There’s been plenty of talk about Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s start to the 2025 season. After a strong Week 1 showing, he’s recorded just five catches over the next two games.
Given Harrison Jr.’s status as a highly touted prospect out of Ohio State, some are already raising bust concerns, but one surprising stat could quiet that conversation.
Wild Stat Suggests Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Slow Start Isn’t a Concern
In the past decade, few wide receivers have entered the NFL Draft with as much hype as Harrison Jr. The former Ohio State Buckeye was an elite prospect, boasting the athleticism, route-running ability, hands, and body control every NFL team looks for in a wideout.
The Cardinals ultimately selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While he had a solid rookie season, catching 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, it fell short of the jaw-dropping campaign many had expected.
His 2025 season hasn’t started much better. Through three games, he has just 10 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. After dropping a wide-open pass in Arizona’s Week 3 loss to the 49ers, concerns about the young wide receiver have grown.
Despite the growing concern, PFSN uncovered a stat that could ease those worries. Harrison Jr. and his father, Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. share remarkably similar early career numbers.
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Through his first 20 NFL games, Harrison Sr. had 1,026 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, while Harrison Jr. has recorded 1,027 yards and nine touchdowns through his first 20 games.
While stats don’t tell the whole story, these numbers suggest much of the criticism around Harrison Jr. may be overblown. This isn’t to say that Harrison Jr. is going to be a future Hall of Famer like his pops, but it is to say that he’s putting up pretty good numbers so far in his career.
Harrison Jr.’s biggest issue right now appears to be his connection with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. The opportunities have been there — he had 116 targets in his rookie season, but for some reason, the two haven’t connected consistently, completing just 62 of those passes.
This season has followed a similar pattern, with Harrison Jr. catching only 10 of 17 targets. If the duo can improve their chemistry, the young wide receiver’s numbers could rise dramatically.
Harrison Sr. finished his second year in the league with 866 yards. If Harrison Jr. can improve his connection with Murray and catch a higher percentage of his targets, his numbers have a real chance to surpass that total. Regardless, this huge Thursday Night Football matchup between the two divsion rivals kicks off on Prime Video at 8:15 p.m. ET.
