Welcome! I’m the guy with my name on the blog (you know who
I am), and have been playing fantasy football for 6 years. Check out our inaugural
post if you haven’t, that will explain who we are and what we hope to
accomplish. Now this is our first analysis post here at Fantasy Sparks, an
analysis of the fantasy potential of the Arizona Cardinals. We’re not experts here,
so let us know how we did! Please leave your comments down at the bottom!
Carson Palmer
After finishing as the 17th ranked fantasy qb for
the 2012- 2013 season, Palmer now steps into a seemingly better situation for
fantasy purposes. Playing with the Oakland Raiders, Palmer threw for 4018 yards
with a 22:14 TD:INT ratio. Palmer also managed to complete 61.1% of his passes,
when his best wideout, Denarious Moore, only caught 44.7% of his targets. In
Oakland, Palmer threw to the motley crew of Denarious Moore, Darius Heyward-
Bey, Rod Streater, and Brandon Myers. In Arizona, Palmer gets one of the league’s premier wide
receivers, Larry Fitzgerald, and a group of up- and- coming talents, in slot
man Andre Roberts, Michael Floyd, and tight end Rob Housler. Palmer figures to
see plenty of opportunities in the desert, with new head coach Bruce Arians, a
preacher of the forward pass, who helped Andrew Luck in his rise to stardom
last year, and a defense that should ensure plenty of blowouts.
But it’s not all sun and roses for Palmer. The league’s
least mobile quarterback, Palmer goes from the line that gave up the 5th
fewest sacks to Arizona, who are far and away the least talented in all of
football. He also heads to perhaps the toughest division in football, where
both the 49ers, Seahawks, ands Rams all ranked in the top 15 against the pass.
In short, the key to Palmer’s value this year will be his
volume, not his efficiency. He’s shaping up to be a low- end Qb2 with some
downside.
Rashard Mendenhall & Ryan Williams
Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams are players in two
similar spots. Both Mendenhall and Williams are coming off of season- ending injuries.
Both are considered injury prone. And both are competing for the Cardinals
feature back role.
But that’s where the similarities end. Mendenhall is a power
back who has already proven he can produce in Bruce Arians system (from back in
their Pittsburgh days). The questions for Mendenhall, therefore, lie in his own
recovery. If Mendenhall can prove he is healthy, he should have the upper track
for the job. However, that is a big if.
Ryan Williams, however, is a shifty running back with
breakaway speed. However, he has yet to stay healthy for an entire season.
Neither has he really produced in the big leagues (he averaged only 2.8 YPC
before his injury). He cannot be counted on for fantasy production.
One must remember Arizona’s awful offensive line. This is
the same line that allowed its runners to gain only 3.1 YPC for the season, and
management did nothing to address this need. Mendenhall is a back who relies on
his blockers to get what’s there; his value took a serious hit when he signed
with Arizona. Williams, on the other hand, is less reliant on his blockers, one
thing that may give him an advantage.
Though, no matter how you put it, neither back is a good bet
for fantasy production outside of deep leagues. Mendenhall, in my opinion, is a
slightly better bet for production, given his past history of performance and
knowledge of Arians’ system, but will be hindered by a junior- league offensive
line facing two staunch run defenses in his own division. Williams, on the
other hand, can be safely ignored in all but the largest of leagues.
Larry Fitzgerald
If you like post- hype sleepers, then Fitzgerald is your
man. The man is a complete beast. Entering his 10th season, he is
already the franchise’s leading receiver, with most of his yards coming from
average or worse passing play. He suffered through his worst season as a pro,
with a career low in TDs, the second worst career total for yards, and third
worst season in catches. However, that was the case of shoddy QB play and an
extreme frustration at the lack of commitment from management to get him a
capable battery mate. He can’t help but being better this year, with Carson
Palmer, a former All- Pro, under center. If any in your fantasy league are
scared off by his lack of production, pounce.
Andre Roberts, Fitz’s opposite, actually outpaced him last
year in standard fantasy points, 108 to 103. Each year, he has increased his
receptions, yards, and touchdowns, and he has learned to produce with even
mediocre quarterback play. To add to his increasing value, Arians will be moving
to the slot. Palmer has been shown to favor his slot receivers, with T.J.
Houshmanzadeh from 2004-2008, and with Brandon Myers last year, for an average
of 86 receptions a year. This may be the last chance to draft Roberts for less
than full price.
Arizona’s 2012 first round pick, Michael Floyd, will also
compete for playing spots. After starting the season slowly, Floyd picked up
his game at the second half of the season, ending on an 8- catch 166- yard
effort against the 49ers in Week 17. A big, physical presence, Floyd has been
running with Arians first team in practice, and his value can only increase
under the tutelage of passing guru Arians.
Rob Housler
Housler is a nightmare for opposing defenses. 6’5 with 4.5
speed, Housler failed to crack the starting roster under ex- Coach Ken
Wisenhunt, until late last season. From Week 7 till his season- ending injury
in Week 15 last season, Housler averaged 4 catches and 36 YPG. Extrapolated
over a 16- game season, that’s a 64- catch 576- yard season, which would have
made him the 29th ranked tight end last season. Not entirely
impressive, but Arians has been raving about Housler in camp, and I expect
Housler to finish with solid TE2 numbers next season.
Jay Feely
Feely finished 23rd in NFL scoring last season, converting
25 of his 28 field goals and all of his extra point attempts. Feely has been a
solid kicker in his own right for Arizona, but his team’s lack of ability to
score has provided him with few opportunities to score. While Arizona’s offense
should be improved, it is doubtful it will be enough to make Feely fantasy
relevant.
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