WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Fantasy Impact
Marvin Harrison Jr was the top wide receiver prospect heading into the 2024 NFL Draft and for good reason. The 6’3″, 209 lbs Ohio State product was not only a big college prospect but also held lineage to former Indianapolis Colts eight-time pro bowler and Hall Of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Heralded as one of the “legacy” talents that entered the draft, Marvin Harrison Jr will look to carve out his name at the NFL. During his time with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Marvin Harrison Jr was already turning heads with his performances, but now after being selected by the Arizona Cardinals, one of the better landing spots a wide receiver could have hoped for, and being selected with the second-overall pick in the first round should tell you what to expect for fantasy football this season.
The Arizona Cardinals moved on from wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown over the last couple of seasons. The Cardinals will look to retool their wide receiver room by adding Marvin Harrison Jr. with second-year wide receiver Michael Wilson and newly signed wide receiver and former Jacksonville Jaguar Zay Jones. There’s a huge void of targets up for grabs for this new WR corp under Kyler Murray but Marvin Harrison Jr should be one of the biggest beneficiaries to fill that void.
Fantasy Value
By being taken with the second-overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it signals that the Arizona Cardinals will be looking for Marvin Harrison Jr. to hit the ground running this season. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray missed the first half of the season because of injury but once he returned, Murray averaged 33.5 pass attempts per game the rest of the way. The 101 targets Marquise Brown saw last season are now up for grabs. Rondale Moore is another receiver who went off to “greener pastures” during the offseason leaving behind another 62 targets. The passing offense will flow through Marvin Harrison Jr. as the top target of Kyler Murray this season and fantasy managers in Redraft leagues should expect to reach for him in the draft. Per Fantasydata’s ADP chart, Marvin Harrison Jr. is just inside as the WR9, making him a first-round pick in redraft leagues or at least a pick that should come off draft boards before the middle of the second round. Marvin Harrison Jr. should be the top rookie wide receiver being taken in redraft leagues this season and fantasy managers shouldn’t think twice about the move.
Dynasty Value
Dynasty may be a different monster altogether but not much changes for Marvin Harrison Jr. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, and maybe Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels may be the only guys you should be considering taking at the 1.01. Marvin Harrison Jr’s target share and role in the Cardinals offense makes him a shoo-in for being selected for Dynasty managers’ top spot. There shouldn’t be a player currently on the Cardinal’s roster who should be able to take targets away from Harrison even earlier in the season. Harrison can play every level on the field and his averages in yards per reception showcase that he is more than a viable deep threat on top of everything else. Marvin Harrison Jr should also see plenty of targets in the red zone after posting 31 touchdowns during his tenure with the Buckeyes. Marvin Harrison Jr. looks to be the real deal and would be a true asset for fantasy managers to invest in for dynasty formats.
Conclusion
From everything I’ve seen, Marvin Harrison Jr. would be a tough pass in Redraft and Dynasty formats. If you’re stacked at wide receiver in Dynasty, adding Marvin Harrison Jr. wouldn’t hurt your team and if you’re picking in the top 2 in the draft, you’re likely to land him. Redraft leagues may be a little trickier depending on your draft spot and how knowledgeable your league is. Marvin Harrison Jr. may be a “must-have” in redraft leagues. Just imagine what your fantasy team would look like being stacked at wide receiver in a full PPR league. That could be dangerous. And even more so if you manage to draft some studs at receiver to pair with the Cardinals rookie. Marvin Harrison Jr. could finish as a top-15 wide receiver for fantasy football this season and with that kind of potential, you’ll want to arm your fantasy team with him come draft season.
