The Arizona Cardinals are looking to snap a five-game losing streak in their Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Kyler Murray is dealing with a foot injury that has kept him out for the past two games. Will fantasy football managers finally get their dual-threat quarterback back for this prime-time showdown ?​
Kyler Murray Injury Update
Murray suffered a mid-foot sprain during the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans on October 5. The injury, described as a version of a Lisfranc sprain involving the first ray of his foot, forced him to miss the team’s next two games against the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers.​​
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback hadn’t missed any games since returning from his torn ACL in 2023. His absence came at a difficult time for Arizona, as backup Jacoby Brissett struggled to fill the void with the team dropping both games.​
Murray returned to a limited practice on Thursday, marking significant progress in his recovery timeline. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed that the Cardinals are preparing for Murray to start Monday night against the Cowboys. When asked about the milestones for Murray’s return, Gannon said the team needs to “get him fully healthy” before clearing him to play.​
The bye week came at an ideal time for Murray’s recovery. Gannon noted that the break was “very beneficial” for both Murray and the team, allowing the quarterback extra time to heal without missing additional games.​
During Tuesday’s bonus practice session following the bye, Murray was seen throwing to the Cardinals’ main receiving options on the field. This was the first time in several weeks that Murray worked with Arizona’s first-team offense, according to Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com.​
However, Thursday’s practice brought some uncertainty. While Murray participated in a limited capacity, Brissett took more snaps with the first-string players, while Murray primarily worked with the second-stringers. This represents progress compared to Week 7 when Murray exclusively practiced with practice squad receivers, but it’s not the full clearance fantasy managers were hoping for.​
The expectation is that Murray will play Monday night. His limited practice participation Thursday puts him on track to suit up, though the Cardinals appear to be taking a cautious approach with their franchise quarterback.
Murray Fantasy Outlook
Murray has been pretty good when healthy this season, completing 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions through five games. His dual-threat ability remains his most valuable fantasy asset, as he’s also contributed 173 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground.​
The quarterback averaged 192.4 passing yards per game before the injury, though those numbers don’t fully capture his fantasy value. His rushing production and ability to extend plays with his legs make him a consistent QB1 option when active.​
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The Cardinals offense has clearly missed Murray’s versatility over the past two weeks. Brissett completed 27 of 44 passes for 320 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against Indianapolis, but he lacks Murray’s mobility and playmaking ability outside the pocket.​
The matchup against Dallas on Monday Night Football presents an excellent opportunity for Murray’s return. The Cowboys have shown vulnerability against mobile quarterbacks this season, and Murray’s dual-threat skillset could exploit those weaknesses in a nationally televised game.​
Fantasy managers should feel optimistic about Murray’s availability for Week 9. While the Cardinals are being cautious with his practice workload, all signs point toward him starting Monday night. His return would provide a significant boost to an Arizona offense that has struggled mightily during his absence.​
If Murray does play, he should immediately slot back into fantasy lineups as a solid QB1 option against the defense allowing the most schedule adjusted fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. The combination of his passing efficiency and rushing upside gives him a high floor and ceiling, particularly in favorable game scripts where Arizona needs to keep pace offensively.
