opponents last year—10/95/1 against the Ravens, 8/89/1 against the Steelers, and 10/102 against the 49ers—is reason to be confident in him as a top-five option.

 

TE Tip Reiman: Taken with the No. 82 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Reiman had limited production at Illinois—but he was a “winner” during the draft process for his drill work and athletic testing at the Combine. That said, he might be more of a hybrid FB/TE that can block at a high level, so Reiman making a major fantasy impact as a rookie would be a surprise.

 

TE Elijah Higgins: While not necessarily a traditional tight end at six-foot-three, 235 pounds, Higgins impressed as a rookie by catching 14-of-19 targets for 163 yards and a touchdown last year—and him becoming a primary pass-catcher in the mold of Gerald Everett is his path to sticking in the league. Higgins would likely be the preferred fantasy option ahead of Tip Reiman if Trey McBride is ever out of action.

 

Other Notes

 

Best IDP value: CB Max Melton

Not many had Melton going as high as he did when Arizona selected him with the No. 43 overall pick in April’s draft, but we thought he was well worth the investment as our No. 38 overall prospect with athleticism, speed, and playmaking instincts. Melton can also tackle at a high level, and it sounds like he could be the Day 1 starter in the slot where he’ll be in the middle of the action to rack up numbers.

 

Stat to know (via draft guide)

In his final five games last season, James Conner went for fantasy-point totals of 22.5, 16.4, 19.7, 25.8, and 28.4 in 0.5 PPR leagues.