Cardinals WR Michael Wilson (shoulder) missed his second straight practice on Thursday. His absence vs. the Browns this weekend would leave Zach Pascal as Arizona's No. 2 outside WR -- and potentially mean more targets for WR Marquise Brown, WR Rondale Moore, and TE Trey McBride.
Cardinals WR Marquise Brown saw a team-high 10 targets on Sunday, converting 4 catches for 61 receiving yards and a TD vs. the Bengals. TE Zach Ertz had been hot as of late with the second-most targets among TEs (30) entering Week 5, though he had a bit of a down game in this one. The veteran hauled just 2 of 4 targets for 10 yards. Fortunately, he found the end zone and salvaged his fantasy day from that standpoint. Rookie WR Michael Wilson flopped after last week’s breakout with just one 18-yard catch in the contest. We’ll be happy to go back to Brown and Ertz in lineups again in Week 6 vs. the Rams.
Cardinals WR Rondale Moore played 42.8% of his snaps out wide last year. That number is down to 21.1% through two preseason games this year. Assuming that continues, it means Moore won't play much in 2-WR sets in new OC Drew Petzing's offense. It's a significant hit to Moore's 2023 fantasy value. Marquise Brown and rookie Michael Wilson look like the favorites to lead Arizona WRs in snaps this season.
The Cardinals ran WR Rondale Moore almost exclusively out of three-WR sets in Friday night's preseason opener against the Broncos. According to Pro Football Focus, just one of Moore's 10 snaps came in a two-WR formation. Arizona started Moore, rookie Michael Wilson, and veteran Zach Pascal at WR, with Marquise Brown getting the night off. It's too early to say this is a problem, but it wouldn't be good for Moore's target volume if this setup holds. We'll be watching through the rest of the preseason. Moore sits in low-risk territory of both ADP and our fantasy football PPR rankings.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray said Saturday that he was a fan of WR Michael Wilson before the team drafted him. "I saw what he did at the Senior Bowl ... I like his releases, I liked how he moved. His one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl looked good," Murray said. "I was already fond of him before we drafted him." Wilson has gotten some buzz early in training camp and is already getting first-team reps. The rookie has a chance to be a factor this season, especially when Murray gets back on the field.
The Cardinals "intend on using a lot of two-TE sets this season," according to Jess Root of Cards Wire. That would mean significant time together on the field for second-year TE Trey McBride and TE Zach Ertz, once the vet's ready following his ACL recovery. But it would also potentially challenge the playing time for Arizona WRs not named Marquise Brown. The Cardinals already tied for ninth in the league in most "12 personnel" snaps (two TEs) last season. So we might not actually see an escalation this year. But we'll be watching the camp and preseason tendencies for the fantasy outlooks on WRs Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch and Michael Wilson. McBride and Ertz are both going late enough in best ball drafts to carry some upside, though we're not specifically targeting either player. See where all these Cardinals land in our PPR rankings.
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss named WR Michael Wilson the Cardinals' surprise offseason standout. "The rookie third-rounder has impressed his coaches and teammates with his route running and talent," Weinfuss writes. Wilson got plenty of first-team reps this spring and "could be a factor in Arizona's offense from Day 1 of the season," Weinfuss adds. The release of WR DeAndre Hopkins opens up tons of opportunity in Arizona's passing game. And, more specifically, a need for a big-bodied outside receiver. The 6'1, 213-pound Wilson fits the bill. He qualifies as an intriguing end-of-draft flier for now. We'll keep a close eye on his progress when training camp opens next month.
The Cardinals announced that they have released WR DeAndre Hopkins. Trade rumors have swirled around the veteran all offseason. This move clearly indicates that the team couldn't find a suitable partner. That almost certainly comes down to the money involved, as Hopkins carried a $30.75 million cap hit for 2023. By waiting for the release, other teams can now negotiate their own deal with Hopkins rather than pay his huge existing contract. Arizona moves on with Marquise Brown as the lead WR. He was scoring in WR1 range last season before fracturing a foot and getting Hopkins back from suspension. Rondale Moore figures to operate as the No. 2 WR. The big question will be how much time he spends in the slot vs. outside. Candidates for the 3rd WR spot include veteran Greg Dortch and third-round rookie Michael Wilson. Dortch is clearly a slot guy, having spent 82.5% of his career pass snaps there. Wilson stands 6'2, 213 pounds and ran 76% of his college routes outside. Of course, Arizona also might play more 2-TE sets under new coaches, if Zach Ertz makes it back from his ACL tear in time to join second-year TE Trey McBride. For now, move Brown and Moore up your draft board, and consider taking late best ball shots on Dortch and Wilson. We'll continue watching the recovery of QB Kyler Murray (ACL tear). See where everyone sits in our updated fantasy football WR rankings.
The Cardinals made Stanford WR Michael Wilson a Round 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wilson spent 5 years at Stanford and never reached 700 receiving yards in a season. He posted a 56-672-5 line as a sophomore but then missed 16 games with various injuries over the last 3 years. When healthy, Wilson is a physical receiver with good route-running ability and strong ball skills. There’s some JuJu Smith-Schuster to his game. He enters a Cardinals depth chart that looks wide open for the long-term. DeAndre Hopkins remains a trade candidate, while Marquise Brown is entering a contract year.
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