Arizona Cardinals News

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Matt Prater  • K  •  Cardinals

Matt Prater A Viable Option In Week 1

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater will begin his 18th NFL season when the team takes on the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Prater is the active leader in career field goals with 401 and is second on the list in career extra points. Last season Prater was 28-for-33 on field goal attempts and made all but one of his 23 extra point tries. With a healthy Kyler Murray leading the way, Arizona's offense should be more effective out of the gate than it was in 2023 which will lead to more opportunities for Prater to put points on the board. Buffalo is expected to score at will against Arizona's defense on Sunday. If the Cardinals can stay competitive it will be because they engage in a shootout which, again, means more chances to score for Prater. The veteran kicker is not the best option out there but he is widely available, has a strong leg (nine FGs of 50+ yards in 2023), and will be featured in a high-scoring matchup.
13 hours ago   
Trey McBride  • TE  •  Cardinals

Trey McBride A TE1 In Week 1

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is expected to pick up where he left off following his breakout last year. Drafted in 2022, McBride was hardly involved in the offense at all until Zach Ertz was placed on injured reserve halfway through the 2023 season. Once McBride had the TE1 role to himself, he took off, ending the season with the team lead in targets (106), receptions (81), and receiving yards (825). McBride was targeted on 27% of routes run in 2023, tops among tight ends, and his 2.10 yards per route run ranked second behind George Kittle. Arizona faces the Buffalo Bills in the season opener on Sunday. Despite their solid defense, McBride should be locked into starting rosters and should finish as a TE1.
13 hours ago   
Greg Dortch  • WR  •  Cardinals

Greg Dortch A Deep-League Option In Week 1

Now entering his fifth NFL season, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch may finally have a regular role carved out for himself in 2024. Buzz has been building around Dortch throughout the preseason as he has shown chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray and demonstrated excellent route running ability. Lauded rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. and third-year tight end Trey McBride are the top two targets in Arizona's offense but Dortch should see a fair amount out of the slot. The Cardinals face the Bills in Week 1 and while Buffalo's secondary will be a challenge, in 2023 they gave up more fantasy points per game to receivers lined up in the slot versus out wide. Dortch projects to be in WR5 territory in Week 1. While he may be worth a flex in deeper leagues, he should be held out of lineups in 10- or 12-teamers.
13 hours ago   
Marvin Harrison Jr.  • WR  •  Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. Is A Start In Pro Debut

Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is set to make his regular-season debut on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. During the preseason, the former Buckeye was kept out of harm's way for the most part, seeing only three snaps in all. The fourth overall selection of the NFL draft, Harrison is already listed as the team's WR1 and is expected to have an immediate impact. The Bills won't make it easy, though, as they are the only team returning three cornerbacks with coverage grades of 81.0 or higher from PFF. Still, given the combination of talent, draft capital, and the team situation, Arizona should be feeding Harrison as many targets as possible. Harrison looks like a safe WR2 with upside in Week 1.
13 hours ago   
Trey Benson  • RB  •  Cardinals

Trey Benson Can Sit In Week 1

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson finished the preseason with 17 carries for 64 rushing yards. The third-round pick out of Florida State was once believed to be a threat to James Conner's playing time but it appears the rookie will have to wait a while before he makes his mark on the league. In recent comments to the press, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing reaffirmed the team's commitment to using Conner as their primary running back, referring to him as the "bell cow in that room." While Benson's performance during training camp and the preseason solidified his role as Conner's direct backup, not much should be expected of the rookie out of the gate. Given Conner's injury history, Benson is certainly a worthwhile bench stash but the bench is exactly where he should be on fantasy rosters in Week 1.
13 hours ago   
James Conner  • RB  •  Cardinals

James Conner Retaining Starting Role For Week 1

When the Arizona Cardinals open their season on Sunday, it will mark running back James Conner's eighth as a pro, and his fourth with the team. Since joining the Cardinals in 2021, Conner has the eleventh-most carries in the league despite missing seven games due to injury over the last two seasons and starting only six games in 2021. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing recently told the media that Conner is "the bell cow in that room," signaling he will maintain his role despite rookie Trey Benson's presence on the depth chart. In 2023, Conner turned in his first 1,000-yard season and finished with the third-most rushing yards per game (80.0). The Buffalo Bills have a stout defense but last season had a weakness against running backs, allowing 4.4 yards per carry (eighth-worst in the NFL) and 6.33 yards per target (fourth-worst) to the position. Conner can be started as a solid RB2 option in Week 1.
13 hours ago   
Kyler Murray  • QB  •  Cardinals

Kyler Murray Can Be A Top-12 Option In Week 1

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray won't have it easy in Week 1 when the team kicks off the 2024 season against the Buffalo Bills. Last season, the Bills limited opposing quarterbacks to just 215.2 passing yards per game and a total of 18 passing touchdowns, tied for the third-fewest in the league. However, they lost veteran safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde in the offseason, leaving room for fantasy managers to be optimistic about Murray's production. There's also the fact that Murray isn't shy about using his legs to make a play. Since his rookie season in 2019, he has averaged 37.7 rushing yards per game (fourth-most in the NFL in that span). Murray has a good track record and a stable of young pass-catchers headlined by fourth-overall draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr. Despite the tough matchup, Murray should be in starting lineups on Sunday.
14 hours ago   
Tip Reiman  • TE  •  Cardinals

Tip Reiman Questionable Heading Into Opener

Arizona Cardinals tight end Tip Reiman (ankle) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Reiman practiced all week in a limited fashion, but it appears his ankle hasn't progressed enough for him to be cleared for the Cardinals' opening road tilt. With the third-string tight end sidelined, it's fair to expect Elijah Higgins to garner some more snaps, with fourth-string option Travis Vokolek to mix in for some as well, possibly. The rookie third-round pick doesn't project to have a significant role in Arizona's offense right out of the gate. Even if the Illinois product is healthy, Trey McBride is the clear leader of this unit. Fantasy managers can avoid Reiman in the early season, and he's nothing more than a deep dynasty league stash for the time being.
21 hours ago   
James Conner  • RB  •  Cardinals

James Conner Confirmed As Bell Cow

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner "is the bell cow in that room," offensive coordinator Drew Petzing told the media on Tuesday. In simpler terms, Conner remains the primary option in Arizona's backfield. After all, there's no reason to reduce his workload given that he excelled in 2023. Last year, despite being 28 years old, he delivered 1,040 rushing yards, 165 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. Now, entering his age-29 campaign, he remains a solid RB2 option for fantasy purposes. Petzing's comments come amidst speculation that rookie Trey Benson may eat into Conner's workload. While Arizona surely hopes Benson is their future franchise running back and could need him to carry the backfield at a moment's notice, the bell cow role still belongs to Conner for now.
3 days ago   
Tony Jones  • RB  •  Cardinals

Cardinals Release Tony Jones From Injured Reserve

The Arizona Cardinals have released running back Tony Jones (shoulder) from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire. Jones had injured his shoulder during the final week of the preseason and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. However, now that he was released with a settlement, Jones immediately becomes a free agent and is technically free to sign with any team. Teams will wait until he's fully healthy before making any sort of deal, but at least there's now a chance for him to suit up again this season, rather than spend the whole year sidelined. Jones had 132 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in 2023, and he remains nothing more than a depth piece on NFL rosters. He should be avoided in all fantasy leagues.
7 days ago   
Tip Reiman  • TE  •  Cardinals

Tip Reiman To Return Monday

Arizona Cardinals tight end Tip Reiman (undisclosed) did not practice again on Thursday. Cardinals' head coach Jonathan Gannon has yet to provide the exact nature of his injury, though he said he'd be held out for the rest of the week and return to practice on Monday. The rookie third-round pick has missed time due to an undisclosed reason, though it can't be too serious if he's expected back with the team early next week. Reiman is currently listed as the team's third tight end per its depth chart and brings solid blocking ability to the table. He'll attempt to stave off Travis Vokolek while he is shelved and will slot in behind Trey McBride and Elijah Higgins for playing time this season. Reiman holds little value outside of a deep dynasty league bench stash.
Aug 30   
Clayton Tune  • QB  •  Cardinals

Clayton Tune Wins Backup Job

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune is set to be the second string option behind Kyler Murray to start the season. This news was expected after quarterback Desmond Ridder was cut by the team earlier this week. Ridder was later signed to the practice squad, but it appears the Cardinals feel comfortable with Tune as the second option going forward. The fifth-round pick completed 12-of-21 passing attempts for zero touchdowns and two interceptions in seven appearances last season. If Murray goes down, it's tough to imagine Tune having any kind of fantasy value as the starter.
Aug 29   
Desmond Ridder  • QB  •  Cardinals

Desmond Ridder Returns To Cardinals Practice Squad

The Arizona Cardinals are re-signing quarterback Desmond Ridder (concussion) to their practice squad on Wednesday, according to sources. Ridder returns to the desert just a day after he was waived as the Cardinals cut their roster down to 53 players. The 24-year-old signal-caller failed to prove to the Atlanta Falcons that he was their franchise QB in his two seasons, and now he'll enter the 2024 regular season as the QB3 in Arizona behind Kyler Murray and Clayton Tune. The former second-rounder out of Cincinnati is no longer on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues after completing only 64% of his 503 pass attempts in his two years in Atlanta while throwing for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. In addition to his 12 picks, Ridder was turnover-prone with 15 total fumbles, including 12 in 2023.
Aug 28   
Michael Carter  • RB  •  Cardinals

Cardinals Release Michael Carter

The Arizona Cardinals released running back Michael Carter on Tuesday. Carter was clinging to a roster spot behind James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, and DeeJay Dallas. Carter joined the Cardinals in the middle of the 2023 season and recorded 22 carries for 149 yards and no touchdowns in six games with the team. He was unlikely to factor into the offense in 2024 despite a solid preseason.
Aug 27   
Desmond Ridder  • QB  •  Cardinals

Cardinals Release Desmond Ridder

The Arizona Cardinals released quarterback Desmond Ridder (concussion) on Tuesday, according to a source. Ridder, who was put in the league's concussion protocol after the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, had been in a competition with Clayton Tune for the backup job behind Kyler Murray this summer. That job will obviously fall to Tune now to begin the 2024 regular season. The Cardinals acquired Ridder in an offseason trade in March with the Atlanta Falcons after the 24-year-old failed to deliver in two seasons in Atlanta. The former second-rounder in 2022 out of Cincinnati struggled with turnovers in his 19 games (17 starts) while also completing 64% of his 503 pass attempts for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. If Ridder doesn't join Arizona's practice squad, he'll look for backup work elsewhere.
Aug 27   
Desmond Ridder  • QB  •  Cardinals

Desmond Ridder In Concussion Protocol

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that backup quarterback Desmond Ridder (head) is in the league's concussion protocol after he was forced from the preseason finale on Sunday against the Denver Broncos early due to a head injury. Before Ridder left the contest at Empower Field, he went 10-for-16 passing for 111 yards and carried the ball twice for 25 yards. In his first year in Arizona, the 24-year-old is expected to open the year as the primary backup to starter Kyler Murray. However, if he cannot clear the concussion protocol in time for the Week 1 regular-season opener versus the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 8, it will be Clayton Tune backing up Murray. The former third-rounder quickly fell out of favor with the Atlanta Falcons in 19 games over two seasons, mainly due to turnover issues and overall mediocre performances.
Aug 26   
Tony Jones  • RB  •  Cardinals

Tony Jones Injured, Loses Ball In Loss To Broncos

Arizona Cardinals running back Tony Jones (shoulder) took seven carries for 29 yards in Sunday's preseason finale. He also caught two passes for 14 yards. The Cardinals went to the fourth-year veteran early and often, getting Jones a touch on five of their first seven offensive plays. Jones was knocked out of his final audition for the team early when he suffered a shoulder injury after getting tackled in the second quarter. Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad's blow also knocked the ball out of Jones's possession, the first of two red-zone turnovers committed by Arizona in the game. James Conner is locked in as the Cardinals' starting running back with rookie Trey Benson drafted to be his understudy. Even if Jones makes the final 53-man roster on Tuesday, he will not have the opportunity to provide fantasy value and can be ignored.
Aug 26   
Xavier Weaver  • WR  •  Cardinals

Xavier Weaver Leads Cardinals Receivers With 56 Yards

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Xavier Weaver led the team with 56 receiving yards in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos. The undrafted rookie reached that mark on just two catches on four targets. Weaver gained 43 yards on his first reception of that game, tumbling to the ground in order to reel in the deep pass. The Colorado product also handled two kickoffs and two punt returns for a total of 81 yards. In the wake of Zay Jones's recent suspension, Weaver may have an easier time making the final roster on Tuesday. Managers in leagues that count return yards might want to keep an eye on how the Cardinals use Weaver should he make the team, otherwise he can be ignored in fantasy drafts.
Aug 26   
Hassan Hall  • RB  •  Cardinals

Hassan Hall Finds End Zone In Preseason Finale

Arizona Cardinals running back Hassan Hall led the team in rushing attempts and yardage in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos. Hall was given 19 carries and rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown. He also had four receptions for another 28 yards through the air. Hall also showed a penchant for blocking, on one play intercepting a blitzing safety then popping up to throw to more blocks ahead of a scrambling Clayton Tune. Hall's solid performance in the preseason finale might have earned him a spot on Arizona's final roster. Even if he makes the cut, he will be buried on the Cardinals' depth chart.
Aug 26   
Clayton Tune  • QB  •  Cardinals

Clayton Tune Throws Pick-Six In Preseason Finale

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune went 12-for-18 for 119 passing yards and an interception in Sunday's preseason loss to the Denver Broncos. Tune drew the start and was swapped out for Desmond Ridder at halftime. Unfortunately, Ridder was forced to exit with a head injury late in the fourth quarter, requiring Tune to resume signal-calling duties. On Tune's first play back, he gave up an interception that linebacker Levelle Bailey returned 94-yards for a touchdown. Assuming Tune makes the final roster on Tuesday, he will merely be Kyler Murray's backup and can be dismissed in fantasy drafts.
Aug 26   
LEGEND
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