Fantasy Football expert explains massive Kyler Murray upside ahead of 2023 season - "Risk has basically disappeared"
Last year, Arizona Cardinals finished dead last in the NFC West amidst dissension between quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury. But now, Murray and his team appear to have bounce-back potential under Kingsbury's successor Jonathan Gannon.
YouTuber Sal Vetri recently posted a video of his top 10 fantasy football players of 2023, and he identified the two-time Pro Bowler as one of them. He said:
"I think Kyler Murray is a great fantasy pick, because the risk has disappeared, with him going as the 23rd quarterback off the board... in round 13 or 14. Now, let's look at the whole scenario. (He) tore his ACL on December 12, and he had surgery a couple of days later... This is a 9-10-month recovery, which means he could return in Week 1..."
He added:
"I actually took this as positive news because I lean towards players missing Week 1, and another name in there is Kyler Murray... The fact that you take him as the No. 23 quarterback off the board is the number one steal in the draft."
The latest on Kyler Murray's recovery, and whether his Cardinals can return to the playoffs
Throughout his recovery, Kyler Murray has remained silent, save for a recent tweet criticizing his projected ranking. However, Jonathan Gannon gave a positive update to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss late last month:
“He’s been here. He’s been the first one in the building, been here after everybody goes, and I got to spend a lot of time with him during … OTA periods and just seeing how he’s working."
He added:
“You can tell he’s really, really locked in, how much he’s itching to get back out there. He’s behind the huddles every play, so really locked in and really excited for his return and just his whole process.”
Gannon is not the only new face in the Cardinals' camp - they also have a new general manager in Monti Ossenfort. Ossenfort's first significant move was to draft offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. sixth overall, addressing Murray's demands for better protection.
When it comes to weapons, the Cardinals are in only slightly better form than they were last year. Like Murray, tight end Zach Ertz hurt his knee in 2022 but is recovering. Running back James Conner and wide receiver Marquise Brown are also there, and DeAndre Hopkins' departure will mean more opportunities for third-year wideout Rondale Moore, free-agent signing Zach Pascal, and rookie Michael Wilson.
But overall the roster is still lacking, especially on defense after JJ Watt's retirement; and with the San Francisco 49ers still looking dominant, the Seattle Seahawks having an unexpected resurgence under Geno Smith, and the Los Angeles Rams returning to full strength as well, the Cardinals may have a tough road ahead.