The Arizona Cardinals suffered a devastating blow to their already depleted offensive unit during Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Marvin Harrison Jr. was forced to leave the contest after sustaining a head injury that will affect his availability moving forward.
For fantasy football managers who have counted on the talented receiver, what is his current status following this setback?
Marvin Harrison Jr. Injury Update
Harrison suffered his injury during the second quarter of Arizona’s 31-27 defeat to the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The incident occurred with 6:59 remaining in the first half when Harrison completed a 21-yard reception from Jacoby Brissett but fell hard, with the back of his head striking the turf upon landing.
The receiver remained on the ground for several moments after the impact before slowly making his way to the sideline. Team medical personnel immediately escorted him to the blue injury tent for evaluation as part of the league’s concussion protocol procedures.
After spending time in the tent being assessed, Harrison was taken to the locker room for further evaluation. The Cardinals initially listed him as questionable to return, but he was officially ruled out for the remainder of the contest at the start of the second half.
Harrison had recorded two catches for 32 yards before departing the game, showing early signs of what could have developed into another productive performance. The timing proved particularly unfortunate as this marked Harrison’s first game at the venue where his Hall of Fame father starred for the Indianapolis Colts.
This represents the second concussion of Harrison’s young NFL career. He suffered his first head injury during Week 6 of last season but managed to return the following week without missing any games. However, that outcome is not the norm, as most players miss at least one contest.
Recent examples include Justin Fields, who suffered a concussion earlier this season and missed exactly one game before clearing the protocol. The nature of concussion recovery differs from other injuries in that there are no varying degrees of limitation once a player is cleared to return.
Harrison Fantasy Outlook
Harrison was experiencing a resurgence in recent weeks after a slow start to his second NFL season. He had posted consecutive quality performances with 18.6 and 13.8 fantasy points in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively, suggesting he was finding a better rhythm in the Cardinals’ passing attack.
He appeared positioned for another strong showing against Indianapolis, recording two catches for 32 yards in the first half before the injury ended his day prematurely. The early production indicated positive momentum that was unfortunately cut short.
The Cardinals find themselves perilously thin at skill positions following a rash of injuries. They were already without running backs James Conner and Trey Benson, forcing them to rely on practice squad elevations and waiver wire additions at the position.
Arizona was operating with Brissett at quarterback in place of the injured Kyler Murray, though this personnel change may not necessarily represent a downgrade for the passing game’s effectiveness.
If Harrison misses Week 7, Trey McBride will continue serving as the focal point of Arizona’s passing attack. The tight end has emerged as the team’s most reliable receiving option and should see increased target share in Harrison’s absence.
Michael Wilson and Zay Jones figure to handle the primary outside receiver duties while Harrison recovers. However, neither player represents a recommended waiver wire pickup for fantasy managers seeking immediate production.
Most concussion recoveries allow players to return within one week if they successfully clear the protocol. If Harrison cannot recover in time for next week’s contest, his absence will almost certainly be limited to just one game, given Arizona’s Week 8 bye.
The extra rest provided by the bye week should ensure Harrison returns fully healthy by Week 9 at the latest, barring any complications in his recovery process.