February 15, 2026
Once viewed as the dynasty QB1, a string of disappointing seasons has sunk Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray's value to an all-time low, with him currently going outside the top 20 at the position in dynasty startups. While his relationship with the previous coaching staff led many to believe he'd taken his last snaps in Arizona after a soft benching to end his 2025 season, the Cardinals cleaned house this offseason, hiring a new head coach and offensive coordinator. Signs still point to Murray being released or traded before a portion of his contract becomes guaranteed in mid-March, but his status remains one of the biggest question marks of the offseason. With an uninspiring incoming quarterback draft class, Murray could be the first domino to fall in the trade/free agent market, but with so much uncertainty surrounding him, he remains a risky dynasty buy. Based on name value alone, his cost in a trade is likely still higher than his current startup placement reflects, and while his perceived value will ultimately rise if he finds a preferable landing spot, his asking cost may not. As such, he remains a hold in most dynasty leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
February 13, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals are expected to hire former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Schaub as their new QBs coach, sources told Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Schaub played in the NFL from 2004 to 2020 and made 93 career starts with the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens. He threw for a league-high 4,770 yards on a league-high 583 passing attempts in 2009 with the Texans. The 44-year-old was an offensive analyst for the Falcons in 2023, but this will be his first coaching job in the NFL as he joins new head coach Mike LaFleur's offense in Arizona. LaFleur was on Atlanta's staff from 2015 to 2016 when Schaub was the backup for
Matt Ryan. It's unclear exactly what direction the Cardinals will go in at the QB position going into next season, as they've been rumored to be looking to trade
Kyler Murray (foot).
--Keith HernandezSource: CBS Sports - Matt Zenitz
February 13, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals are expected to retain defensive coordinator Nick Rallis under new head coach Mike LaFleur, sources told Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Rallis was the defensive coordinator under previous head coach Jonathan Gannon for the last three seasons, and he will remain in Arizona under LaFleur in 2026. The 32-year-old was the youngest DC in the NFL when he was hired by the Cardinals three seasons ago. Although Gannon shouldered most of the blame, the Cardinals had one of the worst defenses in the league under Callis in two of the last three years. Arizona's defense allowed the fourth-most points per game (28.7), the sixth-most total yards per game (357.7), the ninth-most passing yards per game (230.8), and the eighth-most rushing yards per game (126.9) under Callis during the regular season in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: CBS Sports - Matt Zenitz
February 11, 2026
Heading into his draft year in 2024, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. was widely considered to be a sure-fire superstar at his position. So far through his first two NFL seasons, the 23-year-old has struggled to live up to the hype. Across 12 games played in 2025, Harrison Jr. recorded 41 receptions for 608 yards and four touchdowns on 73 targets. He also dealt with myriad injuries before eventually ending the season on Injured Reserve due to a foot issue. In fairness to Harrison Jr., Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray missed most of the season with a foot injury of his own, furthering an already unstable offensive environment in Arizona. Heading into 2026, Harrison Jr. will be working with a new coaching staff, with former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur taking over as the Cardinals' head coach. While LaFleur's presence could help kick-start Harrison Jr.'s career, 2026 looks like a make-or-break season for the young wideout's fantasy value, which is trending downwards in dynasty formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 11, 2026
Arizona Cardinals tight end
Trey McBride earned first-team All-Pro honors after setting the all-time single-season reception record by a tight end in his banner 2025 season. Across 17 games, the 26-year-old recorded 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns on 169 targets. McBride was the number one scoring tight end in fantasy football in 2025, and given his age, he projects to continue his dominance for at least the next few seasons. The Cardinals are reportedly looking to trade quarterback
Kyler Murray this offseason, which means McBride could be facing another season of uncertainty under center in Arizona. However, McBride proved he could be highly productive even with career backup
Jacoby Brissett throwing him passes this past season. Heading into 2026, McBride looks like the clear fantasy TE1 in both redraft and dynasty formats.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 4, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals requested an interview with Houston Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso for their defensive-coordinator job, a source told the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. This will be Vasso's second interview for a DC job this cycle after getting a look from the Tennessee Titans before they went with veteran Gus Bradley. In addition to Vasso, the Cardinals are looking at New York Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and Los Angeles Rams passing-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant. Vasso is a rising assistant in the coaching ranks and has been coaching with the Texans since the 2021 season. Before joining the Texans, Vasso coached with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The Cardinals' defense could use all the help it can get after allowing the fourth-most points per game (28.7) and sixth-most total yards per game (357.7) in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
February 4, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals requested to interview New York Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen for their defensive-coordinator position, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Bullen was an in-house candidate for the Giants' DC job after John Harbaugh became the new head coach, and he also interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys' DC position. He was the Giants' interim DC in 2025 after the team fired Shane Bowen. If Bullen joins the Cardinals, it will be his second stint as a coach in Arizona after previously working as a position coach under former head coach Kliff Kingsbury from 2019 to 2022. He coached for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2018. In addition to Bullen, the Cardinals have requested an interview with Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and defensive passing-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
February 4, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals are hiring former New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator on Wednesday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 46-year-old was the offensive coordinator for three seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur for the Green Bay Packers and will now team up with LaFleur's brother, Mike, in Arizona. Hackett initially joined the Miami Dolphins this offseason to be the quarterbacks coach, but he's departing for a better opportunity in the desert. Hackett's offenses have been nothing special since his time in Green Bay while working with future Hall of Fame QB
Aaron Rodgers, so it's an underwhelming hire for first-year head coach LaFleur, especially for a Cardinals team that is currently at a crossroads at QB with
Kyler Murray (foot). LaFleur announced on Tuesday that he will be calling the offensive plays in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 4, 2026
New Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur announced on Tuesday that he will call the offensive plays in his first year as head coach in 2026, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. LaFleur is replacing Jonathan Gannon, who was fired on Jan. 5 after going 3-14 in 2025. The Cardinals have yet to hire a new offensive coordinator, who will be working under LaFleur. The last time that LaFleur called plays was in 2021 and 2022, when he was the New York Jets' offensive coordinator. He did not call plays the last three seasons under Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. The Jets went 11-23 during LaFleur's two seasons with the team while starting five different quarterbacks. The biggest order of business for LaFleur and the Cardinals' front office this offseason will be to decide if QB
Kyler Murray (foot) is viewed as the long-term option under center.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss
February 4, 2026
SNY's Connor Hughes mentions Arizona Cardinals veteran quarterback
Jacoby Brissett as a potential trade target for the New York Jets this offseason. The 33-year-old went 7-8 as the starter for new Jets offensive coordinator in 2019, throwing for 2,942 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has one year left on his current deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Since 2016, Reich started 10 different QBs:
Bryce Young,
Andy Dalton,
Matt Ryan,
Sam Ehlinger,
Nick Foles,
Carson Wentz,
Philip Rivers, Brissett,
Brian Hoyer, and Andrew Luck. Brissett went 1-11 as the QB for Arizona in 2025, but he improved the offense over
Kyler Murray (foot) and threw for a career-high 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight picks in 14 games (12 starts). The Jets currently have only
Justin Fields and
Brady Cook under contract at QB, with few options expected to be available in the draft or free agency this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
February 1, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals are working to finalize a five-year deal to make Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur their next head coach. LaFleur has spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator in Los Angeles after two years in the same position with the New York Jets. The Rams led the NFL in both offensive yards and scoring in 2025, and LaFleur's presence in Arizona will unquestionably boost the fantasy stock of most Cardinals offensive weapons, assuming he's able to find a suitable answer at the quarterback position. With earlier reports that the Las Vegas Raiders are close to naming Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, all 10 head coaching vacancies have now been filled before the 2026 season.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Adam Schefter
January 30, 2026
Arizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (ankle) had his 2025 season cut short when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3. The veteran running back was a productive player as recently as 2024, when he recorded 1,508 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 283 touches across 16 games played. However, he will enter the 2026 season at 31 years old and less than a year removed from significant ankle surgery, bringing his future fantasy viability into question. The Cardinals spent most of the 2025 season without both of their top running backs, as 2024 third-round pick
Trey Benson (knee) did not play after Week 4 due to a knee injury. While Benson's injury status clouds his future outlook as well, Arizona appears headed for a backfield split. The team could also bring in additional talent at the position through free agency or the draft heading into 2026. Given his age and unclear health status, Conner's fantasy value in both redraft and dynasty formats is currently trending in the wrong direction.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 29, 2026
Arizona Cardinals running back
Trey Benson (knee) very well could have had a Year 2 breakout season in 2025 had he not injured his knee early on. Benson ended up playing in only four games in his second year in the NFL, carrying the ball 29 times for 160 yards and no touchdowns while catching 13 of 16 targets for 64 yards. Primary RB
James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. Conner is under contract for one more season, so if the 23-year-old Benson is healthy in 2026, he'll likely operate as the RB2 in the desert. Benson never had a major role behind Conner in his rookie campaign, totaling 63 rushing attempts for 291 yards and only one touchdown in 13 games played. On top of Benson's injury concerns -- he also had a major knee injury in college -- the Cardinals will have an entirely new coaching staff next season, and it's unclear what direction they'll go in at quarterback.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 29, 2026
Not many fantasy football managers would have predicted Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Michael Wilson being a top-12 wideout at the start of the 2025 season. Thanks to injuries to quarterback
Kyler Murray and receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr., Wilson took over as the team's WR1 in the second half of the season and finished with career-highs across the board in catches (78), targets (126), receiving yards (1,006), and touchdowns (seven) in 17 games played. In the first nine games of the year, Wilson had only 22 receptions for 231 yards and one score on 38 targets. In the final eight contests, he soared with 56 catches on 88 targets for 775 yards and six touchdowns in a pass-happy Cardinals offense. Backup QB
Jacoby Brissett peppered Wilson with targets as much as possible, and he scored in each of the final five games. Despite the impressive breakout, Wilson's 2026 fantasy value will be shaky with a giant question mark at QB and under a completely new coaching staff.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 27, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals interviewed former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera in-person for their head-coaching vacancy, a source told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Rivera is currently the general manager for the football team at the University of California. The 64-year-old coached the Panthers from 2011 to 2019, which included a Super Bowl appearance and two NFL Coach of the Year awards. He wasn't as successful in a shorter stint as the Commanders' head coach from 2020 to 2023, as he never had a winning record in D.C. Rivera hasn't coached in the NFL for the last two seasons, but he's on Arizona's radar as they look to replace Jonathan Gannon. Rivera has plenty of experience in the NFL as a head coach, but it's believed that Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is the favorite to be named the Cardinals' next head coach.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
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