2 weeks agoArizona Cardinals kicker
Matt Prater (knee) is dealing with a left-knee injury that kept him out of his second straight practice this week on Thursday. Prater is now firmly in danger of missing the Week 5 divisional tilt on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals signed
Chad Ryland to their practice squad on Wednesday, further signaling that they are worried about Prater's ability to kick this weekend. Prater is the No. 19 fantasy kicker through the first four weeks of the 2024 NFL campaign, so it's not like he was coming into this week really on the fantasy radar of managers in standard 12-team leagues. The 40-year-old has made all six of his field-goal attempts and all 10 of his extra-point tries, but the Cardinals offense so far has been too inconsistent to make Prater a viable fantasy kicking option on a weekly basis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
2 weeks agoArizona Cardinals tight end
Trey McBride (concussion) was able to log a full practice session on Thursday after he was limited to begin the week on Wednesday. McBride suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions and was held out for the Week 4 loss to the Washington Commanders. With a full practice under his belt this week, it looks as though McBride is well on his way to clearing the league's concussion protocol in time to play this Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. In his first three games of the season in his third year in the NFL, McBride has been a big part of the team's passing attack, catching 14 of 21 targets for 122 yards, although he has yet to find the end zone. This weekend will be a difficult matchup on the road against a stout Niners defense, but McBride should be considered a top-five fantasy tight end if he gets the green light to suit up.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals kicker
Matt Prater (knee) was listed as a non-participant for the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Evidently the 40-year-old veteran came out of Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders a bit dinged up. Interestingly enough, Arizona held tryouts last Friday for kickers
Anders Carlson and
Chad Ryland, while Prater did not garner a designation. The Cardinals signed Ryland to their practice squad on Wednesday. Prater will need to get in at least one limited session over the next few days to boost his chances of suiting up in Week 5. However, if he can't, it would seem that Ryland would appear in his stead. The journeyman kicker has yet to miss a field goal or extra point attempt this season. Arizona will hit the road to take on their division-rival San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
--Alex CiullaSource: Tyler Drake
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that tight end
Trey McBride (concussion) will be coming out of the concussion protocol and will be at practice on Wednesday. McBride suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions and was unable to play in the Week 4 loss to the Washington Commanders. However, he appears to be improving this week and could be cleared to face the division-rival San Francisco 49ers on the road this Sunday. We'll keep an eye on how much McBride does, with a good chance he's limited for most, if not all, of the week. If the 24-year-old is cleared by an independent neurologist later this week, fantasy managers will want to get him back into their lineups as a TE1. Backup
Elijah Higgins caught just two of three targets for 12 yards against Washington and failed to take advantage of McBride's absence last week.
UPDATE: McBride was limited in Wednesday's practice.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that tight end
Trey McBride (concussion) remains in the league's concussion protocol but that it's looking good after McBride sat out of the Week 4 blowout loss to the Washington Commanders. McBride suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions and was not cleared for Sunday's game. We'll have a better idea whether the 24-year-old has a shot to return in Week 5 versus the division-rival San Francisco 49ers once the Cardinals resume practicing on Wednesday. If McBride returns to practice and is cleared to face the Niners, he'll be a must-start TE1 in fantasy after catching 14 of his 21 targets for 122 yards in the first three games of the season. With McBride sidelined this past weekend,
Elijah Higgins caught just two of three targets for 12 yards for the Cardinals in a game that featured plenty of good game script.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Arizona Republic - Theo Mackie
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver
Greg Dortch is still searching for his first touchdown of the season after the Cardinals suffered a blowout loss at the hands of the Washington Commanders. Dortch caught all four of his targets for 38 yards which tied him for second-most receiving yards on the team with
Michael Wilson. Despite being down for three quarters in this game, the Cardinals threw the ball only 22 times compared to 32 attempts on the ground. Dortch was able to at least catch 100% of the throws his way, but it hasn't turned into much fantasy success at all. Before the Monday night games kickoff for Week 4, Dortch sits at WR66 in half-PPR formats, and
Trey McBride will likely be back soon, which turns into even fewer opportunities for him. The Cardinals will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 on the road.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver
Michael Wilson couldn't get going against the Washington Commanders as they dropped a home contest in blowout fashion. Wilson caught three of his seven targets for 38 yards and lost a fumble in the process. While he had the highest yards per reception out of the entire receiver group, he only posted a finish of WR64 in half-PPR formats. He's been an unreliable fantasy asset through four games as he averages just above six fantasy points per game and is currently listed as the WR58. He'll have a tough matchup to try to bounce back in Week 5 as they go up against the San Francisco 49ers on the road.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals tight end
Elijah Higgins caught two of his three targets for 12 yards in Sunday's loss to the Washington Commanders. Filling in for the injured
Trey McBride (concussion), Higgins had a favorable matchup against a Commanders defense that has struggled in pass coverage this season. However, he failed to capitalize, as the Cardinals managed just 142 passing yards despite shifting to a pass-heavy game script. Although Higgins was on the field most of the snaps, there seemed to be no emphasis on getting him the ball. Given his limited involvement in this opportunity, Higgins remains a long shot as a streaming option next week against the San Francisco 49ers.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 weeks agoDespite the Arizona Cardinals' struggles to score in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. found the end zone for the fourth time this season. In addition to the touchdown, Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 45 yards, securing all but one of his targets. He has emerged as a reliable playmaker for the Cardinals, someone they can depend on in tough situations. Harrison Jr. will likely remain a focal point in their game plan as the offense regains its scoring rhythm. Fantasy managers should continue to keep him in their starting lineups, even with a tough Week 5 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner delivered another solid performance in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, rushing 18 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. After managing just 17 rushing yards in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions, Conner quickly put those concerns to rest with a strong bounce-back effort. He ran the ball effectively, showing power to break through tacklers and displaying impressive bursts. Conner should remain a fixture in fantasy lineups, as the Cardinals' offense will likely continue to lean on him while trying to snap their scoring slump. The veteran running back will look to build on Sunday's performance in a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray passed for a season-low 142 yards on 16 of 24 pass attempts while rushing for three yards on one rushing attempt in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders. The Cardinals' offense came into the game with high expectations, as the Commanders' defense had struggled all year against the pass, but the unit failed to meet those expectations. Even more surprising was the absence of Murray's rushing ability from the game plan—he ran just once for three yards. While Murray did connect with
Marvin Harrison Jr. for a touchdown, there was little else positive to take from the defeat. Despite the down performance, Murray remains in the top 10 among quarterbacks in fantasy points, so managers will likely continue starting him. However, another outing like this one could raise concerns. Murray will look to rebound against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 weeks agoDespite lacking star power, the Arizona Cardinals' defense has been a surprisingly solid unit this year. Last week, they held the Detroit Lions scoreless in the second half but only managed three fantasy points. In Week 4, the Cardinals face a surging Washington Commanders offense that has scored on every drive over the past two weeks. While the Cardinals' defense is improving and ranks 13th-best fantasy defense this season, this matchup isn't ideal. It's probably best to look elsewhere for a defense to start in Week 4.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver
Greg Dortch had another quiet outing in Week 3 following his solid Week 1 performance. Despite receiving six targets, Dortch managed only three catches for 35 yards in the loss to the Detroit Lions. His role remains consistent as the team's primary slot receiver, playing 66% of the snaps. With the Washington Commanders allowing the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, Dortch could see an uptick in targets, especially with tight end
Trey McBride (concussion) ruled out. Both McBride and Dortch typically run the majority of the team's underneath routes, making Dortch a potential primary check-down option. However, after back-to-back subpar weeks despite favorable matchups, fantasy managers should wait for another strong performance from Dortch before considering him for the starting lineup.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals kicker
Matt Prater continued his perfect season last week, nailing two field goals from 40+ yards and converting his lone extra point attempt. Prater currently ranks as the ninth best fantasy kicker, averaging 10.3 points per game in standard leagues. The Cardinals face the Washington Commanders in Week 4, who rank 13th in points allowed to opposing kickers. Given the Commanders' defensive struggles this season, Arizona should generate plenty of scoring opportunities. With the game taking place in Arizona's dome, free of weather concerns, Prater shapes up as a solid low-end kicker option for Week 4.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 weeks agoArizona Cardinals star tight end
Trey McBride (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 4 game against the Washington Commanders as he remains in concussion protocol. In his absence, backup tight end
Elijah Higgins will step into the starting role. The Cardinals' coaching staff has shown confidence in Higgins, who has seen significant playing time as the team frequently runs two-tight end sets. While Higgins has only been targeted four times this season, he's caught all of them, including a touchdown in Week 2 against the Rams.
Kyler Murray tends to favor his tight ends, and with Higgins now starting, he's likely to see an increase in targets against a weak Commanders defense. McBride managers could consider streaming Higgins until McBride is ready to return.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
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