Arizona Cardinals

Written by Rich Arleo Edited by Marc Caviglia To help better prepare you for your upcoming 2013 fantasy football drafts we have has decided to take a close look at each team’s depth and predict how each players role will play out during the 2013 NFL season. These fantasy football depth charts will cover every position, however the main focus will be on the running back and wide receiver positions, since fantasy football owners have the toughest time projecting these positions. Keep in mind our NFL Depth Charts are fantasy football specific. Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart QB1: Carson Palmer | QB2: Drew Stanton | QB3: Ryan Lindley | QB4: Caleb TerBush RB1: Rashard Mendenhall | RB2: Ryan Williams | RB3: Stepfan Taylor | 5. Andre Ellington | RB5: Alfonso Smith WR1: Larry Fitzgerald | WR2: Michael Floyd | WR3: Ryan Swope | WR4: Andre Roberts | WR5: LaRon Byrd TE1: Rob Housler | TE2: Jeff King K: Jay Feely 2012 In Review After Kevin Kolb was hurt again, John Skelton and Ryan Lindley stunk up the joint for the Arizona Cardinals as none were even worth considering in fantasy football . The backfield situation wasn’t much better as Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams didn’t last for many games and LaRod Stephens-Howling and William Powell just weren’t good enough. Poor Larry Fitzgerald , one of the best receivers in the game, could only muster up 709 yards and four touchdowns with Andre Roberts close behind. Tight end Rob Housler was the fourth leading rusher with 417 yards and zero touchdowns. Kicker Jay Feely was worthless in fantasy because of the lack of scoring. What to Expect in 2013 The Cards attempted to revamp their offense over the winter by bringing in Carson Palmer and Rashard Mendenhall . Palmer should be a good QB2 coming off a solid year. He now has Fitzgerald to throw to, who also should be thrilled with the change as Palmer is light years better than the garbage that was throwing to him last year. Look for Fitz to bounce back into form. Roberts may be roster worthy but will only be a decent bye week fill-in. Mendenhall is certainly a big name but is now two years removed from his last 1,000-yard season and couldn’t fully recover from his knee issues last year. He’ll get the first crack in the backfield, but former second-rounder Ryan Williams will try to stay on the field and could see plenty of carries if he proves healthy and effective. On top of that, Arizona used late NFL draft choices to select Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington. Taylor is a between the tackles runner, while Ellington is always trying to find a hole and it to paydirt. At tight end, Housler is an intriguing sleeper option with Palmer under center. Palmer threw a ton to his tight end last year and could look to Housler often. Take him as a TE2 with upside. Feely at kicker again shouldn’t be drafted. Don’t be surprised if… Housler becomes a TE1 by midseason. Nobody knew about Brandon Myers last year before he became Palmer’s favorite target. Also don’t be shocked if Fitzgerald once again becomes a top 10 WR again thanks to Palmer. AFC EAST DEPTH CHART: BUF | MIA | NEP | NYJ AFC WEST DEPTH CHART: DEN | KCC | OAK | SDC AFC SOUTH DEPTH CHART: HOU | IND | JAC | TEN AFC NORTH DEPTH CHART: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT NFC EAST DEPTH CHART: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS NFC WEST DEPTH CHART: ARI | STL | SAN | SEA NFC SOUTH DEPTH CHART: ATL | CAR | NOS | TBB NFC NORTH DEPTH CHART: CHI | DET | GBP | MIN

June 18, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Miami Marlins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports The Arizona Cardinals rookies visited the Arizona Diamondbacks before their game against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.  The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by safety Tyrann Mathieu. (more…)

Michael Rios is a player getting extra reps in practice for the Cardinals. He is gaining extra reps due to the injury bug, that is going around the Cardinals camp. There have been quite a bit of Hispanic football players starting to chase their dreams. Michael Rios aka Mike who is a Cuban American that at wide receiver is trying to become the next Victor Cruz. This kid is super fast and has great hands. He was an All American at Marist College and is trying hard to show that he belongs. I believe that Rios could be a guy that shocks a ton of people come preseason, because of his super speed and skills. http://nfldraftzone.com/draft-news/michael-rios-is-taking-advantage-of-the-injury-bug-in-arizona-for-the-cardinals/ Poll Is Mike a good Practice Squad person? Yes No Can't tell yet, let's see some film 0 votes | Results

Arizona Cardinals CB Jerraud Powers has an injury history, but he also has a connection to head coach Bruce Arians from their days together with the Indianapolis Colts. Powers is expected to push CB Antoine Cason for the starting cornerback job opposite CB Patrick Peterson. Huddle Up: Powers, a 4-year starter in Indy, missed half of the 2012 season due to a turf toe injury that required surgery and finished with 1 interception, 8 passes defensed and 40 tackles. Don't be surprised if he beats out the ex-Charger Cason and is starting Week 1.

Jan 13, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) gestures during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Texans 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports 5. Jared Allen has been a force in the NFL ever since he entered the league. Only twice in his entire career had a season where he didn’t reach double-digit sacks. After his monster performance in 2011 registering his career best 22 sacks and a Pro Bowl he established himself as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. Allen was fifth in the league with 12 sacks, it’s just amazing how consistent he is year in and out. He is the MVP on the defensive side for the Minnesota Vikings, and why he is number five on this list. 4. Elvis Dumervil is the fourth player on this list after lots of time of thinking because of how many talented people play the position. Many could argue that Allen is better than Dumervil, just put yourself in my position it’s a tough place to be. Dumervil made it here because of the season he put together last year. He had 11 sacks and forced 6 fumbles. His ability to cause turnovers is why he is number four on my list. Turnovers usually determine the winner in football games, and the Denver Broncos won a lot of games because of them.The Ravens got themselves a heck of a player to play next to Haloti Ngata, the tandem will be one of the best. 3. Geno Atkins in his third season became a run stuffing sacking turnover machine, he does it all. Atkins’ had 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles improving by 5 sacks and doubling his forced fumbles total. He jumps snaps quickly and throws linemen around like rag dolls. While his production might go down because of double teams that will open up opportunities for his teammates which is what great players do. Only 25 years old expect Atkins to dominate despite double teams for many years to come and sign a hefty contract. 2. Cameron Wake of the Miami Dolphins is one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the NFL. He sacked opposing quarterbacks 15 times, the second most in the league and forced three fumbles. One trait all these defensive lineman have is their ability to find themselves in the opponents backfield so quickly. With the Dolphins drafting Dion Jordan out of Oregon their defensive line could be one of the best if Jordan can hold up to par with his expectations. Expect another double-digit sack season for this monster. 1. J.J. Watt is undoubtedly the best defensive lineman in the NFL. He was first in the league in combined tackles with 81, first in sacks with 20.5 and forced three fumbles. His game is so versatile, he doesn’t even have to rush the quarterback to make an impact. He can just stick his long arms up in the air and deflect passes which he did all season long. Watt deflected 16 passes a league high for defensive lineman. Only 24 years of age he has the potential to be one of the best of all time. This is why he is number one on my list. Honorable Mentions: Haloti Ngata, Vince Wilfork, Calais Campbell, Julius Peppers, Chris Clemons, John Abraham, Charles Johnson, Aldon Smith

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} December 2, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) is congratulated by running back Brandon Jacobs (45) after scoring a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. St. Louis defeated San Francisco 16-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports All predictions have the Cardinals bringing up the rear in the division, even the St Louis Rams have gotten more attention with the addition of 1st round draft pick Tavon Austin, and most have said they will also beat the Cardinals two times this season.  In my opinion there are a few more moves that management can make to get the attention of the division foes. These moves will put the Cardinals in the talk of truly competing on offense and being able to match up on defense and stop the dynamic offenses in the division. Here is a count down to the pieces that will make cardinals relevant in the division.  5. Short yard and Goal line rushing bruiser in Brandon Jacobs  This would be an excellent move to sure up the goal line offense and short yardage on third and forth downs. The current running back tandem has no beef; they are more like speedsters that can juke their way to a score. But we all know that outside running with speed will not help in a tight division game or a playoff game. Jacobs would give this running game attitude and confidence that they can run through any defense. This element would give the Cardinals better percentage in scoring touchdowns on the goal line and not settling for to many field goals and keeping drives alive, which can turn into wins in a defensive minded division.  Jacobs would be highly motivated after his disappointing 2012 season with the San Francisco 49ers. Jacobs became expendable as the 49ers had many other running backs that could get the job done in short yardage, (mainly pro bowl running back Frank Gore) but Jacobs will be inching to put his pads into a defensive line and bull rush to a one yard touchdown. Would be cool to see his signature arm pump in the desert. 4. Sure up the Offensive line with Eric Winston  It is no secrete to the league that this team is in need of a rebuild on the front wall of the quarterback. In this situation it really does not matter what signal caller is behind the wall if the wall is blown down with no resistance. Eric Winston would sure up the front line with experience. Winston is the best Tackle left on the free agent list and at this point his asking price would have to come down enough to make a short term deal. Winston has visited a few teams and has drawn interest from several others, and the asking price has been the issue as to why he has not sign. The cardinals are in position cap wise to make a deal that won’t break the bank, and the need on the offensive line speaks for it’s self. This addition will surely stop the team from having to move the offensive line around, learning several positions can take more time in training camp as oppose to one position per linemen. Winston could sure up the right or left side, and he is good enough to be consistent and become a sure comfort to the quarterback. Winston also can help in the development of rookie first round pick Jonathan Cooper. He is stout enough to push back defensive linemen and move his feet quick enough to pick up outside blitzes. Any experience on this front line would be helpful. 3. A veteran Wide receiver in Brandon Ll

The 2012 season was a failure for many teams in the NFL, including the Cardinals, so which team in most likely to go from 'worst to first'? Former Cleveland Browns and current ESPN scout Matt Williamson shared his thoughts All eight teams finished with the bottom 11 records in the NFL last season, with the omissions of the New York Jets, the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders. Let's assess the teams with the best chance of going from 'worst to first' which we can determine as making the post-season, as the Indianapolis Colts achieved last season. Philadelphia Eagles: With Mike Vick (seemingly) back under centre for the Eagles, they should be primed for a bounce-back season in the wide-open NFC East. With a new coach calling the shots in Philly in the mould of Chip Kelly, his supposed offensive structure should fit the pieces in place. Although plagued by injury, their offensive line, fitted with new offensive tackle Lane Johnson, is the most athletic in the league, and are capable of playing in an up-tempo offense. Wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are elusive characters with speed and agility, ready for a breakout season, along with running backs LeSean McCoy and Brice Brown, they emphasis really is on speed fir the Eagles. Defensively, they continue to add bulk to their defensive line, adding Isaac Sopoaga in free agency, and drafting defensive tackle Bennie Logan give Philly a strong interior presence. Ex-Texan Connor Barwin, Trent Cole and Fletcher Cox should add pressure from the outside, and releasing veteran corner Nnamdi Asomugha and signing Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Patrick Chung will give them a new-look secondary. Presuming the banged-up offensive line can protect assumed starting quarterback Michael Vick, I do expect the Eagles not only to return to competitive play, but be in contention to win their division. Kansas City Chiefs: After finishing 2-14 in 2012, the Chiefs enter offseason with little hope. Following the acquisition of quarterback Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers, they now have a viable option at the position which has been burdened with Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. Although having such a dire season, they had six Pro Bowlers, including star running back Jamaal Charles, it's pretty clear they had some talent to work with. One of eight newly placed Head Coaches going into 2013, Andy Reid will bring his prolific offense down to Kansas City to rejuvenate the passing game. They have talented weapons also; Pro Bowl receiver Dwayne Bowe, former first-round pick Jon Baldwin, tight-end Tony Moeaki, draftee's Travis Kelce and Knile Davis, the list goes on. With a competitive quarterback, they have the offensive fire-power to compete in a less-than competitive AFC West. Defensively, the likes of Tamba Hali, Justin Houston and Dontari Poe give the Chiefs high-sack potential and an imposing front-seven. Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry is quickly becoming one of the best at his position, and adding Sean Smith and Dunta Robinson during free agency, in addition to Brandon Flowers give the Chiefs a very-strong secondary. Sleepers for obtaining a Wild-Card spot in a relatively open AFC, Andy Reid should manage to make the Chiefs a stronger team; reaching the .500 mark is a real possibility. Arizona Cardinals: After winning seven of their last nine games in 2011 to give the Cards an 8-8 record, many thought Arizona were dark horses to sneak into the play-offs in 2012. The Cardinals experienced a catastrophic collapse in the latter half of the 2012 season, similar to their remarkable comeback in 2011. Winning just one of their final 12 games, the Cards became a laughing stock. Now, under the watchful eye of Bruce Arians in the Desert, the Cardinals are set for a competitive year in a tough division. Carson Palmer under centre give them a proven quarterback in a system heavily reliant upon a functional passing game. There's talent there, likely Hall-of-Fame wide-out Larry Fitzgerald i

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports After several years of downward trending following their Super Bowl loss, the Arizona Cardinals seem to finally be turning things around. It hasn’t been pretty in desert for awhile now, but with several key roster additions this offseason, fans should finally be feeling better about the team’s chances. One of the bigger acquisitions for the Cardinals, was running back Rashard Mendenhall. His time had come to an end in Pittsburgh, and I’m sure he wanted to go to a team where he could be the man. Arizona was a great fit because Mendenhall previously worked with Bruce Arians during his time in the Steel City. So far, all reports from Cardinals’ OTAs are positive regarding Mendenhall. He apparently looks great, and is focused on being the team’s No. 1 back going forward. He looks so good in fact, that Arizona is rumored to have no interest at all in the newly available Willis McGahee. We’ve all seen what Mendenhall is capable of when he’s on top of his game. His career-best season came in 2010, when he rushed for 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns. Clearly, there were some underlying factors at play with his former team, and a fresh start seemed to be the best possible thing for him. It feels like the entire Cardinals team is getting a fresh start this season, with numerous new faces figuring to see substantial field time. Mendenhall will help speed up the franchise’s recovery, if he can manage to regain his prior form early in 2013. Follow Andrew Fisher on Twitter

One-time quarterback believes he will be successful as pro tight end

The history of quarterbacks for the Cardinals was troubling. The running backs have been slightly better since the Cardinals came to Arizona. Take a look. Who do you remember? Who don't you remember? Who is memorable? Who would you like to forget? I will list the players that started at running back or fullback. 1988 (7-9): Earl Ferrell, Stump Mitchell, Tony Jordan Ferrell was the leading rusher with 924 yards on 202 carries and seven TDs. He started all 16 games at fullback. Mitchell (now the team's current RBs coach) started 14 games, 164 carries, 726 yards and four scores. Jordan started twice. His season totals were 160 yards and three TDs. 1989 (5-11): Earl Ferrell, Tony Jordan, Stump Mitchell, Tony Baker, Ron Wolfley, Vai Sikahema Ferrell led the way again, but with only 502 yards. Wolfley got a start at fullback. Mitchell played only three games. Jordan started eight and Baker got a pair. Even Sikahema got a couple of starts. Only Jordan had more than 200 yards after Ferrell (211). 1990 (5-11): Johnny Johnson, Anthony Thompson, Ron Wolfley This was the first year I remember completely. Thompson was a highly touted second round pick who just never found it. Johnson, that year's seventh rounder, was the star. Were it not for Emmitt Smith, who also was a rookie that year, Johnson would likely have won Rookie of the Year status. 1991 (4-12): Johnny Johnson, Anthony Thompson, Larry Centers Johnson's play dropped from over 900 yards to 666. Thompson still struggled. We get the first look at Centers, who started at fullback twice. It was a bad year rushing. 1992 (4-12): Johnny Johnson, Ivory Lee Brown, Johnny Bailey, Larry Centers Johnson played in only 12 games, but led the team with 734 yards and six TDs. I completely forgot about Ivory Lee Brown. He clearly was forgettable with 194 yards on 68 carries. Bailey started twice, but on the team for his return and third down abilities. He was second on the team with 233 yards. 1993 (7-9): Ronald Moore, Garrison Hearst, Larry Centers Hearst was supposed to be the star. The team traded Johnny Johnson to the Jets to move up one spot and take Hearst with the third pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, despite the knee injury he sustained that year. He woudl play only in six games, but it was Moore to surprise everyone, rushing for 1018 yards and nine TDs. He was drafted in the fourth round that year and led the team in rushing. Hearst would be second with only 264 yards. Larry Centers begins to make his impact in the passing game, catching 66 passes to lead the team. 1994 (8-8): Ronald Moore, Larry Centers Hearst played in eight games, but started none, carrying the ball only 37 times. Moore started all 16 games and led the team in rushing again, but this time with only 780 yards and four scores. Centers started five games at FB and led the team in receiving with 77 catches. Mark Higgs was on the roster and carried the ball 43 times, but I have zero recollection of him. 1995 (4-12): Garrison Hearst, Larry Centers Hearst is finally able to make an impact. He started all 16 games and logged over 1000 yards (1070), but only found the end zone once. Centers rushed for 254 yards and two scores, but it was his work in the passing game again that caught eyes. He caught 101 balls for 962 yards, leading the team in both categories. 1996 (7-9): LeShon Johnson, Larry Centers, Leeland McElroy, Cedric Smith The team parted ways with Hearst. This was the year of the McElroy bust. Johnson led the team in rushing with 634 yards and three TDs. However, 214 of those came in one game when he set the team's single game rushing record against the Saints (a record that Beanie Wells would break in 2011). McElroy was taken by the Cards that year with the 32nd pick in the draft and he had fallen quite a bit. He was one of the Cards' greatest draft busts. He was benched by Week 5 and only amassed 305 yards on the season. Centers was still a stud. He rushed for 425 yards, but once again led th