The Arizona Cardinals suffered a devastating blow to their already depleted offensive unit during Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Marvin Harrison Jr. was forced to leave the contest after sustaining a head injury that will affect his availability moving forward.
For fantasy football managers who have counted on the talented receiver, what is his current status following this setback?
Marvin Harrison Jr. Injury Update
Harrison sustained his concussion during the second quarter of Arizona’s 31-27 defeat to the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The incident happened with 6:59 remaining in the first half when Harrison completed a 21-yard reception from Jacoby Brissett but fell hard, with the back of his head striking the turf upon landing.​
The receiver remained on the ground for several moments after the impact before slowly making his way to the sideline. Team medical personnel immediately escorted him to the blue injury tent for evaluation as part of the league’s concussion protocol procedures.​
After spending time in the tent being assessed, Harrison was taken to the locker room for further evaluation. The Cardinals initially listed him as questionable to return, but he was officially ruled out for the remainder of the contest at the start of the second half.​
This represents the second concussion of Harrison’s young NFL career. He suffered his first head injury during Week 6 of last season but managed to return the following week without missing any games. However, that outcome is not the norm, as most players miss at least one contest.​
Encouraging news emerged Wednesday when Harrison was listed as a limited participant in practice, marking his first on-field activity since sustaining the concussion. A limited practice on Wednesday represents a very important first step as it suggests he is already progressing through the protocol stages.
Harrison was again limited on Thursday, wearing the red no-contact jersey.
Given the nature of concussion injuries, this is not the type of situation where the Cardinals would hold him out an extra week to ensure he is 100% healthy. He either clears the protocol or he doesn’t, making his progression through the stages the key factor in his availability.
If Harrison can advance to full participation on Friday, that will put him on track to play against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Harrison Fantasy Outlook
Harrison was experiencing a resurgence in recent weeks after a slow start to his second NFL season. He had posted consecutive quality performances with 18.6 and 13.8 fantasy points in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively, suggesting he was finding a better rhythm in the Cardinals’ passing attack.
He appeared positioned for another strong showing against Indianapolis, recording two catches for 32 yards in the first half before the injury ended his day prematurely. The early production indicated positive momentum that was unfortunately cut short.
The Cardinals find themselves perilously thin at skill positions following a rash of injuries. They were already without running backs James Conner and Trey Benson, forcing them to rely on practice squad elevations and waiver wire additions at the position.
Arizona was operating with Brissett at quarterback in place of the injured Kyler Murray, though this personnel change may not necessarily represent a downgrade for the passing game’s effectiveness.
If Harrison misses Week 7, Trey McBride will continue serving as the focal point of Arizona’s passing attack. The tight end has emerged as the team’s most reliable receiving option and should see increased target share in Harrison’s absence.
Michael Wilson and Zay Jones figure to handle the primary outside receiver duties while Harrison recovers. However, neither player represents a recommended waiver wire pickup for fantasy managers seeking immediate production.
Most concussion recoveries allow players to return within one week if they successfully clear the protocol. If Harrison cannot recover in time for next week’s contest, his absence will almost certainly be limited to just one game, given Arizona’s Week 8 bye.
The extra rest provided by the bye week should ensure Harrison returns fully healthy by Week 9 at the latest, barring any complications in his recovery process.
