The Arizona Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft expecting him to not only be their WR1 of the future but to be a difference-maker from day one. Harrison was seen as one of the great wide receiver prospects in recent memory, and for good reason. The pairing with healthy Kyler Murray was supposed to be dynamic from Week 1.
Unfortunately, Harrison struggled in Arizona's Week 1 loss. He had one reception for four yards, receiving three targets all game. Trey McBride, Greg Dortch, and James Conner all received more targets than Harrison, and all seven other receivers who caught at least one pass from Murray had more yards.
Their offense didn't look nearly as good as their 28 points suggested, as DeeJay Dallas returned a kick for a touchdown and Murray threw for a total of just 162 yards. This was against a Bills defense that lost several key playmakers over the offseason either in free agency or to injury.
It was easy to sound the alarm bells after this game for Harrison in terms of fantasy football, but what Murray had to say after the game really frustrated managers who drafted or traded for the young receiver.
Fantasy football managers have reason to panic after hearing Kyler Murray's take on Marvin Harrison
"As a quarterback, obviously, you’re going through your reads,” Murray said. “Sometimes the ball goes to him, but that’s not my job. I have a sense and a feel for guys when they don’t get the ball and when they are getting the ball, but I leave that up to [OC Drew Petzing]. He tells me, ‘Don’t worry about that type of stuff. Just keep playing your game and get the ball to where the ball is supposed to go.’”
Murray is more focused on going through all of his reads and playing quarterback, ensuring that he feeds the open receiver, not necessarily the best receiver, all the time. Saying that it's not his job to feed Harrison is frightening for fantasy managers.
Harrison was drafted to be a clear-cut WR1 in fantasy football in large part because the expectation from fantasy football managers was that he'd be given tons of targets. The Cardinals have some offensive talent, but Harrison is far and away the best receiver and player on the team.
Harrison should improve every week, but it's clear that he is not the slam-dunk WR1 he was expected to be. Based on Murray's comments, barring drastic change, it's safe to assume he won't be one at all this season. He profiles more as a WR2 or 3 with immense upside week to week but without a safe floor that managers would expect from a prototypical WR1.
Murray has every reason to run the offense the way he and his team deems fit, but in terms of fantasy, it's hard to say it's looking great right now for Marvin Harrison Jr.