Fantasy Football Managers Can't Trust Marvin Harrison Jr. In The Playoffs
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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has shown tremendously promising flashes in his second NFL season, but has struggled to string together consistent production without cemented volume. He enters Week 15 ranked as Arizona’s third-leading receiver behind Trey McBride and Michael Wilson, but has posted the second-highest yardage total per game.
The former No. 4 overall pick has dealt with his share of injuries over the last several weeks, causing him to miss three of the team’s previous four games. Wilson stepped up in Harrison’s absence, posting a string of heroic performances while the star wideout was sidelined.
Arizona’s offensive inconsistency has also played a role in Harrison's struggles. The Cardinals have dealt with a plethora of injuries, including to starting quarterback Kyler Murray, thrusting Jacoby Brissett into action. Harrison’s volume fluctuated mightily with Murray under center, and while his target share has increased with Brissett at the helm, he’s suited up in just five of his eight starts while dealing with injury.
Entering Week 15, Harrison is slated to miss his fourth game of the season after being ruled out for Sunday’s game versus the Houston Texans. In fantasy, his absence will hurt lineups looking to carve out a spot in the playoffs ahead of Week 16. For Harrison’s managers who will look ahead to his return for postseason fantasy action, his case as a starter could be called into question, considering his previous trends of production. Here’s why fantasy football owners can’t bank on Harrison’s production in the playoffs:
Rollercoaster Output Leaves Little Room For Trust In Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison has struggled to consistently live up to his PPR ADP of 44.0 this season, posting just one weekly top-10 finish among wide receivers so far this year. He enters Week 15 ranked as WR39 in PPR leagues despite entering the season ranked 19th among the position, according to his ADP.
He’s offered solid WR2 production at times this season, averaging 12.5 PPR points per week, but has failed to live up to immense expectations in a struggling offense. With the playoffs looming, fantasy managers likely won’t want to leave the season’s most crucial weeks up to unreliable contributors. Though he’s shown flashes, managers haven’t been able to bank on his production throughout the entire season, something that projects to continue as he works his way back from injury over the next few weeks.
Fantasy owners could consider Harrison for a starting role as a flex option, but should look elsewhere for consistent production in the playoffs in Week 16. Considering Arizona’s matchup versus a stout Atlanta Falcons secondary, Harrison will most likely be sit candidate for playoff fantasy lineups.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.