Dynasty Capsule: Arizona Cardinals

Paul Perdichizzi Posted On February 28, 2015

cardinalscapsule

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

Quarterbacks

Carson Palmer

Coming off a torn ACL and entering his age 35 season, Palmer has a lot of questions surrounding him entering next season. The one thing that is clear is that when healthy, he can produce in the Bruce Arians offense. In only six games last year, he threw for 1,626 yards, and posted a 62.9% completion percentage with 11 touchdowns to only three interceptions. If you prorate that for a full 16 game schedule, that would have been over 4,000 yards and close to 30 touchdowns. If healthy, I think Palmer is a solid high-end QB2 in fantasy next season.

Logan Thomas

Drafted in the fourth round by Arizona last year, the Cardinals have high hopes that Thomas can develop into the quarterback of the future once Palmer retires. At 6’6″, 250 pounds, Thomas has the size NFL teams’ love at the quarterback position, in addition to the athleticism and mobility to move around the pocket. His weaknesses arise in pocket awareness, reading defenses and his accuracy. With how poorly the Cardinals quarterbacking was once Palmer went down last season, I think it is a major red flag the Cardinals never thought he was a better option than Drew Stanton or Ryan Lindley. At this moment, Thomas is a deep dynasty stash, and it will be interesting to see how he looks in his developmental process in the preseason.

Running Backs

Andre Ellington

[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]

Injuries slowed down Ellington last year, as he was asked to try and be the lead back for the Cardinals. He played in 12 games before his season ended with a hip/hernia injury which needed surgery. Even during many of his other games, Ellington dealt with foot injuries which hampered his ability to produce at the level many expected when drafted in the first few rounds of fantasy drafts last year. His final stat line consisted of 660 rushing yards for three touchdowns but only an average of 3.3 yards per carry. While he struggled rushing, he was still very productive receiving out of the backfield, as he caught 46 passes for an additional 395 yards and two touchdowns. Ellington would best fit in a committee as the receiving threat and change of pace role, with a power back who would handle most of the rushing between the tackles and near the goal line. Ellington will have value as a RB2 in PPR leagues but if they draft a rookie high in the draft he may be nothing more than a RB3 in standard leagues.

Marion Grice /Stepan Taylor/ /Kerwynn Williams

All three of these running backs are more for depth than any starting role. Grice was a sixth round pick of the San Diego Chargers last year but was cut and ended up in Arizona, but only got 15 carries for 41 yards last season. Taylor was drafted the same year as Ellington but has shown little in the ability to be a productive NFL back. Ideally, Arizona was hoping that he would have become the power back complement to Ellington but that has not happened. Last season, Taylor rushed for 208 yards and one touchdown. Williams was a former seventh round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2013, who was waived and ended up in Arizona last season as well. Of these three, he was the most productive back last season rushing for 246 yards, with a 4.6 yards per carry compared to 3.3 for Taylor. All of these running backs will enter training camp battling for a roster spot behind Ellington, and most likely an early round draft pick.

Wide Receivers

Michael Floyd

In his third season (following an excellent year two campaign) the expectations were very high, but Floyd disappointed. Put the poor quarterback play aside after Palmer went down, Floyd still struggled for the majority of the year, catching only 47 passes for 681 yards and six touchdowns. He was looked upon as a solid fantasy WR2 when the year started but was barely start-worthy most weeks. The Cardinals have to hope the last week of the season in which he exploded for eight catches, 153 yards and two touchdowns is a sign of things to come for the 2015 season. Floyd will enter the season as the number one receiver in Arizona, will see plenty of targets, and still offers the skill set to be a high end WR2 if he can put it all together again. He could be a name to target in trades during the offseason as his value is possibly at the lowest it will ever be.

Larry Fitzgerald

The former pro bowl receiver just finished his age 31 season and there were major question marks as whether he would be a member of the Cardinals next season. With two years left on his contract at a huge salary cap number, it seemed as though Fitzgerald would be playing elsewhere next season, but that will not be the case. The two sides were able to renegotiate his contract, lower his cap hit and possibly let him end his career with the only team he has ever played for. While the Cardinals had quarterback issues all the year, the truth is Fitzgerald is no longer the player he once was. He finished with only 63 receptions for 784 yards and only two touchdowns. At this point in his career, he is more of a possession number two or three receiver on a team. If his name still carries a lot of weight in your league, I would look to deal Fitzgerald this offseason, as his value is of a WR3 or WR4 in fantasy.

John Brown

A surprise selection in the third round of 2014 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh State, Brown lived up to the early round pick. He caught 48 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns last season. If Palmer did not get hurt, his final stat line may have been even more impressive as a rookie from a small school. At 5’11” and only 179 pounds, Brown is a prototypical slot receiver but with the ability and elite speed to also make plays in the vertical game. Arians has compared him to two of his former players, Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers and TY Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts. With those lofty comparisons, the sky seems to be the limit on the potential Brown offers. Even with Fitzgerald back, Brown could see his usage and fantasy value rise this upcoming season. Since his upside may be slightly limited for another year with Fitzgerald back in the fold, now is the perfect time to try and target him in all dynasty leagues, prior to him breaking out.

Jaron Brown

Brown was signed by Arizona as undrafted free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. At 6’2” and 205 pounds, Brown offers good size and speed. At his Clemson pro day, he ran a 4.40 in the 40 yard dash. This past season, he was fourth on the depth chart and produced some solid numbers when given playing time. He caught 22 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. With Fitzgerald restructuring his contract, Brown will be stuck again as the fourth receiver and offer little to no fantasy value moving forward.

Tight Ends

Troy Niklas

Niklas was drafted in the second round of 2014 NFL Draft as one of the top tight ends in the draft. He was looked at as a complete tight end who could excel in both blocking and receiving. His 2014 was a disappointment as he played in only seven games and caught three passes for 38 yards before an ankle injury ended his season. Unfortunately for him, Arians does not view the tight end position as a focal point of the pass offense, so Niklas’ short and long term value is really limited. Coming out of Notre Dame, Niklas was compared to another former Notre Dame tight end, Kyle Rudolph. Right now, Niklas is just a deep dynasty stash because the tight end position is so volatile from year-to-year and he does offer some potential.

John Carlson

The 30-year old veteran, Carlson was the starting tight end for Arizona all of last season. He ended up playing in all 16 games and catching 33 passes, for 350 yards and one touchdown. Carlson will most likely be back on the team next year, but Arizona has to be hoping that Niklas takes over as the number one tight end, sliding Carlson down the depth chart. Carlson holds little to no value in fantasy leagues moving forward.

[/am4show]