2026 Team Outlook: Arizona Cardinals
WR Michael Wilson, ARI - Sleeper (undervalued)
Arizona invested a third-round pick in Wilson in the 2023 NFL Draft, betting on a receiver with an intriguing physical profile (6'2" and 215 pounds) who wins more through strength and physicality than speed. His 4.58 40-yard dash reflects a player who relies on leverage and effort over athleticism. His concerns coming in were a thin college resume and some vulnerability against press coverage, but he brings a workable route-running floor and plays with consistent effort on every snap. His hands were perceived as average rather than a strength.
His college backstory adds important context. After a promising 2019 breakout at Stanford (56/672/5 on 84 targets), Wilson managed just 14 games over the following three seasons due to a pair of foot injuries, finishing that stretch with 64 catches, 911 yards, and five touchdowns on 95 targets. His standout moment in that span came against Washington in 2022, when he went off for six catches, 176 yards, and two scores. His rookie season in Arizona was an encouraging start. Over 13 games (missing four weeks with neck and shoulder issues), Wilson hauled in 38 of 58 targets for 565 yards and three touchdowns while playing 62.6% of offensive snaps. He averaged a healthy 14.9 yards per catch and recorded seven receptions of 20 or more yards, showing up as a legit big-play threat. His three best fantasy performances (7/76/2, 4/35/1, and 6/95) demonstrated his ceiling when targeted with purpose. In 2024, Arizona deployed Wilson closer to the line of scrimmage, and it showed in his numbers — his yards per catch dipped from 14.9 to 11.7 while his catch (47) and target (71) totals both ticked up. Fantasy production barely moved, settling at 125.50 PPR points. He delivered six mid-range performances (8/64, 5/78, 2/21/1, 5/31/1, 5/55, and 2/57/1), but was held to three catches or fewer in 11 of his appearances, a consistency problem that capped his weekly value. A hamstring injury cut his season short in Week 18. Last year, Wilson only had 22 catches for 231 yards and one score on 38 targets across nine games. He flashed in Week 11 (15/185 on 18 targets), followed by a WR1 down the stretch due to injuries to Marvin Harrison. His season ended with starting fantasy stats in six (10/118, 11/142/2, 5/54/1, 2/52/1, 5/89/1, and 5/99/1) over his final seven starts. Wilson averaged 11 targets over his final eight games, lifting him to 11th in PPR wide receiver scoring (220.60) and setting career highs in catches (78), receiving yards (1,006), touchdowns (7), and targets (126).
Fantasy Outlook: Wilson’s growth in 2025 was threefold. First, Arizona had the top passing opportunity in the league. He also gained more targets due to Marvin Harrison getting hurt. The final piece to his breakthrough year was showcasing that Wilson was worthy of a WR1 opportunity. He did this by getting open, winning close contested catches, and finishing off some plays with scoring. Despite his progression, his 2026 ADP (75) in the National Fantasy Football Championship ranks him 38th at wide receiver, which requires about 170.00 PPR fantasy points to payoff. I believe in his 60/800/5 floor, but 100 fewer passing attempts would lead to a 15% drop in his fantasy opportunity.
RB Tyler Allgeier, ARI - Fantasy Handcuff
In his rookie season with the Falcons, Allgeier earned a legitimate featured-back workload, seeing 47.3% of the RB1 snaps. He made the most of it, producing 1,174 combined yards, four touchdowns, and 16 receptions on 226 touches. Allgeier saved his best football for last, closing the year with a dominant four-game stretch (70 carries, 431 yards, two scores, and six catches for 52 yards). He finished 29th among running backs in PPR scoring at 161.40 points. The 2023 season was a step backward despite a similar volume. Atlanta handed Allgeier 204 touches, but the results were underwhelming (876 combined yards, five touchdowns, and 18
catches). His yards-per-carry dropped sharply from 4.9 to 3.7, a decline that looks even more significant when accounting for the fact that three runs of 40-plus yards inflated his 2022 average. His best performance came in Week 1 (94 combined yards, two touchdowns, three catches), and he only once more cracked 100 combined yards (21 carries for 59 yards with three catches for 53 more). Down the stretch, Allgeier faded badly, averaging just 9.5 touches over his final six games (51 carries, 217 yards, one score with six catches for 110 yards and another touchdown). Even with Bijan Robinson commanding a heavy workload in 2024, Allgeier still managed 150 touches despite playing on 25.1% of Atlanta’s offensive snaps, limiting his fantasy viability considerably. He delivered just three usable outings all season (10.00, 19.80, and 12.30 points), while posting fewer than 6.00 fantasy points in 11 of his appearances. A stellar season by Bijan Robinson last year led to Allgeier gaining a career-low 3.6 yards per rush. He set a new top in touchdowns (8), with another 156 touches (610 combined yards with 14 catches). Allgeier scored fewer than 10.00 PPR fantasy points in 12 matchups. His best two showings came in Week 2 (16/76/1 with one catch for four yards) and Week 10 (11/57/2). Fantasy Outlook: In late June, Allgeier is the 49th-ranked running back in the National Fantasy Football Championship (ADP – 148). His playing time window could be challenged by James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee), who are both coming off injuries. He brings handcuff value, but I expect his price point to slide in drafts if Conner is healthy and ready for Week 1.
RB James Conner, ARI - Fantasy Handcuff
WATCH OUT FOR A TRADE - Conner played 13 games in 2022 due to a rib injury that sidelined him for three weeks early in the season and a shin issue that ended his year in Week 18. Despite the lost time, he finished 19th among running
backs in PPR scoring with 201.20 points. His most productive stretch came between Weeks 10 and 17, where Conner strung together seven strong fantasy PPR performances (23.60, 13.40, 22.00, 23.40, 18.10, 25.00, and 14.00 points), including one 100-yard rushing game (25 carries, 120 yards, three catches for 20 yards, and a score). He took another step forward in 2023, posting arguably his best season as a rusher. Conner averaged 5.0 yards per carry, broke off 11 runs of 20 or more yards, and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career (208 carries, 1,040 yards, and seven touchdowns) across 13 games before a right knee injury cost him four weeks midseason. He closed the year on a tear, with Arizona feeding him 23.4 touches per game over his final five outings: • 25/105/2 • 14/86/1 with three catches for three yards • 112 combined yards, one touchdown, and five catches • 26/128/2 carries with a catch for five yards • 204 combined yards, one touchdown, and four catches Conner finished 18th in PPR running back scoring at 201.50 points. Coming off two seasons with a combined eight missed games, Conner answered durability concerns in 2024 by playing a career-high 16 games and setting new personal bests in carries (236), rushing yards (1,094), and total touches (283). The result was an 11th-ranked running back season at 254.80 PPR points, highlighted by four outings of 20.00 or more fantasy points (22.30, 22.20, 30.80, and 26.60). Three of those explosive performances landed between Weeks 14 and 16 — prime time for fantasy playoff managers. His season ended on a familiar sour note, as Conner exited Week 17 after just 12 plays with another knee injury, followed by him sitting out the final games of the year.
After a slow start to 2025 (32/95/1 – 3.0 yards per rush with eight catches for 38 yards and one score), Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. Fantasy Outlook: Conner opens 2026 at age 31, with concern about his health and potential explosiveness. He'll go undrafted until his role and opportunity are defined over the summer.
RB Trey Benson, ARI - Not Draft Worthy
Over his final two seasons at Florida State, Benson accumulated 2,267 combined yards, 24 touchdowns, and 33 receptions on 343 touches, averaging an efficient 6.1 yards per carry and 11.2 yards per reception. His 2023 season had its limitations, topping 100 rushing yards just once (11/200/2) while averaging only 12 touches per game, and 80 of his 227 receiving yards came on a single scoring play against Wake Forest. His college career began at Oregon, where a right knee injury ended his freshman season before it started. Arizona then invested a third-round pick in him in the 2024 Draft, signaling their belief in him as the franchise's long-term lead back. As a runner, Benson is built for the interior. He has the wiggle and contact balance to generate yards in tight spaces, and his 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine confirms Benson can take it the distance once he clears the second level. His workhorse projection is real. He profiles as a goal-line threat and should contribute as a receiver with a dependable floor in the passing game. The areas to watch are his vision in traffic, which needs refinement, and his burst, which reads more as built-up speed than immediate explosion. Pass protection should not be a significant issue at the next level. His rookie season in Arizona brought a slow start. Benson appeared in 13 games, sitting out Week 5 and missing the final three with an ankle injury — but rarely factored into the offense in a meaningful way. His only two usable outings came back-to-back in Week 9 (8/37/1 with one
catch for 18 yards) and Week 10 (10/62 with two catches for 25 yards). In eight of his appearances, the Cardinals handed him five touches or fewer. 2025 should have been a great opportunity for Bensen after James Conner went down with an injury in Week 3. Over his first four games, he gained 224 combined yards with 13 catches on 42 touches. His value in the run game (5.5 yards per carry) was highlighted by two 20- yard runs or more. A torn meniscus in his left knee in Week 4 ended his year. Fantasy Outlook: The fantasy excitement for Benson has left the building this spring after Arizona signed another running back and found a new love to carry the ball. He turns 24 in July, with an unknown opportunity. Despite his injury path, Benson still brings talent to the running back table. Unfortunately, only a player to follow in the fantasy market.
WR Kendrick Bourne, ARI - Not Draft Worthy
Despite seeing just 144 combined targets across 2020 and 2021, Bourne quietly carved out value as a backend fantasy receiver during that stretch. His 2021 season was a career-best across the board (55 catches, 800 yards, and five touchdowns), with a bonus contribution in the run game (12 carries for 125 yards). New England leaned on him as a deep ball threat, resulting in 14.5 yards per catch and 10 receptions of 20 or more yards, five of which went for at least 40. When the ball came his way, he was reliable, catching 78.6% of his targets. That momentum stalled in 2022 as Bourne appeared to lose the trust of the New England coaching staff. He finished with a quietly productive catch rate (72.9%) but was barely involved, managing just 35 catches for 434 yards and one touchdown. The target distribution told the story. His only game with more than five looks came in Week 16, when Bourne finally broke out for 6 catches, 129 yards, and a score. His 2023 season offered a fresh start, and through eight games, Bourne was on pace for career highs across the board (47 catches, 406 yards, and four touchdowns projected over a full season). He delivered starting fantasy value in three appearances (6/64/2, 10/89, and 6/63/1) before
a torn ACL in his right knee ended his season prematurely for the second time in his career. His recovery from knee surgery led to an empty 2024 season over 12 games (28/305/1 on 38 targets). Bourne only had one playable outcome (5/70/1). Last season, he flashed in Week 5 (10/142) and Week 6 (5/142) with the 49ers due to some wide receiver injuries. He failed to score a touchdown, and Bourne had one catch or fewer in seven of his 16 games. Fantasy Outlook: Bourne provides veteran experience as a rotational WR3 for the Cardinals in 2026. He will go undrafted in all 12-team leagues.
