Week 7 vs. Seattle
Larry Fitzgerald had only 49 yards last week, but he caught six passes and was targeted a team-high nine times as the Cardinals beat the snot out of the Jets. Fitzgerald has been targeted at least seven times in every game this year and is tied for the league lead with five receiving touchdowns. He’s a quality WR2 option every week.
Fitzgerald’s value should be a little lower this week against a tough Seattle defense that ranks second in the league against the pass, although they gave up big numbers to Matt Ryan last week. Still, Fitzgerald is a high-floor option in all league formats and should be considered a quality WR2 who should gobble up another six or so receptions, even in a tough matchup.
Week 6 vs. New York Jets
Larry Fitzgerald continues to defy age, as he ended up with six receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns last week against the 49ers. Despite having a backup QB under center, Fitzgerald had a fantastic game and he is now tied for first in the league with five receiving touchdowns on the season.
This week, expect another big day from Fitzgerald against a struggling Jets secondary. The Jets have allowed 12 touchdown passes to opposing offenses, and while Darrelle Revis could make a return from injury this week, he hasn’t been as effective as he has been in years past. Fitzgerald is a borderline WR1 option and fantasy owners should take advantage of an excellent matchup.
Week 5 at San Francisco
Larry Fitzgerald had only 62 yards on Sunday against the Rams, but he was targeted seven times and caught five passes. After starting the season on fire, Fitz has cooled off a bit over the last two weeks, failing to find the end zone since Week 2 against the Bucs. Still, he’s a big part of the Cardinals passing game and should be good as a steady option in most leagues.
This week, Fitzgerald has a nice matchup against the 49ers, who have allowed eight touchdown passes so far this season. However, with Carson Palmer possibly out with a concussion for Thursday night’s game, Fitzgerald should be knocked down a bit. He’s still worth starting, but if Palmer misses the game, he’s more of a WR3 option than a solid WR2.
Update:
With Palmer out Thursday night, Fitzgerald is a borderline WR2/WR3 option, even in a good matchup. Fitzgerald should still get targets, but he's not likely to put up big numbers with Drew Stanton behind center.
Week 4 vs. Los Angeles
Larry Fitzgerald had only 60 yards against the Bills last week, but he caught seven passes and was targeted a team-high 12 times. Fitzgerald has been off to a fast start this year, with three touchdowns in the first two games and averaging 11 targets per outing. He remains a very solid fantasy option, even at the age of 33 in his 13th season.
This week, Fitzgerald faces a Rams defense that gave up 405 yards and three touchdown passes to Jameis Winston last week. The Cardinals need a win in this division game after starting the season 1-2 and Fitzgerald should have another nice game with plenty of targets. He should be considered an excellent WR2 option in all league formats.
Week 3 at Buffalo
Larry Fitzgerald had five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in a blowout victory over the Bucs last week. He now has three touchdowns through the first two games of the season and he led the team in targets with 10 on Sunday. We keep expected Fitzgerald to show signs of decline, but as long as he’s putting up these types of numbers, he should be used every week.
Fitzgerald faces a Bills defense this week that gave up 374 yards and a touchdown passing last week to the Jets. Eric Decker and a banged up Brandon Marshall each eclipsed 100 yards and the Buffalo pass rush only managed one sack on Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzgerald should be in for another great game and is ranked as a borderline top-ten option this week. He should be active in all leagues.
Week 2 vs. Tampa Bay
Larry Fitzgerald had a great start to the season, putting up 81 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots on Sunday night. He was also targeted a team-high 10 times, catching eight of the balls thrown his way. It seemed like any time the Cardinals needed someone to make a big catch, Fitz was there. He looks to still be the trustiest target for Carson Palmer in that offense.
This week, Fitzgerald faces an improved Tampa Bay defense. The Bucs gave up 334 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Matt Ryan last week, but a lot of that was late in the game when the Bucs were already in control. Still, Fitz should get plenty of targets once again, making him a steady WR2 in all league formats. He’d be higher if he didn’t have Michael Floyd and John Brown threatening to take away targets, but he’s still the most reliable of the three.
Week 1 vs. New England
Larry Fitzgerald caught a career high 109 balls last year and finished with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns in one of his best seasons as a pro. He faded down the stretch after a hot start, however, and he’s now 33 years old. He’ll be fighting off Michael Floyd and John Brown for targets this year, and he carries with him an element of risk due to the emerging young talent around him.
Fitzgerald starts the year against a middle-of-the-road New England pass defense that finished 17th in the league last year with 241 passing yards allowed per game to opposing offenses. He has some risk associated with him because of the other two productive WRs in the offense, but he’s usually good for WR2 numbers and should be started as a safe secondary option in most fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Upside
A year ago, it looked like we were seeing the end of Larry Fitzgerald's NFL career, but as Profootballfocus.com noted, a rejuvenated Carson Palmer sparked the Cardinals passing attack and suddenly, the old Fitzgerald was back to his reliable self. Scoring nine touchdowns on 146 targets, Fitzgerald turned back the clock to 2007, which was the last time he had over 100 catches, 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns in the same season. The veteran wideout dropped just three passes during the regular season, making that just 29 for his entire career (nine seasons, playoffs included). When you consider Amari Cooper had 18 drops last season alone, it gives you some perspective on just how reliable Fitzgerald's hands have always been. In the 2015 regular season, he caught 78.4 percent of the balls thrown his way (the highest percentage among receivers to play 1,000 snaps), and was a key cog in a phenomenal Arizona offense.
Fantasy Downside
Age and developing youngsters around him are red flags. Can he repeat last season if Michael Floyd and John Brown are healthy all season? Will David Johnson's emergence change the dynamic of the downfield passing attack? Could J.J. Nelson become a factor?
2016 Bottom Line
Despite the above questions, it certainly appears Fitzgerald has found his role in head coach Bruce Arians' offense and benefits from the other weapons around him in the passing game. Difficult to double-team because of the complementary pieces, Fitzgerald had five more games with 80-plus yards last year. With Floyd and Brown currently ranked ahead of him on both the 4for4.com PPR and Standard Projections, Fitzgerald becomes the value pick here.
NFC Championship at Carolina
Larry Fitzgerald had a fantastic game against the Packers last week, catching eight of the 12 passes thrown his way for 176 yards and a touchdown in overtime that sealed the Cardinal victory. Fitzgerald has always been a good player when he’s gotten the opportunity in the playoffs, and he’ll be amped up again this week.
He’ll face a tough task however against one of the league’s premier corners, Josh Norman. Also, the Panthers are tied for seventh in the league this year in touchdown passes allowed and will be tough task for the Arizona offense. Still, Fitzgerald should be heavily targeted and is one of the safer options for fantasy owners this week. He’s a top three option this week coming off a big performance and he should be solid again this week in all fantasy league formats.
Week 19 vs. Green Bay
Larry Fitzgerald declined over the course of the season, but he still wound up with 109 catches for over 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns, making him a top ten wideout at the age of 32. Fitzgerald had his best season since 2011 and is one of the few Cardinals with legitimate playoff experience.
Against the Packers sixth ranked pass defense, Fitzgerald should be targeted often and should be able to put up solid numbers. Despite the tough matchup, the Cardinals played the Packers well a few weeks ago, and their passing game seems to be nearly matchup proof. Fitzgerald is not without risk because of the other talented WR’s on the roster, but he’s a nice, safe option for fantasy owners looking for high floor options at the receiver position this week.
