Team Profile
Arizona Cardinals
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23.1% 4thOff DVOA
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60% 3rdPassing DVOA
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-2.7% 22ndRushing DVOA
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-0.4% 15thDef DVOA
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26.2% 24thDef Passing DVOA
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-26.8% 4thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For34.5 2nd
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Points Against22.0 18th
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Yards Per Game380.0 7th
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Yards Allowed Per Game299.0 13th
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andre Baccellia led the Cardinals in targets with four and tied for the team lead in receptions (2) and receiving yards (27) in their matchup with the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday evening. Baccellia played in the second quarter and was still on the field into the middle of the fourth quarter where he earned his final target playing with both Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder on the night. Trying to make the Cardinals as a depth receiver, Baccellia has a long way to go despite being with the organization since 2021. Baccellia is still a ways away on the depth chart, so you won't need to worry about Baccellia on draft day for fantasy purposes.
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado got a good amount of work in the Cardinals' second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. Demercado led the running backs with 10 carries but for a paltry 24 yards. He also added one catch on his lone target for nine yards. The battle for the RB3 spot likely comes down to Demercado and Michael Carter, as the two traded third-down snaps with Demercado taking a slight 4-to-3 edge. Carter did take 4-of-5 two-minute drill snaps, however, per PFF's Nathan Jahnke. Demercado should go undrafted in fantasy drafts, but he was solidly useful for a spell last season when he was the lead back with James Conner hurt. With Conner and rookie Trey Benson in tow, Demercado becomes depth running back for Arizona who needs multiple injuries to be relevant in fantasy for 2024.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune got the start on Saturday in their contest with the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Tune was 8-of-10 passing for 79 yards, while adding two rushes for 15 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown was a 12-yard scamper after being flushed out of the pocket and rolling right to beat a defender to the corner of the end zone for the score. Tune is battling former Atlanta Falcon Desmond Ridder for the QB2 job behind Kyler Murray and Tune may just have the leg up on that job after tonight. You can leave Tune undrafted in fantasy, however, as Tune would only have fantasy value if Murray misses any time during the season.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson took advantage of a resting James Conner as he rushed nine times for 43 yards in the Cardinals' loss to the Colts in Saturday's preseason matchup. Per PFF's Nathan Jahnke, Benson saw 16-of-22 possible first and second-down snaps outside of two-minute drills, which gives a clue that the Cardinals may have other backs like Emari Demercado and/or Michael Carter ticketed for a third-down role outside of Conner. Benson was drafted in the third round this past April as the eventual successor to Conner, but for now, Benson is only a contingency-based fantasy pick in the event of a Conner injury. He's still a worthy upside RB4/5 bench stash and could carve out a bigger role later this season.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder is currently listed as the No. 2 QB on the second depth chart of the 2024 season that the team released before their second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. It doesn't mean that the QB battle for the No. 2 job between Ridder and Clayton Tune is over this summer, though. Ridder is trying to secure the backup job behind Kyler Murray in the desert this year after quickly flaming out in Atlanta after the Falcons took him in the third round in 2022. Both Ridder and Tune will get plenty of action in the final two preseason games with Murray not playing at all until Week 1. Ridder struggled with turnovers for the Falcons and quickly proved that he wasn't their franchise signal-caller in 19 games in two seasons. He's off the fantasy radar for now.