After a disappointing 2018 season (3-13), the Arizona Cardinals decided a complete overhaul was needed if they wanted to win. General manager Steve Keim replaced defensive-minded Steve Wilks with a young, offensive-minded college coach, Kliff Kingsbury. Then Keim drafted a group of rookies, most notably Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, to run Kingsbury’s air-raid system. While this high-flying offense has unlimited potential, the question remains can they make it work in the NFL? More importantly, what are the fantasy implications?
Kingsbury and the Air-Raid
The most common reaction when Keim hired Kingsbury was, “Who is he?” After researching Kingsbury, many were wondering why he was chosen. Kingsbury was fired from Texas Tech after an unimpressive 35-40 record. He was set to be the offensive coordinator for USC before he was hired by the Cardinals. During Kingsbury’s college career, he worked with several quarterbacks that have had NFL success–including Case Keenum, Baker Mayfield, and Patrick Mahomes. The air-raid system he runs is a no huddle, spread offense with 65-75-percent passing plays. Given Kingsbury’s college record, he was hired based on his philosophy and potential–neither of which are indicators of NFL success.
The Offensive Line
The air-raid offense spreads defenses by spreading apart the formation of the offensive line. In 2018, plagued with injuries and sub-par talent, Arizona’s offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL. The team didn’t draft any big names to protect their new quarterback, either. They did acquire some talent in free agency such as J.R. Sweezy (left guard, Seattle). With four starting offensive linemen coming off of knee injuries in 2018, the 2019 season isn’t off on the best foot. Even with all of the starters healthy, the line will be average at best.
The Skill Positions
Luckily, Murray is a dual threat quarterback that moves quickly through his reads and gets the ball out of his hands fast, making him the perfect fit for the air-raid offense. Murray and Kingsbury also have a good rapport that should make the transition to the NFL more comfortable.
The Cardinals drafted a supporting cast in wide receivers Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler to fill gaps in the roster. Isabella gets early separation, is lightning fast, and runs sharp routes. He has the ability to play in the slot or be a deep threat on the outside. Butler is a possession receiver at 6’5″ that creates space with his large frame and has the finesse to get his toes in on sideline passes. It only takes getting physical with Isabella to throw him off his routes, however, and Butler had issues with drops in college.
The rookies will join veterans Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, and Charles Clay. Fitzgerald, a future hall of famer, is not the player he once was but can mentor the young receivers. Johnson is the star of the show. He gets it done both rushing and catching passes out of the backfield. Clay has never played up to his potential and will be a placeholder, giving Ricky Seals-Jones and rookie Caleb Wilson time to develop.
Fantasy Implications
Expect David Johnson to be the fantasy stud for the Cardinals in 2019. He will be productive in PPR leagues as Murray’s safety net catching balls out of the backfield. Murray and Isabella are valuable in dynasty leagues and are worth late-round picks in redraft leagues on the off-chance they can run the air-raid seamlessly. With Kingsbury’s inability to win with this scheme at the college level, a banged up offensive line, a group of rookie wide receivers, and a rookie quarterback, the chances of Arizona enjoying a successful 2019 season are slim. However, the level of young, raw talent does provide hope of a bright future.
