Fantasy Football: 5 Bold Predictions for 2019 – Quarterback Edition
3. Kyler Murray will total over 4,300 combined yards.
How this is bold:
In the last decade, only Cam Newton has accomplished this feat (4,757 combined yards in 2011). Last season, the Cardinals possessed the worst offensive line in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. Arizona also ranked dead last in the league with just 3,865 total offensive yards.
Why this will come true:
While it’s admittedly been an up-and-down preseason for the no. 1 overall pick thus far, there’s still plenty of optimism that Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray can make a huge fantasy impact in his rookie season.
In his first taste of preseason action, Murray was near perfect, completing 6-7 passes for 44 yards while earning a strong 92.9 QBR. In the exhibition against the Chargers, he also flashed his ability to elude pressure and make throws on the run. Week 2 of preseason action had a different narrative, as Kyler struggled to a tune of 3-8 with his passing attempts for a paltry 12 yards.
Fear not, fantasy community. If there’s been one big takeaway through two games, it’s that Murray hasn’t really ran the ball like many expect him to this Fall. A 1,000-yard rusher in 2018 at the University of Oklahoma, Murray is being held back by head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who likely isn’t showing any of the cards in his hand before regular-season action is underway.
If you compare fellow top draft pick Cam Newton’s rookie preseason stats to Murray’s, the similarities are evident. Newton carried the rock just 9 times in four preseason outings, but when the regular season, the training wheels came off. In what was one of the best first seasons ever by a QB, Cam ran an average of 7.8 times per game for 706 yards, adding another 4,000 yards through the air.
Some will be quick to jump the gun on Murray after last week’s performance, but you’ll want to make sure you aren’t one of them. He was the no. 1 pick for a reason, and on an improved Arizona offense, he could be the next rookie passer to tear-up the league. As we’ve witnessed many times, QBs with the same type of dual-threat skillset as Murray have seen instant success.