These three fantasy picks will help you win your Week 4 matchup.
It is a pivotal Week 4 matchup for the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, as they both sit at 1-2. For the Cardinals, they need to be no worse than 3-3 when DeAndre Hopkins returns from suspension in Week 7.
As for the Panthers, they need to pick up a win to get back to .500 themselves. It wasn’t pretty, but they were able to beat the Saints last week at home. They do have some question marks with Christian McCaffrey questionable to play, but signs are pointing to him being able to play.
Below, we go over the players you need to make sure to start on your fantasy team for this week.
As always, we’ll avoid the obvious picks for this one. Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray are players you wouldn’t ever bench.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray says he’s just following the gameplan when it comes to not running the ball.
The Arizona Cardinals and their fanbase saw exactly what kind of player Kyler Murray can be when he uses his legs in their thrilling Week 2 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cardinals had no offensive movement until Murray began to take control of the game with his legs, ultimately leading them to the win.
The next week, however, Murray’s legs were a non-factor against the Rams and it appeared to be by design. Of course, the Rams were playing a spy and are in general a much better defense than the Raiders, but some designed runs could have really boosted the struggling offense in a winnable game.
Apparently, Murray’s lack of rushing in recent weeks, as well as the end of the 2021 season, are by head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s design.
When asked about using his legs in the gameplan on Wednesday, Murray said, “It’s more so if I’m asked to do it then I do it…I’ve said I would love to implement that more but I just do what I’m asked to.”
It seems apparent that Murray would be comfortable utilizing his legs more in the game plan, but Kingsbury has been calling plays otherwise.
Prior to injuries and the overall collapse last season, the Cardinals were having loads of success with a pass-heavy scheme. This was when DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A.J. Green and Rondale Moore were all healthy and at their best.
While that offense was electric, the Cardinals clearly do not have that personnel on the field right now, nor did they when they lost Hopkins to a knee injury last season.
Take the Baltimore Ravens for example. They are thriving behind the legs of Jackson without Hollywood Brown. That is the sort of scheme that could be replicated with Murray’s skillset, at least while Hopkins and the other receivers are banged up.
Part of having an elite offense is being able to adjust. It doesn’t appear the Cardinals have changed their scheme whatsoever to meet their current strengths and weaknesses.
The Cardinals’ offense was to blame for the team’s Week 3 loss to the Rams and they’ll need to perform better this week. If the team can be .500 or better when Hopkins returns, they may be alright. If not, the critics will only grow louder.
Cardinals WR A.J. Green is expected to miss Sunday’s game with the Panthers with a bone bruise injury suffered in Week 3’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
It has not been the season A.J. Green or the Arizona Cardinals had hoped for when he re-signed a one-year deal with the team following an 800-plus yard season.
In three games played, Green has five receptions for 29 yards. Now, he’s dealing with a bone bruise that is expected to keep him out of Week 4’s crucial matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
When asked about Green’s availability, Kliff Kingsbury had the following to say:
“It looks doubtful unless he really, really comes around he’s probably not going to be available.”
The Cardinals have a size issue at the receiver position, assuming Green does miss Sunday’s contest. The team currently does not have a receiver over 5-9 on the active roster.
More than that, however, is the lack of depth at the receiver position, as the team continues to be without DeAndre Hopkins. Second-year Rondale Moore, however, is progressing the right way, as he was limited in practice Wednesday.
There is currently no time set on Green’s return from injury.
