The Arizona Cardinals come into Week 11 sitting at just 3-6 and last place in the NFC West division. However, despite a disappointing season so far, Arizona’s offensive playmakers haven’t been disappointments in fantasy football.
Tight end Trey McBride has been a star, scoring at least 10 points in all but one week and averaging over 20 points in his last four games. Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has 22 targets over his last two games, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett is averaging more than 20 points per game.
What Is Jacoby Brissett’s Fantasy Football Outlook Going Forward?
Brissett has officially taken over as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback, at least for the next three weeks, and he’s thrived in fantasy football terms.
It helps that the Cardinals have been trailing in all four of Brissett’s starts this season, but the veteran quarterback has done a good job of getting the ball to his best playmakers, and it’s resulted in four straight games of at least 250 passing yards.
Brissett is ranked in the Top 15, according to PFSN’s QB Impact, among all quarterbacks in the NFL, and continues to convert third downs at a Top 5 rate.
“Brissett is the only QB this season with four straight games of 250+ passing yards and multiple TD tosses, all of which have landed him as a top 12 performer at the position,” PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote in his Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 11. “He’s following the Joe Flacco path to success, and it’s working at a similar level: weigh down your top teammates with opportunities to make you look good.
“In those four games, 52% of his targets have been directed toward Marvin Harrison Jr. or Trey McBride, a rate that helps the ceiling/floor math of Brissett.”
Brissett’s rushing ability also helps him. He may not be the most agile, but he has at least 19 rushing yards in three of his four starts, and his movement in the pocket allows his playmakers to get open.
In addition, Brissett’s next three games are against the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All three teams rank in the bottom half of the NFL against the pass, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact.
What Does That Mean for Trey McBride?
McBride has had an incredible season on the field and in fantasy football terms. The Cardinals’ tight end has at least five catches in every game this year and has a touchdown in four straight games.
Since Brissett took over at quarterback, McBride has 46 targets, 32 receptions, and 328 yards across four games, and he has five touchdowns. The Cardinals’ tight end has exploded lately, and there’s no reason for that to change.
“If we are to believe that Brissett has unlocked something further in him, there’s a chance for him to break the slate on Sunday,” Soppe wrote. “His floor is unlike anything anyone else at the position has, and that makes him a nice DFS cash game play that also comes preloaded with the potential to do something special.”
McBride is ranked No. 7, according to PFSN’s TE Impact, among all tight ends in the NFL, but leads the league in targets and receptions, and is tied for second with his six touchdowns. With limited options on Sunday, Brissett could lean on McBride even heavier.
What Is Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Outlook?
The Cardinals’ young receiver will miss Sunday’s game against the 49ers as he recovers from appendicitis surgery. It’s unclear yet whether it’ll be a one-week event or a multiple-week event.
However, when Harrison returns, expect him to be highly involved in the offense. His numbers this season aren’t overly exciting, but his targets have been there recently.
Harrison has 22 targets over his last two games, and there seems to be more of an emphasis on getting the former first-round pick the ball.
The Cardinals receiver broke out two weeks ago and came back down to earth last week, but he has had a touchdown in two straight games.
“There is no denying that his stock is higher with Jacoby Brissett under center than it ever had a chance at being with Kyler Murray,” Soppe wrote. “While the box score wasn’t overwhelming last week, the fact that he doubled his season count in end zone targets is certainly a positive data point when it comes to projecting ahead.”
With Harrison out against the 49ers, expect Michael Wilson to fill his role and potentially have a pretty nice day.