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Emari Demercado Emari Demercado Tending to shoulder issue
Wed, Nov 20, 2024, 6:47 PM
Demercado was limited at Wednesday's practice due to a shoulder injury, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: Demercado took a back seat to rookie third-round pick Trey Benson in the two games before the Cardinals' Week 11 bye, earning 21 snaps and nine touches versus 32 and 21, respectively, for the latter. Benson also averaged 5.5 yards per carry, while Demercado averaged 4.7 YPC outside of his 53-yard TD run Week 9. With a health concern now in tow, Demercado may fall even further behind in the RB pecking order to starter James Conner and Benson. |
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Elijah Higgins Elijah Higgins Another two-catch outing
Mon, Nov 11, 2024, 10:49 PM
Higgins hauled in both of his targets for 13 yards during Sunday's 31-6 victory versus the Jets.
Analysis: Higgins now has recorded exactly two catches in three consecutive games, resulting in a modest 6-60-0 line on six targets. In Week 10, he ranked third (49 percent) among Cardinals tight ends in snap share behind Trey McBride (71 percent) and blocking specialist Tip Reiman (59 percent). In an offense that focuses heavily on RB James Conner, WR Marvin Harrison and McBride, Higgins' value is capped at what he can accomplish on the few passes he sees from QB Kyler Murray on a weekly basis. |
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Greg Dortch Greg Dortch Notches one reception Sunday
Mon, Nov 11, 2024, 10:43 PM
Dortch's sole catch went for minus-1 yard during Sunday's 31-6 victory against the Jets.
Analysis: After being involved regularly in the Cardinals' passing game through four contests (15-131-0 on 20 targets), Dortch's production has fallen off significantly over the last six outings (7-56-1 on 13 targets). The offense revolves around RB James Conner, WR Marvin Harrison and TE Trey McBride, which doesn't leave much more than scraps for the remaining pass catchers. With a Week 11 bye on deck, Dortch's next opportunity arrives Sunday, Nov. 24 in Seattle. |
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Michael Wilson Michael Wilson Makes mark in box score
Mon, Nov 11, 2024, 10:37 PM
Wilson gathered in three of four targets for 24 yards during Sunday's 31-6 win versus the Jets.
Analysis: After getting blanked on one target during a Week 9 victory against the Bears, Wilson made a mark in the box score Sunday, but he still ranked fourth in targets among Cardinals behind WR Marvin Harrison, TE Trey McBride and RB James Conner, all of whom earned five. All three at least doubled up Wilson's receiving yardage total, and Harrison was on the receiving end of QB Kyler Murray's only TD pass. Wilson hasn't surpassed 31 yards in five consecutive contests, leaving his fantasy value waning as Arizona enters its Week 11 bye. |
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Emari Demercado Emari Demercado Garners three carries in Week 10
Mon, Nov 11, 2024, 10:31 PM
Demercado tallied three carries for 22 yards during Sunday's 31-6 win against the Jets.
Analysis: One week removed from his second-highest touch count (six) of the season, Demercado took a back seat to James Conner and fellow reserve RB Trey Benson out of the Cardinals backfield. Conner again led the way with 17 touches for 113 yards from scrimmage and one rushing TD on a 54 percent snap share, while Benson handled 12 touches for 87 total yards on 27 percent of plays. As for Demercado, he was third with 12 percent, and even DeeJay Dallas got three carries on four snaps in garbage time. It seems clear at this point in the campaign that Demercado is third in the pecking order among the top trio, and with a Week 11 bye on tap, his next chance to contribute is Sunday. Nov. 24 at Seattle. |
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Trey McBride Trey McBride Gains 71 yards Sunday
Sun, Nov 10, 2024, 10:22 PM
McBride caught four of five targets for 71 yards in Sunday's 31-6 rout of the Jets.
Analysis: McBride didn't replicate his anomalous rushing touchdown from a week prior, but he continued to operate as one of Kyler Murray's favorite targets in Sunday's victory. The 24-year-old McBride has accrued a 49-552-0 (including a two-yard rushing TD) through nine starts as Arizona enters its bye week. McBride will resume being a reliable fantasy tight end when the Cardinals resume play against the Seahawks on Nov. 24. |
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Marvin Harrison Marvin Harrison Returns to end zone Sunday
Sun, Nov 10, 2024, 9:41 PM
Harrison brought in all five of his targets for 54 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-6 win over the Jets.
Analysis: Harrison rebounded from a down game in Week 9 by collecting all of his targets while cashing in his sixth touchdown of the season against the Jets. The rookie phenom has produced a 33-499-6 receiving line through 10 games as the Cardinals enter a bye week. Harrison has endured some ups and downs from a fantasy perspective, but he can still be relied upon in a plus matchup against the Seahawks on Nov. 24. |
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James Conner James Conner Goes for 100+ yards plus TD
Sun, Nov 10, 2024, 9:30 PM
Conner rushed 12 times for 33 yards and a touchdown while corralling all five of his targets for 80 yards in Sunday's 31-6 win over the Jets.
Analysis: Conner struggled as a rusher outside of a short touchdown Sunday, but he offset that with his biggest game of the season as a receiver. The bruising back was dealing with a finger injury during the practice week, which could have had something to do with rookie Trey Benson (10-62-0) cutting into the starter's workload in the first half against the Jets. The 29-year-old Conner will get an extra week to recover as Arizona enters its bye before resuming action against the Seahawks on Nov. 24. |
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Kyler Murray Kyler Murray Misses just two passes in big win
Sun, Nov 10, 2024, 7:23 PM
Murray completed 22 of 24 pass attempts for 266 yards and a touchdown while adding 21 rushing yards and two more scores on three carries in Sunday's 31-6 victory over the Jets.
Analysis: The dual-sport athlete nearly pitched a perfect game after missing just two pass attempts without turning the ball over while scoring three combined touchdowns in the blowout victory. Murray bounced back from his worst fantasy game of the season against the Bears last week, posting a gaudy stat line against the Jets. With over 2,000 combined yards of offense and 16 total touchdowns through 10 games, both fantasy managers and the Cardinals should feel good about the QB they have in camp this season. Murray will now enter his bye week and resume action in a road matchup against the Seahawks on Nov. 24. |
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James Conner James Conner Avoids injury designation
Fri, Nov 8, 2024, 3:15 PM
Conner (finger) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Jets, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Analysis: Conner was a full practice participant Friday after limited showings the previous two days. He should be fine to handle his usual role, which entails the upside for 20-plus touches in close games. Conner has at least 10 touches in every game this season, including 21-plus in four of the past five weeks. |
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James Conner James Conner Limited again Thursday
Thu, Nov 7, 2024, 3:27 PM
Conner (finger) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: Conner is averaging 18.4 touches for 92.3 yards from scrimmage per game while scoring four rushing TDs in nine appearances this season. He has yielded some reps at times to reserve RBs Emari Demercado and Trey Benson, but their usage has been up and down while Conner has maintained his workload throughout the campaign. Having said that, Conner had a cap on his practice reps Wednesday and Thursday due to a finger injury, meaning his status will continue to be monitored as the week goes on. |
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James Conner James Conner Dealing with finger issue
Wed, Nov 6, 2024, 3:37 PM
Conner was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice due to a finger injury, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Analysis: Conner had a concussion check this past Sunday versus the Bears but was cleared to return. He finished with his fifth 100-yard performance from scrimmage of the season, but he's now tending to a different health concern in Week 10. As a result, Conner's status will continue to be monitored as Arizona prepares to host the Jets on Sunday. |
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Greg Dortch Greg Dortch No catches Sunday
Tue, Nov 5, 2024, 4:11 PM
Dortch didn't haul in his only target and returned four punts for 65 yards during Sunday's 29-9 win over the Bears.
Analysis: Dortch remains the Cardinals' No. 3 wide receiver, but in an offense that funnels most of the targets to rookie first-round WR Marvin Harrison, TE Trey McBride and RB James Conner, there often aren't enough targets otherwise for the remaining Cardinals' skill talent to yield weekly output. As evidence, Dortch has combined for a 6-57-1 line on 12 targets over the last five contests, leaving him well outside of the fantasy conversation. |
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Elijah Higgins Elijah Higgins Notches two catches in Week 9
Tue, Nov 5, 2024, 4:00 PM
Higgins caught both of his targets for 34 yards during Sunday's 29-9 victory versus the Bears.
Analysis: Higgins continues to be minimally involved as a pass catcher, with Sunday's season high in receiving yards fueled by a 23-yard catch that surpassed any of his single-game tallies from the first eight games of the campaign. However, in a contest in which QB Kyler Murray attempted only 20 passes, Higgins nearly matched No. 1 TE Trey McBride's 3-35-0 line on four targets. Aside from recording no targets Week 6, Higgins has managed one or two receptions in each of his eight other outings, leaving him on the outside looking in to relevance in the Cardinals offense. |
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Michael Wilson Michael Wilson Blanked in Week 9
Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 11:03 PM
Wilson didn't gather in his only target during Sunday's 29-9 victory against the Bears
Analysis: In a game in which the Cardinals were having their way with the Bears on the ground, Wilson and his fellow pass catchers were on the receiving end of only 20 passes from QB Kyler Murray versus 34 carries overall as a team. As a result, Wilson didn't record a catch for the first time in nine contests this season, and his single target marked a campaign low. Even rookie first-round WR Marvin Harrison (2-34-0 on five targets) and stellar third-year TE Trey McBride (3-35-0 on four targets) were unable to produce much in the passing game, so Wilson's lacking performance is somewhat justified. Still, Wilson will look to get back in the box score this coming Sunday versus the Jets. |
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Emari Demercado Emari Demercado Records first touchdown of season
Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 10:56 PM
Demercado took four carries for 59 yards and one touchdown and hauled in both targets for 21 yards during Sunday's 29-9 win versus the Bears.
Analysis: Aside from a 53-yard TD run late in the first half, Demercado was relatively quiet, gaining 27 yards on his five other touches. He also ranked third among Cardinals running backs in snap share (24 percent) behind starter James Conner (48 percent) and rookie Trey Benson (28 percent). All three players produced, with Conner leading the way with 21 touches for 119 yards from scrimmage, while Benson had nine touches for 55 total yards and a TD on the ground. The preceding won't happen most weeks, though, leaving Demercado on the outside looking in at fantasy relevance without some sort of absence from Conner. |
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Trey Benson Trey Benson Scores first career touchdown
Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 10:49 PM
Benson recorded eight carries for 37 yards and one touchdown and caught his only target for 18 yards during Sunday's 29-9 win against the Bears.
Analysis: Benson's usage was sporadic for the first seven appearances of his career, but in Week 9 he was sprinkled in throughout the contest alongside fellow reserve RB Emari Demercado behind No. 1 option James Conner. It didn't hurt that Conner missed a possession late in the first half to get checked for a concussion, but Benson earned the second-highest snap share (28 percent) to date and matched his second-most touches in a game this season. The rookie third-rounder also scored his first touchdown as a pro on a one-yard run in the second quarter. However, Conner continued to dominate the Cardinals backfield to the tune of 48 percent of snaps and 21 touches for 119 yards from scrimmage, while Demercado was at 24 percent and six touches for 80 total yards and a rushing TD. Considering the breakdown of work, it remains difficult to trust Benson for weekly output without some sort of absence from Conner. |
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Marvin Harrison Marvin Harrison Just two catches in Week 9
Sun, Nov 3, 2024, 7:40 PM
Harrison hauled in two of five targets for 34 yards and lost a fumble during Sunday's 29-9 victory versus the Bears.
Analysis: Harrison's second-quarter fumble was costly as it set the Bears up on the Cardinals' side of the field and eventually resulted in a made field goal. However, Arizona was able to grind out the game on the ground (34 carries) and scale back the passing attack (20 attempts). While Harrison has two 100-yard performances and has scored five touchdowns through nine games, he's also failed to surpass 50 yards on six occasions to date. He may be leaned on more next Sunday against the Jets. |
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Kyler Murray Kyler Murray Meager output in comfortable win
Sun, Nov 3, 2024, 7:34 PM
Murray completed 13 of 20 passes for 154 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions, rushed twice for six yards and lost a fumble during Sunday's 29-9 victory against the Bears.
Analysis: For the first time this season, Murray didn't record a passing touchdown, and he lost a fumble for the third time in nine games. His pass attempts also marked a season low, which was a result of the Cardinals controlling the game on the ground to the tune of 34 carries for 213 yards and three TDs. James Conner (107) accounted for a majority share of the yards, but reserve RBs Emari Demercado and Trey Benson combined for 96 yards between them. As a result, the team wasn't reliant on Murray's arm to get by or play catch up. He may be forced to air it out more next Sunday versus the Jets. |
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Trey McBride Trey McBride Tallies rushing score
Sun, Nov 3, 2024, 7:24 PM
McBride gathered in three of four targets for 35 yards and had a two-yard rushing touchdown during Sunday's 29-9 win versus the Bears.
Analysis: The third-year pro's first career rush resulted in an end-zone visit for the Cardinals' initial tally of the contest. His target count, while below his norm of 8.0 per game, ranked second on the team to rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison's five. Game script allowed Arizona to play keep away from Chicago, as the Cards cranked out 34 carries versus just 20 Kyler Murray pass attempts. McBride will look to bounce back as a pass catcher next Sunday against the Jets. |
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