Week 14 vs. Minnesota
Carson Palmer had another nice outing against the Rams last week, putting up 356 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns as the Cardinals destroyed their division rivals 27-3. The Cardinals are in the driver’s seat for the number two seed in the NFC, sitting at 10-2 and benefitting from the strong play of Carson Palmer.
This week, Palmer will face the Vikings on Thursday night. The Vikings are seventh in the NFL in passing yards allowed this year, but they have four key defensive players that are hobbled right now, and they were just destroyed by the Seahawks offense on Sunday. The Cardinals should be able to handle the shorthanded Vikings, and Palmer is a must-start in all leagues.
Week 13 at St. Louis
Carson Palmer had a down game by his standards last week in a victory over the division rival 49ers. He threw for 271 yards and no touchdowns. He also didn’t turn the ball over, but fantasy owners have come to expect multiple touchdowns per game from the veteran out of USC.
This week, Palmer will face a tough St. Louis pass defense that has only given up 12 touchdown passes all year and ranks eight in the NFL in passing yards allowed. Still, Palmer has been so good this year, he’s a must start in all leagues regardless of the matchup. He ranks second behind only Tom Brady with 27 touchdown passes this season, and fantasy owners should consider him a top-5 play.
Week 12 at San Francisco
Carson Palmer had another great game last week, despite a tough matchup against the Bengals. He put up 317 yards and four touchdowns in a narrow victory. While he threw a pair of picks, he still got the win and helped the Cardinals to an 8-2 record. Palmer is now third in the NFL in passing yards this season and leads the league in passing touchdowns with 27.
This week, he faces a 49ers team that has struggled all year and gave up 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Palmer earlier in the year. Palmer has been virtually matchup-proof this season and has been one of the best fantasy options week-in and week-out all year. He should be active in all leagues as a top-5 option against a vulnerable defense.
Week 11 vs. Cincinnati
Carson Palmer got a big win against the Seahawks Sunday night, giving the Cardinals a solid three-game lead in the NFC West. He had another stellar fantasy outing, putting up three touchdown passes and 363 yards through the air, while only throwing one pick. He did lose a pair of fumbles, but he still turned in an excellent fantasy week, despite a tough matchup.
This week, he has another tough matchup against the Bengals who are tied for fifth in the NFL with only 11 touchdown passes allowed this year. They’re also tied for sixth in the league with 26 sacks and are coming off their first loss of the season Monday night. Temper your expectations with Palmer in this matchup, but he’s been matchup proof so far this season, and fantasy owners should continue to ride him as it gets closer to playoff time. We have him as a top-5 option again this week.
Week 10 at Seattle
Carson Palmer comes off a bye week in the midst of one of his best seasons as a pro. Palmer is second in the NFL in touchdown passes with 20 on the year, and fifth in passing yards. He’s also only thrown six interceptions on his way to a 6-2 record and a first place position in the NFC West. Before the bye, he torched the Browns defense for 374 yards and four touchdowns.
This week, Palmer will have a tougher time against the Seahawks. Seattle ranks second in the league in passing yards allowed this season, and only St. Louis has given up fewer touchdown passes. The Cardinals play Seattle tough, but if you have a different option than Palmer this week, it might be one of the few weeks to consider sitting him. We have him just outside our top-15 this week, making him a borderline starter because of the matchup.
Week 7 at Cleveland
Carson Palmer had a solid performance Monday night in a win over the Ravens. He finished with 275 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns, without turning the ball over. On the season, Palmer is tied for first in touchdown passes, is second in yards per attempt, and third in overall passing yardage, making him an elite passer and one of the bigger steals of the fantasy season.
This week, he’ll face a Browns defense that has struggled this season. They’ve been better against the pass than they’ve been against the run, but they still rank in the bottom-half of the league in pass defense. Palmer is a must-start regardless of matchup, and the Browns should be easy pickings for the veteran out of USC.
Week 7 vs. Baltimore
Carson Palmer threw for 421 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh last week, but he also threw two picks as the Cardinals suffered their second loss of the season. Palmer is having a great season, however, as he ranks fifth in the NFL in QB rating and is tied for second in the league with 14 touchdown passes. The Cardinals will continue to go as far as Carson Palmer can take them.
This week, Palmer faces a Ravens pass defense that has been dreadful this year. Each week, opposing quarterbacks are lighting up the Baltimore defense and last week, Colin Kaepernick put up 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a San Francisco win. Palmer has been a steady option for fantasy owners all year, and with a great matchup against the Ravens, he’s a top-5 QB in all leagues.
Week 6 at Pittsburgh
Carson Palmer had another nice week against the Lions on Sunday, throwing for three touchdown passes before the Cardinals went into conservative mode, running the ball to finish off Detroit in a 42-17 beat down. Palmer was limited to 165 yards because of the score, but he completed 11 of 14 passes on the day and didn’t turn the ball over.
This week should be another great performance by the veteran. Palmer will face a Steelers pass defense that ranks in the bottom-half of the league in passing yards and touchdowns allowed, and they’ve only picked off three passes so far this season. Pittsburgh may get a couple of sacks on Palmer, but he should be worth starting in all league formats as a top-5 option in our rankings.
Week 5 at Detroit
Carson Palmer had another solid outing against the Rams last week, despite being sacked four times and losing his first game of the season. He ended up with 352 yards and a touchdown, and he continues to look as good as he has in 10 years.
Palmer faces a Detroit defense that has struggled so far this season, but has managed to put up 10 sacks. Palmer may find himself on his back a few times on Sunday, but he should be able to take advantage of a sub-par Lions secondary and be another solid fantasy starter. We have him just outside our top five quarterbacks this week, and he’s one of the more reliable guys out there right now.
Week 4 vs. St. Louis
Carson Palmer is off to a great start to the season. He’s top-10 in yards and yards per pass attempt, and he’s tied with Tom Brady for second in the league with nine touchdown passes. Additionally, he’s only thrown two picks and has the Cardinals looking like one of the best teams in the NFL. Last week, he crushed the division rival 49ers in a lopsided victory with 311 yards, two scores and a pick.
This week, Palmer faces a Rams defense that has been tough against the pass and features one of the best defensive lines in football. However, he’s been so consistent and the Cardinals offense has looked so solid that he should still be considered a solid fantasy starter in all leagues. We have him just outside our top-5 and fantasy owners should continue to ride his success for as long as it lasts.
