Fantasy Football 2017 Team Preview: Arizona Cardinals
This is the 2017 fantasy preview of the Arizona Cardinals. In this preview I will provide the Must-Own players, Sleepers, and Longshot players with upside very deep in drafts.
Must-own players are those who should be owned by someone in any league. Handcuff RBs can qualify, as they are often very important to a fantasy team over the full schedule. Sleepers are secondary players that you may find on the waiver wire at some point in the year, or may go undrafted in shallower auction-style leagues. The Longshots are players with microscopic ADP, who are being drafted at the very end of drafts, or more likely not drafted at all.
All ADP data is courtesy of FantasyPros.com.
**I will list all kickers, but I cannot give analysis on them. Sorry :-/
MUST OWNS
David Johnson, RB (ADP: 1): We begin our previews with the most coveted player in fantasy heading into the 2017 season. While RBs have lost their death grip on the entire first round, elite RBs still pay the bills. Johnson was the best player in fantasy last year, putting up elite rushing stats AND performing like a WR in the passing game. In 2016 Johnson racked up more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, scoring 16 touchdowns on the ground and four through the air. In the passing game he caught 80 passes for 879 yards, and was targeted 120 freakin’ times. That level of usage may shorten Johnson’s career, but he’s only just begun. This ADP is completely warranted.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR (ADP: 69): Fitz is an old man refusing to get old. Fitz has put up more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons and figures to be targeted even more heavily this year with Michael Floyd completely out of the picture. Fitz is a star in full-PPR leagues, and in any league where receptions are rewarded he gains value. He is less consistent as a provider of receiving touchdowns, but he does have the upside of approaching double-digits. He’s a player I’d be happy to have.
John Brown, WR (ADP: 115): Brown burned a lot of people last season, and I’m not talking about DBs. Brown was a red-hot sleeper who turned in a complete dud of a season. He battled injury, saw his yards per catch fall by more than two yards, his total yards fall by half, and his in-house competition grow. He is the de facto No. 2 here, and he remains talented and dynamic, so I’d own him before any of his competitors. With that said, I wouldn’t take him much earlier than his ADP.
SLEEPERS
Carson Palmer, QB (ADP: 150): Palmer was disappointing last season, but he also wasn’t horrible. He finished the season with 4,233 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 picks. That’s not the stud people thought they were drafting, but he also delivered pretty consistently. Palmer threw two or more touchdowns nine times, and he did that in six of the Cardinals’ final seven games. At this ADP, which is largely undrafted, Palmer can serve as a fine backup for your team.
J.J. Nelson, WR (ADP: 217): Nelson, all 156 lbs. (per Pro-footballreference.com) of him, scored six touchdowns last season. That’s not earth-shattering, but it’s more than you’d expect from someone being drafted after pick No. 200. Nelson has elite speed, and he has a clearer path to steady targets than you might think, with really just John Brown standing in his way. Nelson is a perfect late flier in deep leagues, and a player whom you should watch closely in the early going, and pounce if he starts the season fast.
LONGSHOTS
Chris Johnson, RB (ADP: N/A): Ellington is no longer on anyone’s radar, as evidenced by a non-existent ADP , but he’s currently the No. 2 running back in Arizona, and he shares Johnson’s knack for being effective in the passing game. If given opportunity, Johnson can absolutely contribute.
Jaron Brown, WR (ADP: N/A): Brown is bigger than Nelson, and can also make big plays. He averaged 17 yards per catch last year, and like Nelson, is a Brown injury away from relevance.
KICKER
Arizona’s kicker is Phil Dawson.