In the first of a 32-part series, we will feature all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. We will begin with the Arizona Cardinals.
Key-Off Season Acquisitions
The key off season acquisition for the Cardinals is wide receiver Marquise Brown. Arizona acquired Brown on the first day of the NFL Draft in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, Brown had 91 catches for 1008 yards and six touchdowns.
Why were the Cardinals needing a receiver when their offense is one of the very best in the entire NFL? The answer is simple. Arizona will not have the talented wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins six games because he violated the NFL performance-enhancing drug policy.
In addition to Brown, the Cardinals signed Darrell Williams from the Kansas City Chiefs to backup James Conner. Arizona was in need of a backup running back when Chase Edmonds signed with Miami.
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Top Fantasy Stars
Several Arizona Cardinals are in the top 10 for their respective positions when it comes to fantasy. Quarterback Kyler Murray is ranked 10th (receives a drop with the loss of Hopkins until late October), Conner is fifth, tight end Zach Ertz, who was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2021 NFL season is 10th, kicker Matt Prater is ninth and the Cardinals defense is 10th.
Prediction
The Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams have separated themselves in the NFC West from the Seattle Seahawks. On paper, Arizona and Los Angeles have more overall talent than San Francisco, and the Cardinals could be hungrier this season than the Rams when it comes to making a deep postseason run. Arizona is my pick to win the NFC West.
