Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said quarterback Kyler Murray has gone "above and beyond" in responding to challenges from his coach, which coupled with his competitive spirit and immense talent, gives the Cardinals hope for the future. Murray completed 65.7% of his passes for 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games after coming back from a torn ACL in 2023. The former first-rounder was urged by Gannon to get "submerged with the group," particularly on offense, including offseason throwing sessions. The Cardinals will hold the 27-year-old signal-caller out of preseason action this year. With a fully healthy offseason under his belt, Murray is rising as a fantasy QB1, especially after the addition of rookie first-round receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as his new No. 1 weapon in the passing game.

Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday night against the New Orleans Saints, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Harrison will take his first official snaps in the NFL this weekend, but he won't be working with starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who won't play at all this preseason. Harrison, 21, has one of the highest ceilings of any rookie wideout in recent memory and will be taken as a WR1 in fantasy drafts despite having yet to play in a regular-season NFL contest. The fourth overall pick probably won't play more than an offensive series or two on Saturday with either QB Desmond Ridder or Clayton Tune. Harrison will instantly become Arizona's No. 1 receiver this year and should be targeted heavily by Murray.

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (shoulder) was spotted after Wednesday's training camp practice wearing a brace covering his right shoulder and going across his torso. James Conner is Arizona's clear lead back entering the 2024 season, but Demercado so far has been working with the first-team offense as his primary complement in the Cardinals' backfield. It's unclear if the 25-year-old's shoulder injury is serious enough to keep him out of practices moving forward, but if it is, it could give both Michael Carter and rookie Trey Benson opportunities to unseat Demercado as the RB2 in the desert. Demercado had 58 rushing attempts for 58 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games in his first NFL season in 2023 after going undrafted out of TCU. He could open the year as the No. 2 RB, but Benson has a fairly good shot at surpassing on the depth chart sooner than later.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that wide receiver Greg Dortch is going to have "a big year." "He speaks softly and carries a big stick," Gannon said. With Rondale Moore no longer in town, Dortch has been working with the first-team offense in training camp this summer after being a backup receiver each of the last two seasons. The 26-year-old slot receiver has had his moments as an injury replacement, though, especially in 2022, when he had a career season with 52 receptions on 64 targets for 467 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games (four starts). The former undrafted free agent has injury concerns himself because of his small 5-foot-7, 175-pound stature, but he could be a sleeper candidate worth looking into, especially with quarterback Kyler Murray fully healthy to begin the 2024 campaign.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will not play during the preseason. This comes as no surprise as many high-profile quarterbacks sit the entirety of the preseason, especially in recent years. Murray is coming off a season in which he threw for 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games. Murray added 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns despite coming off a torn ACL. While it is a bummer that we will not get to see Murray throw to Marvin Harrison Jr. in the preseason, fantasy managers should know what to expect from Murray at this point. The Cardinals' offense should be serviceable, with Murray behind center. As the current QB10 in fantasy drafts, Murray should be a target in fantasy drafts.