Many would say that the rookie season for Arizona Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a disappointment. After being drafted fourth overall, expectations were than he catch 75-plus passes for 1,100-plus yards.
That has not happened.
Through 16 games and entering the final week of the season, he has caught 57 passes for 822 yards and seven touchdowns.
That seems pretty pedestrian for someone who is supposed to be a star.
Historically speaking, it is good for rookie receivers for the Cardinals.
With one touchdown catch, his eighth, he will tie the franchise rookie record, held by two legends — Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
Harrison’s 822 receiving yards are the third-most by a Cardinals rookie, better than Fitzgerald’s 780. Fitzgerald has 58 receptions as a rookie.
In fact, with 62 receiving yards in the season finale, Harrison would pass Frank Sanders for the second-highest rookie receiving yards total in franchise history.
The record is held by Anquan Boldin, who had 101 rceeptions and 1,377 yards his rookie season in 2003.
With two catches, 64 yards and a touchdown in Week 18, Harrison’s rookie season will look like this:
- Equalling Boldin and Fitzgerald in touchdown catches as rookies
- More catches and receiving yards than Fitzgerald as a rookie
- More receiving yards than any other Cardinals rookie not named Boldin
His Hall of Fame father totaled 64 receptions for 836 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. So with six catches, 14 yards and a touchdown, he can match his father’s rookie season.
Considering he did that while tight end Trey McBride surpassed 100 catches and 1,000 yards, his rookie season probably shouldn’t be considered disappointing. It just didn’t match the incredibly high expectations that people had for him.
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