“THE
2015 ARIZONA CARDINALS”
ALL 32 PREVIEW
HEAD COACH – BRUCE ARIANS
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR – HAROLD GOODWIN
THE ARIZONA CARDINALS 2015 ALL 32 FILM ROOM
(Coming Soon)
You just have to love Bruce Arians
and how well his players respond to what he’s selling. This team took on a
sleuth of injuries during the season and kept coming out swinging game after
game until it finally defeated them in the playoffs. The 2014 season left the
coaching staff with a lot of what ifs. We are definitely sure that they will be
ironed out over the off season and this team will be ready to compete in 2015.
The loss of Todd Bowles to the NY Jets is a huge piece to replace but his
coaching opportunity is well deserved. We are more than confident that Bruce
can find another DC to come in and pick up where Todd left off.
Bruce has always lead a vertical
attacking offense everywhere he’s coached. He will take a deep shot on opposing
defenses at any chance he gets. He’s not afraid of the big play. This is why he
likes fast receivers on his roster. While we like the fact that Larry was
resigned he is getting a little older and slower on film. Carson Palmer should
be back for training camp and ready to lead another playoff season.
They have 3 huge questions going
into the off season for its skill players.
1. Will
Carson Palmer be ready for week one?
2. Who
is the starting running back?
3. Will
Michael Floyd advance?
If you look closely at this roster there
are not a lot of household names and not a lot of dependable fantasy options.
Let’s dig in and dig up the fantasy players you need to be drafting and keeping
to help you dominate in 2015.
GAME
FLOW CHART
Down Personnel Play QB What Happened
1-10P – 12 11X/15Z UNDER
C Handoff to 38 for +1
2-9 – 22 11X/15Z UNDER
C Screen pass to 20 in the flat +4
3-5 - 01 Trips right SHOTGUN Delay of game
3-10 - 01 Trips right SHOTGUN Pass
to 89 +20
1-10 - 11 11X/15W/12Z UNDER C Quick
slant to 12 wide open over throw
2-10 - 13 15X UNDER C Play action Deep shot overthrow
3-10 - 12 Trips left SHOTGUN Beautiful pocket 15 doubled incomplete
LET’S
MEET THE OFFENSE
12
personnel is the Base Offense for the Arizona Cardinals in 2015
X TE2
LT LG C RG RT TE1 Z
QB
1
RB?
DISCLAIMER:
We would like to thank:
THE
SCOUTING REPORT
THE
OFFENSIVE LINE
While this offensive line is far from great it is better
than years past. They are a better unit in pass protection than in the run game and
Football Outsiders have them graded out at 25th against the run and
6th against the pass in 2014. There are still a lot of holes to fill
and upgrades to make as they move forward. They get man handled during running plays and they don’t
work well as a unit. When you rush three at this unit and drop the rest into
coverage Veldheer and Massie will eat you alive. Cooper and Larsen switched in
and out trying to keep the LG fresh. Pro Football Focus had them graded out at
dead last in 2013 and 24th in 2014 but we expect a little uptick for
2015 but not a substantial jump.
FANTASY
CLUE - The starting RB better be big and tough and specialize in getting skinny
and weaving through small cracks and breaking tackles to be successful. They
need a bruiser who is not afraid to lower his shoulder and give hits for
maximum fantasy return.
68
LT JARED VELDHEER – Veldheer was the most impressive man on this
unit. He kept Palmer’s blindside clean during the season. This is the piece
that you keep and build your unit around.
61
LG JOHNATHON COOPER – He has been the weak link ever since he
was drafted. He really needs to get fully healthy and dig in and play like the
number one pick that he is and if so this would elevate their 2015 numbers
immediately and make them a fairly solid unit.
63 C
LYLE SENDLEIN – He was left 1 on 1 with a huge nose tackle
too many times and lost the battle tremendously (which is expected). Before we
call him a failure Bruce needs to adjust a few things before we go that far but
he could use replacing or be an immediate back up in 2015.
74
RG PAUL FANIKA – While he missed a couple of assignments here
and there he did a fair job for the season.
70
RT BOBBY MASSIE – Massie held his own with this unit and definitely
not the weak link. He used his hands fairly well and kept his opponent off
balance a lot. He has quick feet and power and we look forward to see if he
improves in 2015.
DISCLAIMER:
We would like to thank:
PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS - Offensive Line Grades
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS - Offensive Line Grades
THE
QUARTER BACK
CARSON
PALMER - (35) 6'5' / 235 – Carson Palmer is an excellent QB at
times while the other times he does not make good decisions. He tries to fit
the ball into spaces he has no business trying to fit them. He will throw into
double coverage a bit too much. You could say that Floyd and Fitz are not
beating their match ups and gaining the necessary separation but that would not
be a valid excuse. We here at Fantasy Football 1 on 1 have to call it in the
middle. Some of it is Palmers because other options are open and sometimes it’s
all on the WR's. You would think that a QB this far into his career would make
better decisions but this is who Palmer is. A risk taker a gambler. When you
review this offense and its weapons there is nothing sexy about it. Another
addition to the WR group like a big fast and physical guy is needed to open up
everything so this offense can breathe in 2015. We here at Fantasy football 1
on 1 can only sign off on using Palmer as a backup and bye week fill once he is
healthy.
DREW
SANTON - (30) 6'3' / 243 – We scratch our heads when we watched
this guy fill in for Carson in pure amazement at how they won with him at QB.
He does not see the field well, he locks onto his first receiver, and he holds
the ball way to long. His good points are that he has a good arm and he can
move around but they don’t matter if you don’t set your feet to get a good
delivery to wide open receivers. If Carson goes down they are in serious
trouble. We would not be surprised if they make a move during FA frenzy and get
another back up QB. This will be our
only time critiquing back up QB’s unless we see something special or there is
an ongoing QB battle.
THE
RUNNING BACKS
We here at Fantasy Football 1 on 1 strongly suggest that
if you participate in a dynasty/keeper league you need to trade away Andre
Ellington NOW. We mean right NOW. It is clearly evident that Arians is totally
upset with his running game and it will be the first piece he fixes (even
before Palmer’s backup). This team is in dire need of a quality every down back
and once found there is a lot of work for him.
ANDRE
ELLINGTON - (25) 5'9' / 199 – This guys is fast and shifty
and excellent at making you miss which are all the attributes of a backup or
third down back (not three down back). He can light you up when he hits the
outside and yes there is some valuable work for him within this offense. It’s
just not a RB1 type of value and workload. His body just can’t take the beating
that bigger stronger backs can take during a 16 game season. That’s the only
reason he can’t be considered an every down back. He does everything else very
well. He runs low and has good speed and elusiveness. He can start and stop and
has excellent hands but he just can’t take a continuous A – B gap pounding week
in and week out. The starting RB is not on this roster yet.
STEPHAN
TAYLOR - (23) 5'9' / 216 – While Stephan may be the biggest back
he was the hardest to bring down after contact as well as the most elusive
between Grice and Williams. He also displayed decent vision and possessed the
necessary speed to get to and through what he saw. He could be an every down
back but if called upon. He could carry the full load for a game or two. We
like him to stay on the team and back up the starter and Andre Ellington when
needed but if he gets lost in the shuffle and ends up on another roster he will
be a good waiver addition if this or a team mate injury occurs.
KERWYNN
WILLIAMS - (23) 5'8' / 198 – While Kerwynn did not jump
off of the tape he did possess some skills needed to be a player in the NFL.
He’s not a burner and he is not a between the tackle bruiser. It’s hard for him
to gain short yardage but he does have good hands. Kerwynn has just enough
skill to keep a roster spot in the NFL.
MARION
GRICE - (22) 6'0' / 208 – Marion Grice is not talented enough to
be a lead dog in the NFL at this point. Goodwin tried pitch outs, unbalanced
line, trips left and trips right trying to get Grice open and in a good
situation to move the football. He just could not produce. He is smaller than
what we are looking for and he’s slower than what we are looking for as well.
Grice needs a situation where he can get to the next level untouched due to
offensive line pay. The Cardinals do not possess this kind of offensive line
and it will take a skilled, big, patient, fast guy to run away with the job.
THE
WIDE RECEIVERS
This wide receiver unit is tricky when look at them on
paper and then watch them on film. You would think Larry “X” Floyd “Z” and John
Brown in the “W” but no that’s not how Bruce deploys them. He mixes them up and
Fitzgerald usually finds himself playing decoy while John Brown is the lead
dog. The Cardinals tried their best to scheme plays to help John Brown not only
be the chain mover but the best deep ball threat as well. John Brown is the guy
to own going forward.
JOHN
BROWN - (24) 5'11' / 179 – Brace yourselves for what we are about
to say, John Brown will lead the Arizona Cardinals in catches and yards in
2015. He will be the best receiver on the team. Surprisingly during his rookie
campaign he was repeatedly placed and motioned to the “X” and the “Z”
positions. Here’s the thing, he held his own. He won his route match ups and
that should only increase in 2015. He is the most reliable target that the
Cardinals had in 2014 and that should continue through 2015. They are using Fitz as a “W” and decoy while Floyd is
the deep guy. Make sure John Brown is in your redraft, keeper, and dynasty
plans for 2015.
MICHAEL
FLOYD - (25) 6'2' / 220 – The deal with Floyd is that he has
still not mastered the route tree. He is a one trick pony similar to Mike
Wallace. When Floyd has a good day it will be a huge day and when he has a bad
day it will be a very, very bad day. He can’t be trusted therefore we suggest
that you let another manager deal with this inconsistent WR in 2015. We are
very well aware that Floyd is a first round pick and he is a big body WR but it
seems to not matter to Bruce. He’s calling it what it is.
LARRY
FITZGERALD - (31) 6'3' / 218 – Well folks the show is
about to come to an end. Larry Fitz is nowhere near the old fast, catch
anything Larry that we are so accustomed to. He’s slowed down and he has been
reduced to decoy and underneath routes. It’s hard for Larry to gain an
advantage against 1 on 1 defensive concepts. Larry used to eat those for
breakfast. If you own him in your dynasty/keeper formats we suggest that you go
ahead and get out from under him while you can get a return on your investment.
Use the fact that they just resigned him and paid him good money to stay in
Zona as your leverage. Hurry and do this while you still have a chance. Try and get a player
like Allen Robinson. A guy who’s value is not even on the radar screen. Hear me
now and thank me later.
JARON
BROWN - (25) 6'2' / 205 – We did not find enough film on Jaron to
be able to make a respectable conclusion on his talents. We will update this as
we progress.
THE
TIGHT ENDS
JOHN
CARLSON - (30) 6'5' / 248 – The
Cardinals brass really tried to get this guy going in 2014. They seemed to try and
force the ball into Carlson’s hands on their first couple of possessions. He was almost
always in motion trying to find the mismatch. He would have his hand in the
dirt or in the backfield, then Palmer would audible and he’s moved to the “Z”.
This is what you want to see from a TE on your roster. It seems as if they were
using him to test the defense to try and see what type of scheme that they were
going to use. There was a lot of disconnect between Carlson and the QB which
lead to drops and incomplete passes. Also Carlson was a little slower than we
like and he did not break tackles to get to or at the next level. Otherwise
Carlson moves well and understands what the play is trying to accomplish.
Truthfully we here at Fantasy Football 1 on 1 would like to see Carlson talents
be used in another system with a better QB. If this happens he’s worth a flier
in dynasty/keeper leagues and on the late round watch list in redraft.
TROY
NIKLAS - (22) 6'6' / 270 – There was not enough film available to
get a true grade on Troy in 2014. He was injured most of the season. We did
come away wanting to see more from him. While he did seem a bit stiff in the
open field he does have the speed and hands to be a starter in Arizona if Housler
signs elsewhere. Keep a close eye on him in dynasty/keeper formats if you are
weak at TE.
DARREN
FELLS - (28) 6'7' / 281 – Darren Fells is a big boy. He runs well
for his size. We don’t see him as a consistent fantasy threat while we do
believe that he will sneak down field from time to time and make a big play.
THE
KICKER
CHANDLER
CATANZARO - (24) 6'3' / 200 – It’s hard to believe that
this guy was a rookie last year. He did very well in his kicking duties in
2014. He’s a great addition to dynasty/keepers rosters. This offense is good
enough to get into field goal range but not successful enough to convert their
red zone touches into six points. We here at Fantasy Football 1 on 1 see him as
an asset in the kicking game going forward. Yes kickers are people too.
THE
DEFENSE - THE RETURN TEAM
They were a decent return team last year due to the fact
that Ted Ginn, Jr. very rarely took a knee. He mostly came out the end zone and
tried to make the big play. We will have to wait and see who replaces him at
kick and punt returner for 2015.
The defense started off rather well but as the season
progressed they started getting torched in the secondary. While most call
Patrick Peterson an elite corner he gets whooped way too much for us here at
Fantasy Football 1 on 1. He talks too much and does not bring the big stick on
game days. Don’t get us wrong Patrick makes big plays but not enough to warrant
his trash talking. If he kept his mouth shut he would be perceived as a better
player. We did factor in the key losses and the fact they were injured last
year but most importantly with the loss of Todd Bowles we are not targeting the
Arizona defenses for an every week start in all formats. We see this defense as
a bye week fill from time to time and not much more than that in 2015.
THE 2015 ROOKIES
UPDATE
APRIL 2015
FINAL
THOUGHTS FOR FANTASY
Although this is an Ace/W Personnel offense we came away
wondering how this team wins so many games. This offense should be zipping up
and down the field on Sunday’s but instead this offense is nothing pretty to
watch and more times than not leave you wanting to see more from them. There
are not a lot of fantasy options here in Arizona. Like we said John Brown
should see a significant uptick in targets and yardage to make him the best WR
option. We know they are in desperate need of a big bodied RB to come in and
take over. When this happens make sure you (redraft, keeper, dynasty) roster that guy
immediately because there is a lot of RB work here. They need a serious RB to
free up Brown down the field. Right now their play action concepts does not
bring any fear into the defenses they face. We can only suggest John Brown,
Carson Palmer (back up), big bodied RB, and maybe Troy Niklas if Housler moves
on. If you find yourself stuck with Floyd trade him right after he has one of
his monster games. If you have Fitz keep him because the offense could
shift his way at any time (injury or otherwise) because he does have a couple of big plays left in
him.
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