The Arizona Cardinals shocked many NFL fans last year as they won 10 games in the incredibly difficult NFC West. The Cardinals addressed some of their most pressing needs in the off-season by adding gargantuan offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, and also adding speed on both sides of the ball with Antonio Cromartie and Ted Ginn. The Cardinals will be a force in the NFC West again and are likely to produce some of fantasy’s best value picks in 2014.
2014 Arizona Cardinals Fantasy Outlook
Quarterbacks:
Carson Palmer is once again the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals heading into the 2014 season. Palmer has arguably the best receiving core west of the Chicago Bears in the dynamic duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. With the revamped offensive line, and an explosive tailback in Andre Ellington, Palmer will provide good value for those choosing to wait on quarterbacks this year. In 2013 Palmer was number ten in pass attempts, ninth in yards per attempt and eighth in total passing yards. The Cardinals will undoubtedly near the top of the league in passing once again and if Palmer can keep his turnovers down he has the potential to be amongst the top twelve fantasy quarterbacks in 2014.
Running backs:
Andre Ellington is the projected lead back for the Cardinals this year and is one of the most talked about players in fantasy circles this offseason. In a limited role last year, Ellington was terrific. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry while also catching forty passes. Ellington is a dual threat running back who can break a long gainer at any moment. Ellington is currently being drafted as the 20th best fantasy running back, but he has the potential to produce top 10 numbers this year. He will get a good number of touches running the ball, but his greatest value will come from his abilities in the passing game. When given space on the outsides, Ellington is a nightmare for defenders in the open-field. While backups Jonathan Dwyer and Stepfan Taylor will likely steal goal-line duties, Ellington will provide fantasy owners with enough points through the air to make up for the lack of touchdowns. If healthy, Andre Ellington could be the steal of your fantasy draft.
Wide Receivers:
The wide receiver group for the Arizona Cardinals will be one of the league’s best in 2014. Larry Fitzgerald is coming off consecutive sub-1000 yard seasons, but there is reason to believe he will bounce back. Last season, he played 16 games, but dealt with concussion and hamstring injuries starting from week 1. With a clean bill of health and a full off-season to learn Bruce Arians’ offense, Fitzgerald is a good bet to improve on his 2013 campaign. Michael Floyd, the number two receiver in Arizona, will be entering his third season and is poised to breakout. Last year Floyd was a big play receiver, averaging sixteen yards per catch. He posted 1041 yards on just 65 catches. As Floyd continues to improve and becomes more of a possession receiver, his numbers will join the ranks of the elite. He’s being drafted in the sixth round right now, but he has the potential to provide top fifteen numbers.
Tight Ends:
The Tight End position for the Cardinals can be summed up in one word: BIG. The Cardinals currently have six tight ends on the roster, and all are at least 6’5 and 250 pounds. Bruce Arians has always wanted his tight ends to be as active in the blocking game as they are in the receiving game, so none of these tight ends will produce good enough numbers to start for your fantasy team this year. Veterans John Carlson, Jake Ballard and rookie Troy Niklas are at the top of the depth chart but Arians conservative use of tight ends and the crowded depth chart makes all three undraftable.
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