Cardinals News
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson could return to a prominent role if Marvin Harrison Jr. remains sidelined for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Harrison has not practiced this week due to a heel injury sustained during last Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
Wilson thrived as the Cardinals’ primary receiver during Harrison’s two-game absence in Weeks 11 and 12. He caught 25 passes for 303 yards across those contests. Against San Francisco in Week 11, Wilson hauled in 15 receptions for 185 yards on 18 targets. He followed that performance with 10 catches for 118 yards on 15 targets against Jacksonville in Week 12.
Harrison returned in Week 13 after missing two games while recovering from an appendectomy. He played 37 snaps before exiting with the heel injury in the third quarter. Wilson’s production dropped significantly with Harrison on the field, managing just three catches for 36 yards on seven targets in the loss to the Buccaneers.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon described Harrison’s heel issue as tricky and similar to the injury that kept cornerback Max Melton out of the Tampa Bay game. Gannon said Harrison was doing “OK” but has missed both Wednesday and Thursday practices heading into Week 14.
The Cardinals offense has operated at an exceptionally high volume under quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Arizona has averaged 48.6 pass attempts per game over the last three weeks. Brissett attempted 57 passes against San Francisco, 49 against Jacksonville, and 40 against Tampa Bay.
Wilson profiles as a strong fantasy option if Harrison cannot play Sunday. He saw double-digit targets in both games as the number one receiver. The Cardinals face a Rams defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Arizona enters Week 14 with a 3-9 record after losing four consecutive games. The Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention but continue to air the ball out under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Tight end Trey McBride leads the team with 80 receptions and seven touchdowns. Harrison has 40 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns this season. Wilson has 570 yards and one touchdown through 12 games. Greg Dortch serves as the team’s third receiver but has also missed practice this week with a chest injury.
The Rams visit State Farm Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. Los Angeles holds a 9-3 record and sits atop the NFC West division. The Cardinals have gone 1-6 in games started by Brissett despite his consistent passing numbers.
Wilson’s expanded role depends entirely on Harrison’s availability. The Cardinals will release their final injury report on Friday afternoon. If Harrison sits, Wilson should command a significant target share in a pass-heavy attack that shows no signs of slowing down.