For the first time since 2020, his second year in the league,
Murray started each of Arizona’s games last season. It was
a welcome sight after the former No. 1 overall pick missed six
games in 2022 and nine more in 2023 after tearing the ACL in his
right knee. Despite starting all 17 games, however, Murray put
up middling numbers: 3,851 yards, 21 TDs, and 11 INTs through
the air. He averaged a career-best 7.3 yards per carry, a sign
that he had renewed confidence in his knee’s stability,
but he ran less than ever, posting a career-low 4.6 rushing attempts
per game.
One of the big storylines entering last season was the arrival
of a “true No. 1 receiver” in the form of Marvin Harrison
Jr., the fourth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The results were disappointing.
There were obvious communication errors throughout the season
between Murray and Harrison, and the duo has reportedly spent
extensive time working out together in Arizona during the offseason
in an attempt to remedy their timing and execution issues.
Improved chemistry between the two, along with a better grasp
of the offense following another offseason under third-year coordinator
Drew Petzing, could go a long way toward pushing Murray into a
higher echelon of NFL (and fantasy) quarterbacking. Entering his
age-28 season, the diminutive QB claims to be in the best shape
of his career and feeling great. That’s all well and good for
June, but his size is always a concern as he has tended to wear
down over the course of 17 games.
Murray retains top-10 fantasy appeal due to his dual-threat skillset,
though he’s a notch or two below top mobile quarterbacks like
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and even Jayden Daniels.
Viewed as a durability risk throughout his NFL career, Conner
somehow seems to be aging like wine, setting career highs in games
played (16), carries (236), receptions (47), rushing yards (1,094),
and receiving yards (414) last year. He also tallied nine touchdowns,
marking the fourth consecutive year in which he’s scored
at least eight times. Conner even maintained a legitimate lead
back workload in an era of running back by committee -- his 283
touches far exceeded that of backups Trey Benson (69), Emari Demercado
(40), and Michael Carter (46), who combined for 155.
On paper, nothing has changed since the final whistle blew in
Week 18. Conner is still the starter, and he’s still followed
on the depth chart by Benson, Demercado, and Carter, though whether
all four will make the team again is unclear. If anything, the
veteran feels more secure in his lead-back duties than he did
entering last season when the then-rookie Benson looked like a
possible threat. While all that can be viewed as positive, there
are underlying concerns relating to health and age with Conner,
who has still never appeared in every game in his eight NFL campaigns,
turning 30 during the offseason -- a notorious milestone for running
backs.
Taking everything into account, Conner heads into 2025 as a borderline
top-20 fantasy back with RB2 value as his ceiling and an RB3 or
flex designation on the downside in case all those miles on his
body catch up to him.
One of the truisms of fantasy football is that rookie skill players
are overvalued. Such was the case with Benson, who, as the second
running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, looked poised to
step in and contribute immediately. That didn’t happen.
Benson was more backup than complement as a rookie, with his 69
combined touches barely outpacing unheralded veterans Demercado
(40) and Carter (46). He matched Conner at 4.6 yards per carry
on his 63 totes but was minimally involved as a pass catcher with
six catches for 59 yards.
Will things be any different in 2025? Maybe. That answer comes
down to two primary things: how well Conner holds up physically
at age 30, and how much Benson has developed after a full season
in the NFL. While the former is obvious, the latter is sneakily
important as even if Conner stays largely healthy this year, Benson
could still improve his production by claiming many of the 86
combined touches that Carter and Demercado had last year.
Conner’s injury history and age should be enough to keep Benson
as one of the top handcuff options in drafts this year, though
we’re still talking about a fringe top-50 option at the position.
The good news is, after an uninspired NFL debut, Benson is likely
to be available later in drafts.
Although he was drafted fourth overall in 2024, Harrison was
viewed by some as the most talented overall prospect, and he was
the first non-quarterback off the board. Considered a polished
route runner and NFL ready, the second-generation receiver endured
an up-and-down season, and he finished well behind Jacksonville’s
Brian Thomas Jr., the Giants’ Malik Nabers, and LA’s
Ladd McConkey, all of whom topped 1,100 yards as rookies. He had
his moments -- most notably a 130-yard, 2-touchdown effort in
a Week 2 blowout of the division rival Rams -- but the consistency
was absent.
As already noted, Harrison and Murray have been hard at work
during the offseason, trying to get on the same page ahead of
their second season together. That’s of paramount importance
to both players as individuals and the team as a whole, as there
were simply far too many weeks when Harrison was effectively shut
down. While appearing in all 17 games, the Ohio State product
topped 100 yards just twice, and he had 10 games of fewer than
50 yards. He also struggled in contested catch scenarios despite
his size (6-foot-3, 209 pounds).
Although he failed to meet the lofty expectations during his
rookie year, Harrison still finished with a respectable 885 yards
and eight touchdowns (tied for 13th in the NFL). He remains the
clear top target on the outside and a critical part of the offense.
The shine figures to be off Harrison to a degree, which could
push him down draft boards a bit, but there’s still loads
of upside here. Draft him as a low-end WR2 or strong WR3 and hope
he makes a second-year leap.
On a team that had 372 completed passes, only two players topped
50 receptions. Wilson tied with Conner for third on the club with
47, which was nine more than he had as a rookie in 2023. That
modest uptick in opportunities resulted in 17 fewer yards, however,
as he finished with 548 yards and four TDs.
The third-year pro figures to be in a similar spot in 2025, battling
for opportunities with veteran Zay
Jones, who’ll be looking to rebound after injuries derailed
his first season with the Cardinals, and undersized slot receiver
Greg Dortch.
The 5-foot-7, 175-pound wideout had a few standout efforts in
2022 and 2023 that created some belief that he could shine in
an expanded role, but that doesn’t appear to be a viewpoint shared
by Arizona after he topped 50 yards in a game just once last year.
Aside from Murray, there are only three viable difference makers
in Arizona’s offense (Trey McBride, Conner, and Harrison),
and it’s hard to see anyone in this group stepping into
a fantasy relevant role without a significant injury. So, unless
something happens in training camp, you can safely bypass everyone
here. If it comes to it, though, Wilson looks to offer the most
potential.
If you look back to 2023, Murray and McBride played eight games
together. In that time, the tight end collected 53 receptions,
538 yards, and 2 TDs; that’s a 113-1,143-4 pace. Last year,
that duo took the field 16 times. The final numbers: 111 catches,
1,146 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. That was good enough for
fourth in the NFL in receptions and 11th in receiving yardage.
He finished second in both categories among tight ends to Las
Vegas’ rookie Brock Bowers.
While it’s difficult to complain too vociferously about
a two-year stretch in which McBride has caught 192 passes for
1,971 yards there is one clear eyesore on his resume. Despite
checking in at 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, McBride has scored just five
times among those 192 receptions. His two receiving TDs last year
tied him for 116th in the NFL. After McBride, New Orleans’
Alvin Kamara had the most catches with only two touchdowns --
he had 68, which was 43 fewer than McBride.
Yes, the lack of productivity in the red zone is frustrating.
Targets are opportunities, however, and McBride was eighth in
the NFL in that department. Entering his fourth season and still
just 25 years old, he offers more value and upside than anyone
at the position not named Bowers.
