Week 7 at Rams (game in London)
Carson Palmer had a great game against the Bucs last week, putting up 283 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a pick in a shootout. Palmer has been steady since his Week 1 debacle, and should provide solid streaming and week-to-week value for fantasy owners looking to upgrade.
This week, Palmer faces a Rams defense been better against the pass than the run, and that is tied for fifth in interceptions, which might cause some turnovers for Palmer. That being said, he’s been steady as of late and should be a fringe starter in most league formats. This could be another shootout, and Palmer should have enough volume to put up numbers.
Week 6 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carson Palmer didn’t do a lot against a vulnerable Eagles defense last week, but he still wound up with 291 yards, 1 touchdown, and he didn’t throw a pick. Palmer looks a little better in recent weeks than he did in his three-interception Week 1 performance, putting him back in high streaming and backup territory in most leagues.
The Bucs have given up the fifth-most points per game to the QB position so far this season, which should provide a nice opportunity for Palmer to have a bounce back game. He’s a nice streaming option and a quality starter for fantasy owners filling bye weeks or making up for injuries.
Week 5 at Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Palmer had 357 yards, a touchdown, and a pick against the 49ers last week. He’s now thrown for at least 300 yards in three straight games after a terrible Week 1 outing against the Lions. Palmer has also thrown 4 touchdowns compared to 2 interceptions over his last three games.
This week, Palmer has a lot of upside against the Eagles, who gave up 347 yards and a pair of touchdowns to the Chargers last week. Only the Bucs and Patriots are allowing more passing yards per game than the Eagles this year. Expect a shootout, and for Palmer to be an excellent streaming option in most leagues.
Week 4 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Carson Palmer showed up against the Cowboys last week, even though he wound up losing the game. He threw the ball 48 times for 325 yards and a pair of touchdowns and flashed glimpses of what made him an MVP candidate two years ago.
This week, Palmer faces a 49ers team that has given up 6 touchdown passes through the air so far this season, including allowing Jared Goff to throw 3 against them last week. Palmer should be an excellent streaming option in all league formats this week.
Week 3 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Carson Palmer had 332 yards, a touchdown, and a pick against the Colts last week, as the Cardinals narrowly squeaked out a victory over a terrible team. Palmer looks like a spot starter, at best, at this point in his career and fantasy owners should be weary of him if he’s not in a great matchup.
The Cowboys destroyed the Giants in Week 1, and then got shredded for 4 touchdown passes by the Broncos last week. The real Cowboys defense likely is somewhere in the middle. Expect QB2 numbers from Palmer, making him a low-end streaming option in most leagues.
Week 2 at Indianapolis Colts
Carson Palmer had a rough start to the season, throwing three interceptions in a loss to the Lions. He did have 268 yards and a touchdown as well though, and it was encouraging to see him throw the ball 48 times. Palmer has always been a guy who will take risks, but it does appear as though father time is catching up to the 37-year-old veteran quarterback.
This week, Palmer is actually a very nice streaming option against the Colts, who gave up 306 yards and a touchdown to Jared Goff last week in a lopsided defeat. Palmer should sling it, especially with David Johnson shelved for the next few months. If he can keep the turnovers down, Palmer could be in for a big game.
Week 1 at Detroit Lions
After a MVP-caliber 2015, Carson Palmer came back to earth last year, throwing for 4,233 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Palmer is still a steady option, but at 37 years old, he’s unlikely to return to form, and a continuous regression is more likely. Palmer has always been a gunslinger who takes risks—that won’t change in his old age.
This week, Palmer is a QB2 option against the Lions. Detroit struggled against the pass last year, giving up 33 touchdown passes—more than any team other than the Browns—but they made some upgrades to their front-seven and Palmer’s newfound inconsistency makes him difficult to trust. Unless you’re a Winston or Luck owner and you already need a replacement, Palmer should remain on your bench in most league formats.
Fantasy Upside
In what seemed inevitable -- especially after WR Larry Fitzgerald announced he would play in 2017 -- Carson Palmer informed the Cardinals he, too, would return for another season earlier. Despite a slow start (and a game missed due to concussion) last season, Palmer still set a personal high for pass attempts with 597, completing 364 for 4,233 yards to go with 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Indeed, Palmer finished the last six weeks of 2016 on a high note, rekindling memories of his 2015 season and making head coach Bruce Arians and GM Steve Keim believe the 37-year-old has more left in the tank. The Cardinals are wisely looking for Palmer's eventual replacement, but the veteran is locked into the starting job for at least one more season.
Fantasy Downside
Palmer was sacked 40 times -- 15 more than in 2015 -- and was hit the third-most in the NFL last season working behind an injury-ravaged offensive line. The Cardinals also had issues at wideout with John Brown absent for stretches due to sickle cell-related reasons and Jaron Brown suffering a torn ACL. Arm fatigue was an issue early last season, according to both Palmer and Arians. The team began holding Palmer out of Wednesday practices down the stretch and then limited his throwing in March and April this year. By the time the Cardinals were wrapping up their offseason program in June, Arians was delighted to find Palmer's arm was "stronger than ever."
2017 Bottom Line
With David Johnson providing a strong presence on the ground and as a receiver, Palmer is primed to carry over last year's late-season surge with Fitzgerald, a hopefully healthier John Brown, J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown all providing solid downfield weapons. If you're among the ranks of those who believe in drafting your QBs late, keep Palmer on your radar. His current ADP (QB19) makes him a very appealing QB2 with the ability to deliver QB1 numbers any given weekend.
Week 17 vs. Los Angeles
Carson Palmer had 284 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks last week and managed not to turn the ball over. Palmer has been uneven at best this season and the Cardinals have chosen to lean wisely on the running game instead over the later part of the year.
Los Angeles is top ten in passing yards allowed this year, but only the Packers, Jets and Browns have given up more touchdown passes. Still, it’s hard to trust Palmer to finish strong after such a disappointing season, and fantasy owners should look elsewhere if possible.
Week 16 vs. Seattle
Carson Palmer had a nice game against the Saints last week, despite losing a shootout 48-41. He wound up with 318 yards and a pair of touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over. Palmer has been inconsistent for much of the year however and it’s hard to trust him week-to-week, especially in tough matchups. This week’s game against Seattle doesn’t figure to be a lucrative one for Palmer. The Seahawks allow the third least touchdown passes to opposing teams this season and will likely keep Palmer from being a solid fantasy option. Owners should look elsewhere if possible.
