Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (hamstring) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. He had been listed as questionable. With Arizona eliminated from playoff contention, Wilson's season is officially over. He finishes the 2024 campaign with 47 catches, 548 yards, and four touchdowns. The second-year receiver currently ranks as the overall WR56 in PPR leagues, but he'll likely fall a few more spots once the remainder of Sunday's games go final. Fantasy managers should expect Greg Dortch to step up as the Cardinals' No. 2 wide receiver behind Marvin Harrison Jr.
Michael Wilson Injures Hamstring, Questionable To Face 49ers
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (hamstring) was added to the injury report on Friday after being a limited participant in practice. He is officially listed as questionable to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Week 18. It's hard to gather much information from the Cardinals' injury report given that "limited" could mean a few different things. Wilson could have simply taken a few reps off, but he also could have injured himself in the middle of Friday's session and sat out the rest of the practice. For the time being, he should be viewed as a true game-time decision, which means we might not get confirmation on his status until 2:55 p.m. ET on Sunday. If Wilson does play, he'll likely rank as a low-end WR3 in fantasy football. The 49ers have posted mixed results against pass-catchers in 2024, surrendering the eighth-fewest fantasy points to perimeter receivers but the seventh-most fantasy points to slot receivers. Wilson has played 31.7 percent of his snaps from the slot this season, which is the 27th-highest mark in the NFL. We like his chances to see a respectable target share against a 49ers defense that could rest some of its starters. However, if most of his production comes from the slot, there will be a cap on his touchdown upside.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson caught four of his six targets for 22 yards during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Interestingly, Wilson led all Cardinals wide receivers in snaps, seeing the field for 69 offensive plays (87.3 percent). This was his highest snap share since Week 6. Although we can't guarantee Wilson will maintain this same level of offensive participation going forward, it was intriguing to see him command six targets, albeit with just 5.5 yards per reception. He continues to have low-end FLEX appeal in deeper PPR leagues, but we need him to produce more consistently before putting full trust in him as a steady fantasy option.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson is a low-end WR5 option with his team set to take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. The sophomore has been one of the middle-ground receivers who is just productive enough to hold onto in deeper leagues, but without the breakout potential to warrant starting on a weekly basis. Wilson ranks 55th among PPR receivers, doesn't have a top-25 finish this year, and is now on a team playing meaningless games to close out the season. The Rams rank 24th against fantasy receivers, so there is some matchup potential, but mostly in formats with three-plus flex spots.
Michael Wilson Held To Two Catches In Loss To Panthers
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson finished with two catches on five targets for 44 yards in a 36-30 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. It was an all-around poor day for Arizona's passing game, as tight end Trey McBride had his worst receiving day of the year and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. failed to hit 50 receiving yards for the third straight game. The loss officially bounced Arizona from playoff contention, so the Cardinals are down to playing spoiler next week against the Los Angeles Rams. Wilson will be a highly risky bet for standard-format managers in fantasy Super Bowls.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson remains a risky WR3/FLEX play in deeper leagues as he prepares to take on the Carolina Panthers. The 24-year-old has been a beacon of availability this season, playing at least 66 percent of offensive snaps in all 14 games. He has a modest stat line of 41 catches, 482 yards, and four touchdowns so far, ranking 52nd among wide receivers in terms of fantasy points (PPR). He had come on strong with 25.2 fantasy points between Weeks 13 and 14, but he dropped down to just 2.9 points with a pair of catches for nine yards last weekend. This week, Wilson faces the Panthers, who have been mediocre in terms of defending wide receivers. Carolina has allowed the 14th-fewest fantasy points to slot receivers this year, as well as the 12th-most fantasy points to receivers who play out wide. For context, Wilson has taken 212 snaps from the slot (30.6 percent), which is the 34th-most among NFL receivers. Managers can certainly justify starting him in deeper fantasy formats, but we'd advise looking elsewhere for production in leagues with 12 teams or fewer.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson had a very quiet day in the Cardinals' 30-17 win over the New England Patriots. The wide receiver involvement in the Arizona Cardinals offense has been inconsistent all season, and the Cardinals' wide receivers have become touchdown-reliant from a fantasy football perspective. Wilson finished the game with just two catches for 9 yards on two targets. The Patriots' cornerbacks did a good job limiting the Cardinals' receivers from creating separation, and with the Cardinals taking an early lead, they shifted to a run-first approach and found success moving the ball that way. Wilson has become boom-or-bust all season, and this week, he happened to bust. Heading into Week 16, given the favorable matchup for the Cardinals against the Carolina Panthers, Wilson could receive streaming consideration at the flex spot, although it would be a risky play.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson is a risky flex streaming option in Week 15 when the Cardinals host the New England Patriots. Wilson has delivered multiple double-digit fantasy performances this season; however, these performances have come at an inconsistent rate. He has caught four touchdowns and remains involved in the offense near the red zone. However, since the bye week, the Cardinals' offense has struggled to put up points. With it being fantasy football playoff season, the risk of playing Wilson is simply too high in Week 15.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson has put together an impressive stretch of performances over the last three weeks, and he'll look to remain heavily involved and productive against the New England Patriots in Week 15. In each of his last three contests, Wilson has played at least 82 percent of the snaps. During that three-game span, he has nine catches for 166 yards and one touchdown. While the 25-year-old doesn't possess the same flashiness as Marvin Harrison Jr., he has still shown his value within the Cardinals' offense by delivering consistent production and demonstrating some deep-threat ability. Managers can justify starting him as a WR3/FLEX option, especially against a Patriots defense allowing the 11th-most catches to wide receivers in 2024.
Michael Wilson Catches 41-Yard Touchdown Pass In Week 14 Loss
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson caught a 41-yard touchdown pass to give the Cardinals the lead on their opening drive. Wilson finished the day with two catches for 57 yards, having commanded only three targets. While he has become a potential streaming flex option, he is still yet to receive a consistent workload to make him truly fantasy-relevant. The Cardinals have two upcoming matchups against the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, both of which have struggling defenses, making Wilson a potential option in the coming weeks.
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