Team Profile
Arizona Cardinals
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8.4% 11thOff DVOA
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24.4% 13thPassing DVOA
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0.6% 9thRushing DVOA
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-0.6% 14thDef DVOA
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4.6% 15thDef Passing DVOA
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-7.3% 19thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For23.5 13th
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Points Against22.3 15th
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Yards Per Game358.0 11th
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Yards Allowed Per Game343.0 21st
The Arizona Cardinals have downgraded tight end Trey McBride (ribs) to questionable for Sunday's game due to a rib injury. McBride had cleared concussion protocol earlier this week after missing Week 4 against the Commanders, but he has now appeared on the injury report with this new issue. This season, McBride has recorded 14 receptions on 21 targets for a total of 122 yards. In his last outing against San Francisco in Week 15 of 2023, he caught 10 passes for 102 yards. Backup tight end Elijah Higgins saw an increase in playing time last week, managing two receptions for 12 yards against Washington. However, it's difficult to project his future role, especially since the Cardinals had effectively lost that game by halftime. More updates on McBride's injury are expected before Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff against the 49ers.
Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (left knee) returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday. This was an improvement after he missed two consecutive practices, but it still leaves some uncertainty about his availability. The Cardinals are officially listing him as questionable for Week 5 versus the San Francisco 49ers. Prater has remained quite effective in his age-40 season, converting all 10 of his extra points attempts and all six of his field goal attempts. Fantasy managers can continue to start Prater in leagues with 12 teams or fewer.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson is likely not a viable fantasy option in Week 5 as the team travels to San Francisco to face the 49ers. However, he is starting to show some promise in the fantasy landscape, having received 16 targets over the last two weeks and emerging as the team's third option behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride (concussion). The 49ers defense ranks 13th against opposing fantasy receivers, though they have shown some signs of vulnerability. As underdogs, the Cardinals may need to shift to a pass-heavy attack if they fall behind. If that happens, it could create an opportunity for Wilson as a risky streaming option, but this would likely be a last resort for fantasy managers. While Wilson is a name to monitor moving forward, he's not someone to consider outside of deep leagues in Week 5.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch should remain on the waiver wire as the team travels to San Francisco to face the 49ers in Week 5. Dortch is rostered in just 3% of fantasy leagues, marking a season-low in ownership as many managers have dropped him. While he had a solid performance in Week 1 against the Bills, which gave some hope for the season, he has primarily been used in the slot as a check-down option and occasionally works the middle of the field on intermediate routes. With Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (concussion) back in the lineup, Dortch's target share will likely decrease further. He's not a viable fantasy option outside of deep leagues until he takes on a more significant role in the passing attack.
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner is a low-end RB2 against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. He quickly eased fantasy managers' concerns last week by bouncing back from a season-low performance, racking up 104 yards and a touchdown against the Washington Commanders last week. The Cardinals will face a solid 49ers front seven, which could lead to a tougher outing for Conner. The Cardinals are large underdogs, and if they find themselves trailing, they may shift to a pass-heavy attack, limiting Conner's usage. However, he still has enough touchdown upside to warrant RB2 status in Week 5.