Cards options will soar with Kyler back
MOST FANTASY football leagues wrap up their regular season around Week 13 or 14, which means you only have a handful of games left to solidify your spot in the playoffs.
Every win is crucial, and every opportunity you get to add an impactful player is vital to your survival. So when a situation arises like we now have in Arizona, you need to dissect their offense and find the players available on your waiver wire who will impact your team the most. Kyler Murray’s return to the field Sunday was exciting on many levels. If you are in a shallow league where he is somehow available still, he becomes an immediate add. You don’t give him a look over guys like Jalen Hurts or Josh Allen, but if you’ve been struggling with quarterbacks — like Trevor Lawrence or Gardner Minshew — he is the upgrade you need.
Against a fairly sturdy Falcons defense, Murray not only threw for 249 yards, but he also rushed for 33 and scored a rushing touchdown. But Murray’s impact on fantasy runs even deeper, as his pass-catchers are likely sitting on the wire.
Before you explore the depths of the wide receiver position, your first look should be the tight end spot, where Trey McBride is in the midst of a breakout campaign and is coming off an eight-catch, 131-yard performance.
He has been popular as of late, so chances are, he is gone.
But you should always double-check.
As for the wideouts, though the expectation is that Murray will resurrect his on-field rapport with Marquise Brown, Sunday gave us a glimpse at a few other names you should be monitoring, starting with Michael Wilson.
Popular for about three days back in Week 2, Wilson is under-rostered in leagues across all platforms. He sees almost a 90 percent snap share and would have had a touchdown had the replay not shown him down at the 1-yard line. Expect him to be fully integrated into Murray’s plan of attack each week.
It is also time to give slot receiver Rondale Moore a look in full-point PPR formats. He saw eight targets against a Falcons defense that funnels everything into the middle of the field. He, along with McBride, will be Murray’s first look when he needs to move the chains. You can also expect an increase in red-zone looks the more comfortable Murray gets in this new offense.
Tracking snap counts and targets is the best way to unearth some hidden receiving gems on the wire. Don’t get caught up in overhyped nonsense like Greg Dortch. The Cardinals have their snaps and targets carefully regimented, and Brown, McBride, Wilson and Moore are who you need to target.
With Murray’s upside, this 2-8 Cardinals team is about to start flying high.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football advice.