Arizona

Cardinals

Johnson left Week 14’s loss to the Rams with an MCL injury and would seem likely to miss Arizona’s Week 15 game against the Cardinals. Losing Johnson ahead of a matchup with the ferocious Texans pass rush is bad news for Jacoby Brissett and the entire Cardinals offense. Brissett remains a solid streaming option based on pass volume alone.

Cardinals reporters noted that he stayed on the sideline after being ruled out, but the Cardinals don’t exactly have a reason to push Johnson through this injury given they’re already eliminated from playoff contention. Arizona has just one starter left from its season-opening line and faces the Texans in Week 15. Jacoby Brissett was already pummeled by the Rams on Sunday and Week 15 shapes up as more of the same.

Ryland has now missed one field goal in four straight games. On the season he has missed six of his 25 field goal tries while making all 29 of his extra points. Attached to an Arizona offense that rarely has the benefit of neutral and positive game script — allowing for field goal attempts throughout the game — Ryland is not a reliable fantasy play. He should not be rostered in Week 15 against Houston.

Baccellia, with Greg Dortch (chest) on injured reserve and Xavier Weaver dealing with an ankle injury, operated as the Cardinals’ WR2 in Week 14. He logged a pass route on 39 of Jacoby Brissett’s 50 drop backs. Weaver would likely take on the WR2 role if he’s able to suit up and Marvin Harrison Jr. remains sidelined in Week 15 against the Texans.

Michael Carter, meanwhile, had three carries for 13 yards and caught two balls for 18 yards in the loss. While Carter ran more pass routes than Knight, it was Knight who led the backfield with six targets on the day. Knight in Week 13 totaled 98 yards on 14 touches as the de facto lead back for Arizona. Knight will be flex worthy in deep leagues next week against a tough Texans defense that has shut down opposing ground games in 2025.

The Arizona backfield didn’t have much going on in a blowout loss that saw Jacoby Brissett drop back to pass 50 times. Bam Knight led the backfield with seven rushes for just 16 yards, but it was Carter who ran 25 pass routes to 17 routes for Knight. Carter, who had 47 yards on five receptions last week against the Bucs, appears to be the Cards’ primary pass-catching running back. He’s only relevant in the deepest fantasy formats.

Brissett was bruised and battered by the end of this one. He took three sacks and absorbed endless big hits against a hyper-aggressive Rams front seven that seemingly pressured Brissett on every drop back. He somehow got through the game and delivered for fantasy managers, targeting Michael Wilson 16 times and fueling another enormous fantasy outing for the wideout. Brissett connected with Wilson for a first quarter score, then hit him again in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand. Brissett missed Trey McBride for a wide-open touchdown in the fourth quarter — his only truly errant throw on the day. Things will get tougher in Week 15 against Houston’s elite defense but Brissett should remain in lineups based on the pure pass volume that has come to define the post-Kyler Arizona offense.

McBride trailed Michael Wilson in targets (16) and faced plenty of double teams against a Rams secondary that has been stingy against opposing slot pass catchers in 2025. McBride was open for a fourth quarter garbage time touchdown, but Jacoby Brissett missed him with an overthrow. McBride will continue operating as an elite wide receiver who can be used as a tight end in fantasy lineups next week against the Texans. McBride has 48 receptions over his past five games thanks to Brissett’s ability to see over the Arizona offensive line and his willingness to throw the ball more than five yards downfield.

With Marvin Harrison, Jr. sidelined with a heel injury, Wilson resumed his role as dominant WR1, easily leading the Cardinals in receiving yards, targets, receptions, and air yards. It was his third game of more than 100 receiving yards over the team’s past four games and the first time he’s scored a touchdown since Week 2 against the Panthers. Wilson got open time and again on the boundary and over the middle of the field. Averaging 12 air yards per target, Wilson had an astounding nine first-down receptions against LA. The hope for now (among Wilson fantasy managers) is that the Cardinals realize Wilson is the team’s best wideout even with MHJ is on the field. If Harrison returns to action in Week 15 against the Texans, Wilson would be a WR3 with upside. If MHJ is out, Wilson will be a top-12 option.

Harrison will miss another game, making Michael Wilson a top-15 fantasy option in all formats in what should be negative game script for the Cardinals offense. Bam Knight is likely to serve as Arizona’s lead back with Demercado out; Knight could see a bump in routes and possibly targets against LA. Weaver’s absence could make Andre Baccellia the team’s WR2 since Greg Dortch was sent to IR with a chest injury.