The start of the NFL season is quickly approaching. While players are training to earn a trip to the Super Bowl, fans are gearing up for their Fantasy Football leagues.
Fantasy Football drafts usually start sometime in August, so now is the perfect time to start preparing for which players you want on your roster this season. Plus, Daily Fantasy Sports will be launching in Arizona on August 28, right before the Arizona sports betting launch date of September 9.
The Arizona Cardinals are projected to go 9-8 this year and are expected to land a Wild Card playoff spot. As for the Super Bowl, sportsbooks such as FanDuel have the Cardinals at +4800 to win it.
With Arizona’s stacked roster this year, you can benefit from drafting these Cardinals players to your own roster.
DeAndre Hopkins – WR
Hopkins is a player that you should try to get in the first couple of rounds. He is a prime target for quarterback Kyler Murray and keeps improving his catch rate, yards per catch, and broken tackles each season.
The wide receiver had 1,407 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his first year as an Arizona Cardinal. He is expected to have even better stats this year, so he is worth drafting early to have as your number one wide receiver. PointsBet even has Hopkins at +2500 to win Offensive Player of the Year this season.
Kyler Murray – QB
BetMGM has Murray near the top of earning MVP this season at +1400. There is no doubt this quarterback will be one of the first to be drafted. He won Rookie of the Year in 2019 and continues to get better each year. He finished 2020 with 26 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 3,971 passing yards. Murray also had 11 rushing touchdowns, scoring nine of them in red-zone possessions for a total of 66 yards.
Murray is on pace to do even better this year and have one of his best seasons. The quarterback may be small, but he is mighty and worth having on your Fantasy roster.
Chase Edmonds – RB
You can expect Edmonds to get plenty of playing time and has a great chance of hitting 1,000 rushing yards this season. In 2020, he came close with 850 yards. He may have only had four touchdowns, but the amount of yards Edmonds puts up will give you guaranteed Fantasy points every week you play him.
Even though Edmonds isn’t one of the first running backs you should draft, he would be a nice addition to your roster if you can pick him towards the middle of your draft.
Rondale Moore – WR
Yes, Moore is a rookie, but he is fast and a terrific fit for the Cardinals’ offense. Arizona’s second-round draft pick is speedy and known in college for catching short to mid-range passes, which is perfect for Murray.
Moore should see plenty of playing time, even though he is a rookie, due to Christian Kirk not playing up to par last season. You don’t want to waste an early draft pick on him, but if you can snag him in later rounds, he is a valuable addition to your roster.
Honorable Mentions
Matt Prater – Kicker
The Cardinals brought in Prater from the Detroit Lions this offseason for a 2-year contract. The team’s former kicker, Zane Gonzalez, is a free agent after having a rough 2020 season. Gonzalez is best known for holding the NCAA Division I record for field goals made in a career while attending Arizona State University.
Prater is a good kicker to have on your roster since you can expect him to kick lots of extra points with Hopkins and Murray on the offense. Last season, Prater made 38 out of his 41 extra-point kicks. Drafting a kicker is usually something to wait till the finals rounds to do and the veteran kicker isn’t a bad pick.
Budda Baker – Individual Defensive Player
It depends on the league you are in, but if you are drafting individual defensive players, Baker is a worthwhile pick for your roster. The safety has been on the Cardinals since being drafted by the team in 2017.
Sportsbook apps like DraftKings have Baker at +3000 to win Defensive Player of the Year. He may not be your first pick for a defensive player, but he would be a valuable backup to have on your roster.
About the Author
