Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of the NFL’s most closely watched young wide receivers, and his family background is a headline in its own right.
Meet Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Parents
Harrison Jr. is the son of Dawne Harrison and Marvin Harrison Sr., the Hall of Fame wide receiver who spent his entire 13-year career with the Indianapolis Colts. Marvin Sr. was drafted 19th overall in 1996 and became one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history, earning eight Pro Bowl nods, three All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl ring in 2007.
Marvin Sr. retired with 1,102 catches, 14,580 yards, and 128 touchdowns. He was inducted into Canton, Ohio, in 2016. His partnership with Peyton Manning set league records for completions, yards, and touchdowns between a quarterback and receiver.
Dawne Harrison, Marvin Jr.’s mother, has kept a lower public profile but has played a pivotal role in his development. Marvin Jr. has credited her with keeping him grounded and focused on academics, referring to her as his “escape from football” in interviews.
Dawne worked multiple jobs as Marvin Jr. was growing up, setting an example of discipline that both sons have referenced. She made academics a priority, encouraging Marvin Jr. to maintain a GPA “north of 3.5” throughout high school and college, according to interviews.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Family Tree
Harrison Jr. was born in Philadelphia on August 11, 2002. He attended St. Joseph’s Prep, where he helped lead the football team to three consecutive state championships from 2018 to 2020 and set Philadelphia Catholic League records for career receiving yards (2,625) and touchdowns (37). He continued his career at Ohio State before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals.
When asked about mirroring his father’s success after officially entering the NFL, Harrison Jr. said: “It’s not much bragging rights, I can tell you that,” the Cardinals wide receiver said. “I’ve got a long way to go. He’s got a lot of things that I am nowhere close to accomplishing,” he added.
The football pipeline doesn’t stop with Marvin Jr. His younger brother, Jett Harrison, is a wide receiver at St. Joseph’s Prep. Both brothers have credited their father’s technical coaching and their mother’s academic standards for their approach to the game.
Jett has already received scholarship offers from major programs, including Ohio State, Boston College, Duke, Syracuse, and Tennessee. Like Marvin Jr., he is praised for his early technical development and work ethic, reflecting the family’s commitment to both academics and athletics.
As Harrison Jr. continues to make his mark in Arizona, the influence of both parents and the family’s unique combination of football pedigree and academic focus remains a central storyline in his development. Heading into Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season, the Cardinals star is ranked 33rd among receivers based on PFSN’s WR Impact metric.
The combination of Hall of Fame standards, strong parental support, and a new generation of talent keeps the Harrison family in the news as their football legacy continues to grow.
Cardinals Players’ Fantasy Outlook for Week 9
With Kyler Murray out, here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote on the fantasy outlooks of the notable Cardinals players for their Week 9 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys:
Marvin Harrison Jr.
After a nice 2025 debut, Marvin Harrison Jr. has one top-20 finish and just two weeks as a top-40 performer at the position.
Can we count on a bye to right the ship? I don’t think so, but banking on a Dallas matchup isn’t a bad idea for those worried about the short-term over everything else.
Harrison has a 30+ yard catch in the majority of his contests this season, and that counts for something. But with just two end zone targets during the five-game losing streak and one game with double-digit expected PPR points over his past six, this profile doesn’t come close to matching the pedigree.
You’re starting Arizona’s WR1 this week because his 5-6 targets hit differently in a matchup like this, but be aware that you’re holding a distressed fantasy asset that isn’t showing signs of emerging as the type of producer we’ve been hoping for.
Trey McBride
Trey McBride is elite, and if you wanted to tell me that he was the only Tier 1 option at the position for the final two months, I wouldn’t put up much of an argument.
Arizona’s star has three straight games with an end zone target, five straight as a top-8 finisher at the position (PPR), and nine straight with at least seven looks.
At the tight end position, any one of those factors would have my interest. If two of them were true, we are talking about a lineup lock. All four? All four lands put you atop the ranks and give you week-winning potential.
I probably didn’t need to list any of those trends to convince you to start him against a Cowboys defense that has allowed 30+ points in five of their past seven games, but it always helps to know just how good your guy is.
McBride entered the bye in great form and waltzes into the perfect spot. I say he sets a season high in yardage, but with the volume and the newfound touchdown equity, he’s got multiple paths to fantasy stardom. In a battle of fantasy stars at the toughest position to fill, I like McBride to shine the brightest.
