Cardinals QB Kyler Murray dominated the Rams at home going 17 for 21 for 266 yards and three TDs. He also ran the ball five times for 59 yards. He threw two TDs to WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and another to TE Elijah Higgins.
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. bounced back from a one catch Week 1 performance to catch four of eight targets for 130 yards and two TDs. He absolutely dominated the Rams secondary, getting open with ease and linking up with QB Kyler Murray on multiple deep passes, averaging 32.5 yards per catch.
Cardinals RB James Conner stayed busy in Sunday's close loss to Buffalo. He handled 16 of 19 team RB attempts and 4 of 7 backfield targets.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray managed only 162 yards and 1 score in a Week 1 loss to Buffalo. He completed 21 of 31 passes.
Cardinals WR Zay Jones has been suspended for the first five games of the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Jones was arrested in November and charged with domestic battery, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Those charges were later dropped, but the league evidently found enough evidence of wrongdoing to hand down this suspension.
Cardinals Edge B.J. Ojulari will miss the season after tearing his left ACL in Friday's practice, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. The 2023 second-round pick was set to start opposite Zaven Collins in a defense that produced the league's third-fewest sacks last season.
Cardinals RBs Trey Benson, Michael Carter, and Emari Demercado are battling it out for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Demercado has been subbing in for James Conner during first-team work, while Benson and Carter have worked with the second team.
A source tells Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard that QB Kyler Murray is "fully healthy" heading into the 2024 season. Murray returned for the final eight games of 2023 after his December 2022 ACL tear. He's now about 19 months removed from surgery on that knee.
Cardinals rookie RB Trey Benson might not be a lock to run second behind James Conner right away. Johnny Venerable of PHNX Cardinals told the Rotoworld Football Show this week that Michael Carter is "the No. 2 back" and that he expects Benson to sit third on the depth chart to enter the season.
Cardinals OC Drew Petzing believes TE Trey McBride is capable of taking his game to "another level" this season. McBride is coming off a breakout 2023 season, catching 81 balls for 825 yards and three TDs.
Cardinals insider Bob McManaman writes that WR Greg Dortch's "role is expected to expand in 2024." McManaman projects Dortch as the team's starting slot receiver.
Cardinals RB James Conner turned 29 in May, which tends to be a dangerous age for RBs according to our aging-curve research. But Conner has shown no signs of decline. In fact, his 80.0 rushing yards per game last year were a career high and ranked fourth league-wide behind only Kyren Williams, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Chubb. Conner also excelled in advanced rushing metrics, ranking top-12 among 49 qualifying RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats’ Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt, yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per attempt, and Pro Football Focus rushing grade.
The Cardinals are signing former Jaguars WR Zay Jones, according to multiple reports. NFL Network reports that it's a one-year deal worth "up to" $4.5 million.
The Jaguars released WR Zay Jones, saving $4.18 million against the 2024 salary cap. This move was inevitable after Jacksonville took WR Brian Thomas in the first round of the draft -- after signing WR Gabriel Davis in free agency. Jones missed seven games with knee and hamstring injuries last year but caught 82 balls back in 2022. The 29-year-old can still help an NFL team, although Jones is not a good bet to be a major fantasy asset in 2024 or beyond.
The Cardinals spent a third-round pick on RB Trey Benson from Florida State. Benson suffered a multi-ligament knee injury as a freshman at Oregon in 2020 and did very little in 2021. He transferred to Florida State ahead of the 2022 campaign and turned in two highly efficient seasons for the Seminoles. Benson averaged 6.1 yards per carry and scored on 7.4% of his attempts across the past two years. An explosive runner with strong contact balance, Benson scored TDs of 80+ yards as a runner, receiver, and pass-catcher at Florida State. He confirmed his elite athleticism by earning a 9.73 Relative Athletic Score at the Combine, highlighted by a 4.39-second 40 time. Benson also showed promise as a pass-catcher over the last two years, catching 32 of 39 targets and averaging 11.5 yards per reception. He averaged just 13.2 touches per game at Florida State but has the potential to garner a bigger workload as a pro. Going to Arizona likely limits Benson's touch outlook for 2024. But it's a solid landing spot for his dynasty outlook. Check our rookie rankings to see where he lands.
The Cardinals spent the 27th pick on Missouri DL Darius Robinson. Through four years, Robinson totaled just 4.5 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss. He broke out with 8.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss in his fifth season. Robinson should get a shot at early playing time, but beware of his late college breakout.
The Arizona Cardinals spent the fifth pick of the NFL Draft on WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison has looked like a top-5 pick for a while now. The son of the longtime Colt and NFL Hall of Famer, Junior arrived at Ohio State as a four-star recruit. He broke out as a true sophomore in 2022, racking up 77 catches for 1,263 yards, and 14 TDs. He ranked third among 286 qualifying WRs in Pro Football Focus receiving grade and seventh in yards per route. Harrison’s raw production took a slight step back this past year (67-1,211-14), but he set new career highs in share of receiving yards (35.7%), share of receiving TDs (53.9%), and yards per route (3.44). That rate was a better mark than Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson ever managed at Ohio State. Harrison won the 2023 Biletnikoff Award as the top WR in college football. He’s a big-bodied 6’3, 209-pounder but moves like a much smaller man. Harrison consistently creates separation with fluid route running and a high football IQ. And when he’s not “open,” he can win with top-notch ball skills. Harrison looks ready to make an immediate impact in the NFL and ultimately boasts top-5 fantasy upside. He arrives to an offense needing a lead WR. Harrison's arrival boosts the fantasy upside of QB Kyler Murray.
Florida State RB Trey Benson helped his NFL Draft case with a 4.39-second 40 time at the Scouting Combine on Saturday. At 216 pounds, that gives him 98th-percentile speed score for the position. That backs up Benson's 6.1 career yards per carry and 11.2 yards per catch -- nearly all compiled over the past two seasons with the Seminoles. We'll see about his draft capital, but Benson has carried a reasonable ADP in early best ball drafting.
Cardinals TE Trey McBride roped in 3 of 6 targets for 34 receiving yards and a TD in Week 18 vs. the Seahawks. The second-year pass-catcher ends this season ranking seventh among TEs in receiving yards (825), sixth in targets (106), and tied for fifth in receptions (81). This production is even more impressive considering McBride only played in eight games with QB Kyler Murray this season. Moving forward, dynasty managers should consider McBride among the very best at the TE position, especially given he won’t even turn 25 until November 2024.
Cardinals RB James Conner tallied 27 carries for 150 rushing yards and a TD in Week 18’s loss vs. the Seahawks. He also added 4 receptions for 54 yards as a pass-catcher in Sunday’s contest. Injuries have marred the veteran throughout his career, though 2023 marks the first time Conner has been able to amass over 1,000 rushing yards in a season, ending the year with 1,040 across 13 games. Though he’ll play in 2024 at age 29, Conner has averaged no fewer than 15.4 PPR points per game over the past three seasons and should be considered a solid low-cost buy for dynasty managers in contending windows. The only item worth being mindful of is that the Cardinals have a potential out in Conner’s contract that would cost a mere $3 million should they choose to move on from him this offseason.
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