Marvin Harrison Jr. – Top Dog

Marvin Harrison Jr. was the top weapon in this class and he will get to showcase his skills in Arizona. It’s somewhat rare that a rookie wide receiver heads to a team as the clear #1 but that’s the case with Harrison Jr. Arizona was in desperate need of a true WR1 and they now have that.

The Cardinals receiver room is still lacking depth and overall star power which means Harrison Jr. will get plenty of targets. If Kyler Murray can stay healthy this 1-2 combo should produce big-time numbers.

Jonathon Brooks – Lead Back

The Panthers needed a workhorse running back and I believe they found that in Brooks. As a Junior Brooks piled up 1,425 all-purpose yards and 11 total touchdowns at Texas. Carolina was in desperate need of an upgrade at the running back position and I believe they have that with Brooks.

He will get starter reps this offseason and should be in line for significant usage in this offense. The hope is that quarterback Bryce Young makes a big jump next year and this offense can bounce back from an abysmal 2023.

Ben Sinnott – The Next Great TE

Tight end Ben Sinnott flew somewhat under the radar heading into this year’s draft. When you watch his tape you can see why the Commanders were ecstatic to grab him in the 2nd round. Sinnott is a worthy blocker but more importantly, has all the tools to be a receiving threat.

The former Kansas St. product will get to learn behind Zach Ertz in Washington and I could see him taking the reigns sometime next season. The tight end position is a big part of Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and Sinnot will benefit from his scheme.

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There will be plenty of rumors and trade discussions between now and the draft as this is the best quarterback class we have seen in a while. It’s also important to note that this version didn’t include any trades but that should change in later versions as we get closer to April. Check out some key highlights from our mock draft below.

Jayden Daniels Goes to Washington

At this point, it seems like a lock that the Chicago Bears take Caleb Williams #1 overall. As reported over the past few weeks it would take an historic haul for the Bears to trade that pick. Despite the connections between Kliff Kingsbury and Williams, I don’t see the Commanders giving up that much to get him. Instead they go grab Daniels who fits Kingsbury’s system well and has a ton of potential.

Cardinals Get Their WR1

The Arizona Cardinals are in need of a stud at the wide receiver position to pair with Kyler Murray. In this mock, they get that stud by drafting former Buckeye Marvin Harrison Jr. with the 4th pick. Harrison is an elite receiver that many consider the best prospect in the entire draft. I love the fit here for Harrison as he will immediately become the focal point of the Cardinals offense.

Seahawks Find Their Future Quarterback

As of now, Geno Smith is the quarterback for Seattle but that may change in the coming months. The Seahawks have a new regime and in this mock, they select their quarterback of the future. I have Seattle taking Bo Nix but I could also see them grabbing J.J. McCarthy if he is available. McCarthy and new coach Mike Macdonald have Michigan ties but for now, I have Denver grabbing McCarthy a couple of spots earlier.

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Every few years, there is a draft that produces stars in nearly every pick of the first round, for example 2017’s draft produced Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Browns DE Myles Garrett, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, and Saints CB Marshon Lattimore. With all head coaching vacancies being filled and staffs rounding out it is officially mock draft season, so let’s take a look at 5 teams who could make some waves in the upcoming draft. 

1. Chicago Bears

When you look at the NFL draft, the Chicago Bears should be one of your first if not the first teams you think of. One of the more unique situations in NFL history with a team already having a potential franchise Quarterback in Justin Fields or a generational prospect in Caleb Williams.

Caleb would likely have all the help he would need with the bears potentially having two other first round picks to pick a receiver to lineup opposite of DJ Moore. The market for Justin Fields would likely be a first round pick at best and a second round pick if worst comes to worst. Caleb’s market should be a hefty price as in a few firsts, few seconds and a blue chip guy was the price for the 1st overall pick last year. Teams may be hesitant after seeing Young struggle in year 1, but the haul for Caleb should be elite. 

2. Arizona Cardinals

The cardinals while having a franchise guy in Kyler Murray could be involved in some very interesting trades at the top. A lot of speculation has gone around about the Cardinals having doubt about Kyler Murray, but I don’t buy it. The cardinals’ 4th overall pick is a popular trade piece because they are in a prime position to move down and get more capital or move up and secure their chance to get blue-chip prospect Marvin Harrison Jr.

The more likely is Kyler stays and the cardinals hope MHJ falls in their lap to pair with Micheal Wilson and Trey Mcbride. Thinking about trading Kyler is unrealistic but very fun. Do the cardinals really trade a guy who has shown he can play at a high level in this league when they can easily just give him all the help he needs? Probably not.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

As mentioned above, the Las Vegas Raiders should be a super interesting team to watch in the draft. Antonio Pierce is now head of the helm and with his aggressive nature, I do not expect him to sit back and watch 12 picks go by. You might ask; what will the raiders trade up for?

Maybe a quarterback, maybe a star edge to pair with Crosby in Dallas Turner. The possibilities are limitless with a struggling franchise in the Raiders. One positive thing about the raiders is they do have what seems to be the right guy leading this team. Antonio Pierce is a legit HC in this league which gives them all the room to make a blockbuster this spring. 

4. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are the kings of under performing in the playoffs. Jerry Jones is unhappy with the performance, questions about Dak Prescott, talks of trades, the usual Dallas cycle. The cowboys do not have a high pick in the draft but what they do have is an aggressive owner.

The 24th overall is more than enough for Jerry Jones to strike a deal with someone, and I believe they need to. It is evident the offense was rolling for much of the year with Dak and star wideout Ceedee Lamb being largely responsible for that. Then it seems like Dallas reached a point in the year they weren’t connecting as often and everything went stale. Trade the 24th overall and some future picks to get in the high teens and grab a guy like Rome Odunze out of Washington and see if that changes anything. The cowboys already filled a defensive hole in the roster with Mazi Smith last year, so if there is any year to get aggressive and grab a potential star, it is this one.

5. Houston Texans

What a turnaround last season was for this franchise. 10-7 and an AFC South Championship for the first time since 2019 when they had QB Deshaun Watson. With that being said, this franchise is gunning for it this year and could go all out to fill some needs they have. Right now corner is the biggest concern which there are some guys there at 23 (CLE Pick) but the one I’m targeting is Kool-Aid Mc Kinstry (Alabama) this would be a huge get for the texans and very possible even at 23.

One team they most likely will have to jump is the Eagles who also have a hole at corner. Speculation has arisen about maybe trading 23 straight up to get an established star like Lattimore or a big name WR. The Texans front office has a serious chance to be a contender every year if they play this draft right, the question is: will they?

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Quarterbacks

Kyler Murray – (47.3% Owned)

As of now, it looks like Kyler Murray will make his 2023 season debut in week 10. Murray is coming off an ACL injury but has been looking good in practice the last few weeks. If he gets the start Murray is always a threat to put up big numbers despite the limited Cardinals offense. If he is available on your waiver wire now is the time to pick him up.

Running Backs

Keaton Mitchell – (3.0% Owned)

The Baltimore Ravens ran all over the Seattle Seahawks this past Sunday. Leading the way for the Ravens was surprising rookie Keaton Michell. He exploded for 138 rushing yards on just 9 carries including a 40-yard touchdown. It’s hard to ignore Mitchell’s upside as he is clearly the most explosive back in Baltimore. Starting him will always be a risk in this crowded backfield but he is definitely worth stashing on your roster.

Wide Receivers

Tank Dell – (52.4% Owned)

How about the Houston Texans offense? The Texans and sensational rookie C.J. Stroud put up 496 total yards of offense against Tampa Bay last Sunday. Almost all of it came through the air as Stroud had 470 passing yards and 5 touchdowns. It was an impressive day for this offense that many thought would be the weakness of the team. Wide receiver Tank Dell caught 2 touchdowns including the game-winner. He is worth grabbing now as the Texans have some favorable matchups coming up.

Tight Ends

Jonnu Smith – (27.6% Owned)

Is Jonnu Smith the best tight end option in Atlanta? Kyle Pitts owners don’t want to hear this but Smith has been the more consistent option. On Sunday Smith had 100 yards receiving including a 60-yard touchdown. He also had 6 targets and has regularly been a part of the offensive game plan. If you need a tight end streamer for week 10, grab Smith as he has a favorable matchup against Arizona.

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Quarterbacks

Will Levis – (3.0% Owned)

How about that debut for Will Levis? Levis wasn’t expected to play much this season and was considered too raw of a prospect to produce this early. Not only did he show he is capable of playing at this level the former Kentucky standout was also poised and showed off his big arm. Levis finished the game with 4 passing touchdowns (3 of them went to DeAndre Hopkins) and more importantly zero turnovers. If you’re the Titans you have to play Levis the rest of the season to see if he can keep this up.

Running Backs

Zach Charbonnet – (36.1% Owned)

If you’re looking for a 2nd half breakout candidate, Zach Charbonnet may be that guy. Sure Charbonnet is still behind Kenneth Walker on the depth chart but he had his best output of the season on Sunday. He had 53 yards on just 5 carries good for 10.6 YPC and 11 receiving yards. Charbonnet is worth stashing and could end up paying off down the road.

Wide Receivers

Demario Douglas – (2.1% Owned)

Demario Douglas is set up for a big role in the Patriots offense with Kendrick Bourne now out for the season. Douglas led the New England offense with 7 targets on Sunday and that usage will only increase. Fellow wide receiver DeVante Parker also left the game with a concussion and his status this week could be in jeopardy. Douglas is an explosive receiver with upside that will also be used in the running game.

Tight Ends

Trey McBride – (14.4% Owned)

McBride exploded on Sunday for 20.5 fantasy points (Half PPR) and is the priority pickup this week. With Zach Ertz now on IR McBride will continue to get targets in the Cardinals offense. He had a massive 14 targets versus Baltimore and 10 receptions. Arizona also looks to be getting Kyler Murray back which should only help this offense going forward.

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The Good

James Conner has found new life in the desert. The former Pittsburgh Steeler signed a one-year deal in 2021 with the Cardinals and it was a gamble on his part. There were questions on whether he could carry the full load and be the lead running back. The gamble paid off as Conner showed he is more than capable of being a three-down back in this system. He will now be relied on more than ever with Kyler Murray out for the foreseeable future. Expect the Cardinals to feed him early and often, especially in the beginning of the season.

The Cardinals offensive line desperately needed help and they turned to the 2023 NFL Draft to solidify it. Arizona drafted LG Paris Johnson Jr. from Ohio State and he will be a day-one starter. Johnson Jr. is an athletic, versatile lineman that could eventually be a Pro Bowl caliber player. It starts in the trenches and although the Cardinals o-line has a ways to go they should be improved in 2023.

The Bad

Offense wins championships. This is the reality of the NFL in 2023. Sure you can have a stout defense and be successful but if you want to reach the pinnacle you have to have an elite offense. This is why it was a bit of a head-scratcher when the Cardinals decided to hire Jonathan Gannon as their head coach. Don’t get me wrong, Gannon is an excellent young coach who helped take the Eagles defense to the next level but is this the right fit? There were plenty of young offensive minds available for the Cardinals to hire but they decided to go with Gannon. If you look at the most successful teams in the league today most have offensive minded head coaches.

As we stated before the Cardinals have a roster that is devoid of playmakers. Marquise Brown is a solid wide receiver but can he really be a #1? Zach Ertz has always been a reliable pass catcher but health has been a factor for him in recent years. Outside of James Conner, the Cardinals don’t really have a player you have to game plan for.

The Prediction

As expected this will be a tough season for Arizona Cardinals fans. When you look at their 2023 NFL schedule it’s hard to find wins in there. I do see wins at home against the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams along with a road victory at the Houston Texans. The Cardinals will once again be picking at the top of the draft in 2024.

2023 Record: 3-14

The post Arizona Cardinals Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Arizona Cardinals: How Will They Perform With All The Chaos?

It was a messy season for the Arizona Cardinals, and they are glad it ended. It was leaked that Kyler Murray‘s extension had a “homework clause”. A $230M extension for your star player to watch film definitely made it to all shows and podcasts. Firing HC Kliff Kingsbury after another disappointing end of the season was a move that was expected. The worst thing that happened was Kyler Murray tearing his ACL. Sportsbooks have them winning about four and a half games and a shot at the top pick in the next draft. Having the top overall pick in the next draft could make it very noisy for Kyler’s future. Add in the DeAndre Hopkins rumors and nothing feels right in this organization. A rebuild could come sooner rather than later.

Los Angeles Rams: Is This The Final Season Of Multiple Key Players?

There was a Superbowl hangover for the Rams after they sacrificed their future for a Superbowl ring. There were key injuries to multiple players such as Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. The offense looked non-existent if you weren’t Kupp as well. They looked slower and older and it felt that a blowup was impending, especially with the lack of assets they had. This offseason showed us this as they waived multiple key players such as Leonard Floyd, Bobby Wagner, and Jalen Ramsay through trade. For a couple of offseasons, Aaron Donald has contemplated retirement. Currently, this team looks very different from the past few seasons. Notable holdovers to mention are Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald. It may also sadly be their last year in LA as the Rams might trade them for future assets and begin anew.

San Francisco 49ers: Who Will Be The Starting Quarterback?

Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold all hold the key to the future of the 49ers. One of them will be the starting QB and it will affect how the team goes. Purdy had a successful surgery to fix his elbow after injuring it against the Eagles. He was the starter to end last season and he looked perfect for the role. Trey Lance was the Week 1 starter last season but he had a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. His performance was Incomplete because it was just his first few starts. Sam Darnold has been a disappointment as a former top 3 pick. He has the most experience but I don’t think he’s starting QB material anymore. The 49ers have a difficult choice with everything they have. The right move can put them among the favorites to win the Superbowl. The wrong move will waste another season for this talented team.

Seattle Seahawks: How Far Can Geno Smith Lead This Team?

The Seahawks were the surprise of the season when Geno Smith led the team to the playoffs after many projected them to be the worst team in the division. It wasn’t just Geno that made all the difference. The Seahawks had a draft where multiple rookies played like veterans. Kenneth Walker, Coby Bryant, and Tariq Woolen led the way for the rookies and they all played a major part in Seattle’s rise. Now, they retooled and have a chance to win the division. Signing Devin Bush and Bobby Wagner improved the defense while drafting Jaxson Smith-Njigba gives them an elite WR trio. If Geno can even play better than last year, Seattle is a team to watch out for in the NFC.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles take a long plane ride to battle the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at 4:25 PM. Each NFC squad is represented by a gifted, dual-threat QB. The Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is arguably having the sexiest three-game streak in his career. Meanwhile, the Cardinals QB that garners some unflavored memes is struggling to like his 2021 self without the very elite WR DeAndre Hopkins. With that said, I’m going to untwine the outlook for each young QB and project which QB has the edge ahead at this point.

Jalen Hurts

It’s hard to deny the power of love Hurts after three games in the season. The former Bama stud is coming off his most impressive victory in 2022 with 340 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 0 interceptions against his nemesis, the Washington Commanders. In this season thus far, Hurts has registered 916 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 167 rushing yds, and 3 rushing TDs. It’s also important to note that he’s only thrown one interception.

PFF has given Hurts a 79.4 grade for his 2022 performance at this point. He did have an 80.8 grade by PFF last season. I still believe that Hurts is cleaner with the football in 2022 last season and he’s bound to continue to improve his chemistry with the first-year Eagle A.J. Brown (155 yards this season) and second-year WR Devonta Smith (a whopping 169 yards and 1 TD last week).

Hurts was also phenomenal last week, despite the star TE Dallas Goedert leaving the game in the second quarter (who still made a return in the fourth quarter). The Eagles TE did still manage to have a receiving touchdown in Week 3.

Kyler Murray

The former Oklahoma Sooner hasn’t been an earth-shattering QB yet, but I still believe he has lots of magic in his 25-year-old self. Murray ousted 193 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 0 ints, 29 rushing yds on five carries, and a 64.71 completion percentage in a Week 1 losing effort against the mighty Kansas City Chiefs. He was able to pick up his first victory of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 by unleashing 277 passing yds, 1 passing TD, 1 interception, and a 63.77 completion percentage.

Last week, Murray still didn’t make medicine sick. Against a crucial divisional foe, he accumulated zero touchdowns. To be fair, the Rams aren’t an easy defense to shine against. Although, he hasn’t found a way to really break through in any showdown without D-HOP at this early stage in the regular season.

Murray’s top weapon this season has undoubtedly been Hollywood Brown (24 catches, 251 yds, and 1 TD). I would really like to see Kliff Kingsbury find a way to get Zach Ertz (16 receptions, 134 yds, and 1 TD) more involved in the offense, particularly in the red zone.

Verdict:

The Eagles honestly have fierce pieces across the board on their defense (as they limited the Vikings to 7 points and the Commanders to 8 points) and I don’t love that Murray struggled to score a point against a stingy LAR defense last week. On the flip-side, I fully anticipate the insane Eagles WR duo to find gold against a Cardinals secondary that has bled against opposing WR2s and WR3s. Luckily, the Eagles have one of the NFL’s best WR2s in Smith.

The Eagles QB/magician blatantly has more accessible firepower and confidence entering Week 4. I wholeheartedly suspect that he will have more production and come out with the victory in Week 5.

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By: Andy Davies

The NFC West was considered the elite division in the NFL as little as a year ago but things have progressed since, despite having the current Super Bowl champions in the Los Angeles Rams. 

Russell Wilson is no longer in the division, and no one quite knows who will be the QB1 in San Francisco. 

But who is the divisions best quarterback? Here are the rankings of the NFC West quarterbacks from best to worst.

Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)

What better place to start than with the QB1 of the Super Bowl Champions. Whilst Stafford was not the reason the Rams won Super Bowl 56 over the Cincinnati Bengals, with 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, he was certainly the final piece of the jigsaw as the Rams hoisted the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since the 1999 season. 

The Rams were always contenders, making it all the way to Super Bowl 53, but there was always something missing at the quarterback position. Jared Goff did well but even he would admit he was probably not good enough to take the Rams where they needed.

He was traded to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Stafford and the rest is history. Stafford had reached the postseason on three previous occasions, but each time came up short at the first attempt. His lack of playoff wins was a factor pointed out by sceptics when he arrived but when the Rams made the playoffs, Stafford showed why the team gave up so much to get him. In four games, he threw for 1,188 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions as well as having a 70% completion percentage (98 from 140).

In the regular season, Stafford also impressed. Only Tom Brady (43) threw for more touchdown passes (41), with Stafford throwing for the third-most passing yards (4,886). 

Stafford is clearly the choice for the number one spot on this list and it will take a lot for the other players in this list to catch him up.

Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)

Murray’s future is unclear, with his fifth option exercised but no longer-term deal in place at time of writing. 

The 2019 first overall pick has shown signs of his potential but is yet to fulfil this on a consistent basis. In three seasons, he has thrown for 11,480 yards, 70 touchdowns and 34 interceptions, whilst also recording  1,786 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. 

A trend of Murray’s career so far is starting off the season well but tailing off down the stretch. He will need a big year to convince the Cardinals front office that he is the player moving forward. Either way, he still remains second on this list.

Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers)

When the 49ers lost to the Rams in the NFC Championship game back in January, it was seen by many to be the end of Jimmy G in San Francisco. However, he is still on the team.

Having missed OTA’s due to rehab on his shoulder,  he has yet to be traded. Say what you want about Jimmy G, but he wins games. Simple as that. Whilst he has never been the reason for the 49ers winning games, he is a very serviceable quarterback. With uncertainty over Lance after reports of the organisation being underwhelmed, Garoppolo is the right guy to be under centre for the 49ers in week one. 

Drew Lock/Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)

Whether it is Lock or Smith, there is no way they aren’t at the bottom of this list. Lock has a great start to life in the NFL, when he started for the Denver Broncos towards the end of the 2019 season, his 2020 and 2021 campaigns flattered to deceive. Meanwhile, Smith has been a backup for most of his career. Neither of these quarterbacks, whoever starts against the Broncos in week one, are likely to inspire confidence from fans or the Seattle coaching staff. 

The post Ranking the NFC West Quarterbacks right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Arizona Cardinals 29-year-old WR DeAndre Hopkins, also known as “Nuk”, is coming off a career-low season in receptions (42) and receiving yards (572). It should be well noted that D-Hop missed a career-high (7 games) last season. Nonetheless, it should be noted that Hopkins still had (57.2) YPG, which was his worth receiving yard per game number since his rookie season in 2013. There are many fantasy analysts that are concerned about Hopkins’s outlook in AZ. He may be closer to 30 years old, coming off a down season, with a confusing QB, but I believe the “future HOF WR” has a bright outlook.

Hopkins is currently ranked as the 24th WR in dynasty PPR via Fantasy Pros. I believed his value is slightly better than that ranking. I still love Hopkins ability and juice right now. He received a career-high 115 receptions in 2020 (115) and I expect him to be very involved as a healthy WR in 2022. Plus, he recorded at least 104 catches from 2018 to 2020. I honestly expect Hopkins to benefit from Christian Kirk’s exit (and AJ Green’s exit), regardless of Rondale Moore’s role on the team.

Hopkins is a magical player and he will find ways to be special with Kyler Murray in 2022. He may not have been a target machine with Kirk last season (77 receptions) and AJ Green (54 receptions) in his time last season, but he was still a reliable catching machine and he notched 8 touchdowns in 10 games in 2021. I expect a healthy Kyler Murray (who missed three games last season) will help Hopkins unveil a Top 8 PPR season in 2022. He unleashed a Top 4 season in 2020 and I feel the highly motivated Cardinals QB-HC will lean on Hopkins to be unearthly talented in 2022.

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