With the 1st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected QB Kyler Murray from Oklahoma.
The Arizona Cardinals have ended months of speculation and officially selected Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the first overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner accounted for 5,362 total yards and 54 total touchdowns in just 14 games with the Sooners last season. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury has hand-picked Murray to lead his Air Raid offense.
Fantasy Impact of Kyler Murray
Murray will be the starter from Day 1, and thus should have some fantasy value. But the extent to which he will make an impact is a matter of debate. Murray has unquestioned athleticism and the ability to make plays with his legs. He also has very good arm strength. These traits will help buoy his floor for fantasy purposes. However, there are concerns about how his skills will translate at the next level.
Skeptics point to Murray’s lack of size and believe he is too small to be an elite quarterback. He stands at just over 5’10” and figures to play at 190-195 pounds. It remains to be seen whether he can withstand the rigors of an NFL season, particularly given his propensity to run the football. He also benefited greatly in college from an outstanding offensive line, a luxury he will not be afforded in Arizona. To his credit, Murray was quite accurate last season. But the Sooners’ scheme and talent also led to a number of wide-open receivers running downfield. That will not be the case in the NFL. Murray’s decision-making and anticipation will be put to the test early and often.
Murray will have flashes of brilliance and should have weeks where he carries fantasy squads to victory much in the way that fellow rookies Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson did in 2018. As such, he makes for a worthy late-round pick for those looking to speculate in best ball formats and two-QB leagues. Overall, however, he will not be a consistent fantasy commodity on a weekly basis in 2019. An early schedule that includes games against Detroit, Baltimore, and Carolina does not figure to help matters. I will not be drafting Murray in one-QB redraft leagues. There are too many proven commodities at the position to justify doing so in my opinion.
The rest of Arizona’s skill position players should not see a significant change in their values based on having Murray in the fold. David Johnson should still be a low-end RB1 in all formats. Receivers Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald are mid-round picks who will likely slot in as WR3-4s. Fitzgerald will likely have the higher weekly floor of the two, and Kirk the higher ceiling. As is the case with Murray himself, the week-to-week consistency is a question mark for both wide receivers.
I am very interested to see how the selection of Murray will impact Josh Rosen. The Cardinals moved up in last year’s draft to select the former UCLA quarterback. But a subpar rookie campaign and a regime change in the desert have last year’s first-round pick on the outside looking in. Arizona is likely to deal Rosen in the coming days. His 2019 fantasy value will not be high regardless of his landing spot. But he could be a target for those in dynasty leagues for those who can pry him away from an impatient owner.
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