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 Cincinnati Bengals to help you craft a winning lineup.
Jacoby Brissett, QB
It was a good run while it lasted.
Fantasy Finishes, Weeks 6-15
- Week 6: QB7
- Week 7: QB12
- Week 8: bye
- Week 9: QB10
- Week 10: QB9
- Week 11: QB4
- Week 12: QB7
- Week 13: QB10
- Week 14: QB12
- Week 15: QB12
That’s not to say that the Jacoby Brissett gravy train is off the tracks, but he did look much more human last week against the Falcons (16-31 for 203 yards with a TD and an INT). What made it happen?
The Atlanta pressure got to him
On 10 pressured dropbacks, Brissett completed just two passes and was sacked twice. Maybe they created something of a blueprint, but the thing with blueprints that is difficult is execution.
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The Bengals are pacing to be a bottom-10 pressure defense for a second straight season, and that’s why I’m comfortable going back to Brissett in all formats. He’s my QB7 in this spot, so yes, I think you can put the fate of your strong fantasy season in the hands of a 33-year-old journeyman.
I don’t know how you don’t love this game.
Michael Carter, RB
I understand that the Bengals matchup is enticing and Michael Carter would be the play from this backfield, but I’m not going to Arizona for RB production if I can help it.
We know that James Conner, Trey Benson, and Bam Knight are all done for the year, and yet, we still have three running backs involved.
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On Sunday against the Falcons, Carter led the trio with a 53.6% snap share, but he only accounted for half of the running back touches, and Corey Kiner got both of the RB looks inside the 20-yard line.
Carter has been nothing special this season (78.2% gain rate and 5.1% of carries have gained 10+ yards) and the quality of opportunities isn’t high enough to roll the dice (one red zone touch in his past four games).
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR
This Arizona passing game just functions differently when Marvin Harrison is active, and that would usually be said with a positive inflection, but that’s not the case.
They struggled to get to 19 points, at home, against the Falcons last week, and that was with seven coming on a once-in-a-lifetime sort of touchdown to Michael Wilson.
Arizona hasn’t cleared 22 points in three straight games with their supposed WR1 on the field, and he was largely a no-show on Sunday: 20 routes, one catch, 14 yards.
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More worrisome than the raw production was the 50% snap share. Elijah Higgins made the most of his opportunity (seven catches for 91 yards), but Wilson didn’t earn volume, and Trey McBride failed to meet his lofty expectations. In theory, the stage was set for Harrison, but instead, his role was quiet (under 10 expected PPR points in the majority of his games this season), and the production was even worse.
Could this game be the most impactful on the slate when it comes to how people view a certain player for 2026?
If Harrison exploits the Bengals, I can see the conversation shifting back toward his pedigree and potential. But if he faceplants in a perfect spot, we could be looking at a top 20 ADP receiver from August being outside of the top 30 in 2026.
Michael Wilson, WR
Sometimes it’s just your time.
Michael Wilson saw only three targets against the Falcons last week with Marvin Harrison back, a lack of usage that, more often than not, results in a crippling dud.
And it should have.
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But because Wilson can do no wrong these days, he scored a 32-yard touchdown that pinballed all over the place and somehow magically landed in his hands.
Sustainable? No. Effective enough to help you advance? Very possible.
He’s now scored four times in his past three games and has reached double-digit PPR points in five of six. The floor is concerning with viable target competition, but the matchup and game environment project as more helpful to him than the availability of Harrison is harmful.
Wilson remains inside my top 24 at the position and ahead of Harrison for this cushy spot.
Trey McBride, TE
Trey McBride was my fantasy regular-season MVP, and for him to leave us wanting more during the semifinals is just a brutal outcome.
Don’t forget that he’s the reason you made it that far, and if you were able to survive his dud, you go back to the well and don’t even think twice. We are labeling Week 16 as his floor (4-27-0), and there are at least half a dozen teams in your league that would sign up for 27.6% of the targets and an end zone look as a great outcome.
That’s what McBride gave you in his worst game of the season that snapped his record-breaking streak of 5+ catch games.
Rinse it off and move on. He’s my TE1 this week and for 2026.
