After being selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, there were high expectations for former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to become the Cardinals’ lead receiver for quarterback Kyler Murray.
Between Murray’s injuries and Harrison’s inconsistent results, the plan has not quite materialized after two seasons. Jacoby Brissett has been a suitable replacement for the Cardinals. Still, Harrison has continued to struggle as the season has gone on, with another slow start against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.
What Happened to Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr.?
No, Harrison is not injured. While he has missed the last two weeks due to a heel injury, Harrison told the media after Friday’s practice that he was good enough to return in Week 16 against the Falcons.
While he may have felt good and looked solid warming up pregame, the second-year wide receiver has struggled to get going against Atlanta’s defense, being shut out in the first quarter. He hasn’t had many opportunities with just one target from Brissett.
Marvin Harrison Jr. warming up as he is officially active for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. pic.twitter.com/dIzGzPrihY
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) December 21, 2025
While he has missed a few games compared to the full 17 in his rookie campaign, it feels like Harrison has taken a step back rather than improving in his second season. In 2024, he caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, compared to 40 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns in this season coming into Week 16.
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Inconsistency under center definitely plays a part, but he hasn’t proved to be much better than fellow Cardinals wideout Michael Wilson.
According to PFSN’s WR Impact metric, Harrison ranks as the 39th overall wide receiver in the NFL with an impact score of 76. Wilson is not far behind him, coming in at 51st with an impact score of 73.7. Drafted one year before in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Stanford, the Cardinals only invested a third-round pick in Wilson compared to the fourth-overall in Harrison.
While it seems clear that the Cardinals will be seriously considering a change under center in the 2026 offseason, Harrison is only going to have so much time to prove his worth after a less-than-stellar start to his NFL career.
The Cardinals have been out of playoff contention for a while, but still have positional battles to keep an eye on for 2026. With a lot of unknowns shining in the receiver room, Harrison needs to pick it up in the next three quarters.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
