The Arizona Cardinals enter the 2011 football season with a host of question marks in terms of fantasy football possibilities. One could argue they have a high ceiling and a fairly abysmal floor following the addition of Kevin Kolb and the decision to jettison Tim Hightower.
Will Larry Fitzgerald And Kevin Kolb Make Beautiful Fantasy Music In Arizona?
The Arizona Cardinals spent a whole lot to bring Kevin Kolb to town, giving up Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a second round pick, and a $63 million contract extension. The important question for football fans: How valuable will he be in fantasy football? Head over to Revenge of the Birds and Fake Teams to discuss the new Arizona quarterback.
We know that Larry Fitzgerald will get his numbers as a wide receiver and remain a top option in fantasy football. If he can put up 90 receptions, 1,137 yards and 6 touchdowns with Derek Anderson, John Skelton, Max Hall and Richard Bartell throwing him the ball, he can do it with Kevin Kolb.
The question becomes what to make of Kevin Kolb in this two-person equation. The abysmal platter of quarterbacks in Arizona got Fitzgerald the football with some regularity, but that didn’t lead to particularly impressive seasons from any of them. Derek Anderson was the best quarterback amongst the bunch for fantasy purposes and I use the term “best” incredibly loosely. He finished with 2,065 yards and seven touchdowns, with his best fantasy performances coming in week one (297 yards, 1 TD) and week 10 (322 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). If you were starting him week one you probably did not make your fantasy playoffs. If you started him week ten, I’ll just assume it was a bye-week fill-in.
The Cardinals have found the quarterback they hope will be the long term answer. The question now is what to expect from Kevin Kolb in 2011 for fantasy football. The Cardinals backed up the Brink's Truck to acquire the Eagles quarterback, shelling out Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round pick. They followed that up with a $63 million extension just to make sure this goes down as either a great move or a Rob Johnson-style atrocity.
In four NFL seasons, Kolb has appeared in 19 games and made five starts in six appearances in 2010. He started the opener but was knocked out with a concussion. After Michael Vick secured the starting job following the injury, Kolb reappeared in week four after a Vick injury and followed that with three starts before Vick returned. Kolb wrapped up the season with a start in the season finale against the Cowboys while the Eagles rested Vick for the playoffs.
In those six appearances, Kolb threw for 1,197 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. It's worth noting that four of his seven interceptions came on Hail Mary passes to close out the first half or the game. It's also worth noting that Kolb was without the services of the dynamic DeSean Jackson for nearly two full games. When a quarterback doesn't have the team's most explosive playmaker, trouble might follow.
What does this mean in Arizona? It’s safe to say Kolb will want to establish a connection with Larry Fitzgerald early and often. In games one and three of the preseason that connection was evident as they combined on five receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown. Kolb likely knows where his bread is buttered and Fitzgerald will get plenty of looks this season.
Will that be enough to make Kolb a fantasy weapon beyond just a bye-week fill in? That remains to be seen. The team did not make many significant additions to a questionable offensive line, but they did add their strongest tight end in some time with the signing of Todd Heap. Fitzgerald might turn into Kolb's best friend, but if Kolb finds extended success this season, I'd argue it will be because Heap has become a close second BFF. The loss of Steve Breaston stings, but the Cardinals are hoping Chansi Stuckey can fill his shoes.
The loss of Ryan Williams at running back for the season will also hurt given the additional departure of Tim Hightower. If Beanie Wells can't do a better job in the running game this season, Fitzgerald and Heap might not be enough for Kolb. While Kolb has doubters about his ability, I would argue the bigger question marks are whether the Cardinals have done enough on offense to help him out.
The NFC West is a wide open race and for fantasy purposes, getting six games against the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams leaves some room for optimism. Kolb remains a fantasy backup at best, but I think there is tremendous upside. If you don't have one of the top five or six QBs in fantasy football (Rodgers, Vick, Brady, Brees, Rivers, Manning depending on injury), Kolb could be a solid backup to handcuff to your current starter. And if you're in a keeper or dynasty league? I think there is excellent value to be had.
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