Arizona Cardinals DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson had as quiet of a debut as they come in the team's season opener last week against the Bills. The third-round pick out of Florida State saw just three rushing attempts to James Conner's 16. Benson gained 13 yards on the ground and caught one pass for another five yards. The rookie didn't take the field until the Cardinals' third drive and was outsnapped by fellow backup Emari Demercado, 14 to eight. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing referred to Conner as the team's "bell cow" in comments to the media ahead of Week 1 and there's little reason to believe they will move away from him in Week 2. Benson is still worth stashing in case the injury bug bites or the team starts utilizing their backs differently, but he should be on fantasy benches on Sunday against the Rams.

Tight ends league-wide disappointed in Week 1. As it was, Trey McBride's eight points in half-PPR leagues were still good for a top-10 finish at the position. While his production (five catches for 30 yards) fell short of expectations, fantasy managers found a silver lining in McBride's utilization. The Cardinals deployed their star tight end on 85% of snaps and he led the team with a 29% target share against the Buffalo Bills last week. In Week 2, Arizona plays the Los Angeles Rams, who give up the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2023. McBride is a priority target in the Cardinals' passing attack and should enjoy a more productive game. The 24-year-old is already one of the top options at tight end and should be locked into starting lineups. McBride will be a top-12 tight end in Week 2, and given his usage in Arizona's offense, could find himself at the top by the end of the week.

Buzz around Arizona Cardinals slot receiver Greg Dortch has been building for weeks. Dortch demonstrated great route running and chemistry with Kyler Murray during preseason training camps and in Week 1 had a 26% target share even though he was on the field for just 62% of offensive snaps. In Week 2, the Cardinals host the Los Angeles Rams, who themselves held Amon-Ra St. Brown to three catches and 13 yards out of the slot last week. The 2023 All-Pro's reputation demanded more attention than Dortch will likely see, but the Rams' ability to shut down the position shouldn't be overlooked. A repeat of Dortch's modest week 1 performance isn't out of the question and would still make him a solid flex play, especially in deeper leagues, but managers counting on a boom game are better off waiting another week.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had a dud of a debut against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. The fourth overall pick of the NFL draft had just one catch for four yards and wasn't targeted at all in the second half of that game. While the performance was alarming for fantasy managers who paid up to get the vaunted rookie near his ADP of 15, there is hope for improvement in Week 2. Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing admitted earlier this week that the team needs to prioritize getting the rookie more involved going forward. Harrison will again line up on the outside against a Rams secondary that allowed 121 receiving yards to Jameson Williams last Sunday. The former Buckeye can be started against the Rams with tempered expectations. He projects as a WR2 in Week 2.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner put up 83 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. He will look to do more of the same on Sunday in the Cardinals' home opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Fears that he might lose work to rookie Trey Benson were assuaged last week as Conner handled 16 of Arizona's 20 handoffs and was on the field for 67% of offensive snaps compared to Benson's 13% share. The Rams had one of the toughest run defenses in the league in 2023 but no longer have Aaron Donald anchoring their line. In Week 1, they gave up 131 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to the Lions. Conner should be locked into fantasy lineups this week and can be expected to put up another RB1 performance.