The fantasy football landscape shifts each week, bringing fresh opportunities and unexpected challenges that separate the prepared from the pretenders. Savvy managers know that last week’s performance tells only part of the story, and diving deeper into the underlying metrics reveals the accurate picture.
This week presents some intriguing decisions. Here’s insight about key Arizona Cardinals players heading into their matchup with the Seattle Seahawks to help you craft a winning lineup.
Kyler Murray, QB
It truly feels like we are an unlocked Harrison away from Kyler Murray being labeled as a top-five QB every week. Even with his presumed WR1 struggling, Murray has both a 30-plus yard completion and 30-plus yards rushing in all three games this season, showcasing the type of floor we love to have access to.
The quality of competition in Weeks 1-2 certainly does factor into his production, especially with a divisional opponent that has traditionally given him fits in the past on the schedule.
Murray hasn’t cleared 19 fantasy points against the Seahawks since Week 11, 2020, when he tallied five passing touchdowns to four interceptions in their past five meetings with just 58 rushing yards over the past three.
I’m more optimistic than that, but not completely sold. He’ll take the field on Thursday night ranked just outside of my top 10 at the position.
James Conner, RB
If you’re squeamish, I’d advise you just to trust me — the James Conner injury over the weekend was brutal.
His foot needs season-ending surgery to repair, and the 2023 conversation will be an interesting one with time. Despite “Father Time” looming, Conner was one of four running backs to enter this season with 1,000 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs in each of the two previous seasons (others: Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, and Kyren Williams).
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Conner turns 31 in May, and it’s fair to wonder if we’ve seen the end of Conner’s fantasy career.
Trey Benson, RB
James Conner’s season is over, opening the door for Trey Benson, a 2024 third-round pick who averaged 6.1 yards per carry in college and scored on 7.6% of his rush attempts.
The Cardinals believe in this player and want him to be the running back of the future, which gives me confidence that we are looking at him picking up around 85% of Conner’s role.
This is a tough spot to debut as the lead man — the Seahawks are allowing the second-fewest yards allowed per carry after contact to opposing running backs this season — but I think the versatility can save the day for fantasy purposes.
Benson is currently my RB25 for the week, ranking ahead of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Quinshon Judkins, Tony Pollard, and David Montgomery if you are forced into making a decision.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR
“Frustratingly close.” I don’t know how else to say it. We’ve seen some route development from Marvin Harrison Jr. this season, and his big-play making ability is something he’s got in his DNA, but we are having trouble getting that breakout game.
In San Francisco last week, it was a penalty that cost him big yardage before the mental lapse. I’m not sure if he can spin and accelerate fast enough, but he got behind the defense, and Kyler Murray noticed it.
Sitting wide open, Harrison had the ball coming his way. He wasn’t running fast, hardly moving at all. The ball was just floating toward him, like one of those slow-motion movie moments where the underdog is in the midst of pulling off some dramatic play.
Bobble. Grass. Incomplete. If he catches it with confidence and can finish the play, we are looking at a 14.6-point play. At the very least, it should have been a 30-plus yard gain that helps the 3-44-0 save what turned out to be a 3-44-0 day at the office.
There are problems with high-end receivers across this league, but I don’t think that’s the case here. He’s a talented player with a healthy QB1 and has recently become increasingly important to the team with the Conner injury.
MORE: Cardinals Predicted to Select 19-TD Star WR in 2026 NFL Draft Amid Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Struggles
I’ve ranked Tee Higgins and Brian Thomas types in my rankings this week, but that’s not the case for Harrison on Thursday night. Despite a tough matchup, I still have him as a top-20 player, thinking that we get the opportunity and talent combination to pay off sooner rather than later.
Seattle ranks 30th in blitz rate this season, giving “MHJ” time to work and cash in on some of the opportunities he’s missed through three weeks this season.
Trey McBride, TE
Trey McBride has been a top-12 tight end in all three weeks this season and now has the second-longest active streak of five-plus reception games, with five in a row (Meanwhile, Puka Nacua is playing a different sport, with 11 straight).
The volume is as safe as it gets. While the TD equity is traditionally low, it was nice to see a Kyler Murray rollout touchdown pass to McBride on the sideline over the weekend — his first career touchdown coming before late October.
Harrison hasn’t lived up to the hype, which puts McBride in a position to challenge Brock Bowers for the tight end throne. In fact, he’s overtaken him in my rest-of-season rankings, with the thought being that he has the better quarterback and, at this point, less target competition.
