The Arizona Cardinals prepare for their Week 14 home matchup against the Houston Texans following another divisional loss. Marvin Harrison Jr. missed last week’s game with a heel injury. Will fantasy football managers have their star receiver available this week?
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Marvin Harrison Jr. Injury Update
Harrison suffered a heel injury during the Week 13 game against Tampa Bay and was unable to continue in the second half. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed after the contest that the heel problem forced Harrison to exit and prevented him from returning.​
The second-year receiver had an insert placed in his shoe at one point during the game, but later removed it. He was seen limping on the field in the second half after catching a pass before the Cardinals pulled him from the contest.​
On Monday before Week 14, Gannon appeared on Arizona Sports Radio and provided concerning details about Harrison’s injury. The head coach compared Harrison’s heel issue to the one experienced by cornerback Max Melton, which kept Melton out during the Week 13 game.​
He looks great when running, but when he walks or jogs, it doesn’t seem right, it’s a challenging injury since it affects his foot, Gannon stated. Every time he applies pressure, it’s difficult.
Harrison did not practice at all last week. The Cardinals ruled him out on Friday for Sunday’s game against the Rams.​
Before exiting with the heel injury, Harrison looked great in his return from appendix surgery. He caught six passes for 69 yards on seven targets in just 37 snaps against Tampa Bay. His performance demonstrated he had fully recovered from the appendectomy and was ready to resume his role as Arizona’s primary receiving threat.​
Heel injuries are tricky. They are rarely long term issues but can linger for several weeks depending on severity. However, the Cardinals have nothing to play for in a lost season. Arizona sits at 3-10 with four weeks left and has been eliminated from playoff contention.​
It’s certainly possible Harrison gets shut down for the remainder of the season. The Cardinals already shut down quarterback Kyler Murray for the season on Friday after his mid-foot sprain failed to heal properly. That decision signals Arizona’s willingness to prioritize long-term health over competing in meaningless games down the stretch.​
Harrison’s Fantasy Outlook
Harrison’s injury status creates significant uncertainty for fantasy managers navigating the playoff push. This marks his third absence in the last four games, as he previously missed two outings following an appendectomy.​
Michael Wilson will continue serving as the WR1 while Harrison is out. In Harrison’s absence during Weeks 11 and 12, Wilson took his opportunity to function as Arizona’s top receiver and ran with it, finishing as a fantasy WR1 in both weeks.​
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Wilson caught 25 of 33 targets for 303 yards during that two-game stretch. He posted 15 catches for 185 yards on 18 targets in Week 11 against the 49ers, and followed that with 10 catches for 118 yards on 15 targets against the Jaguars.​
Harrison’s return in Week 13 nuked Wilson’s fantasy value as he recorded just three catches for 36 yards on seven targets. The target distribution clearly shows Wilson’s value is directly tied to Harrison’s availability.​
With Harrison ruled out for Week 14, Wilson saw STATS HERE. The Cardinals are also dealing with injuries in the backfield, forcing them to air it out early and often over their last few games. Jacoby Brissett has attempted at least 40 passes in five straight games and is averaging 46.8 pass attempts across that span.​
Wilson has at least 15 targets in each of his last three games without Harrison. The matchup couldn’t be worse this week against the Texans, but Wilson has to be considered an elite WR1 whenever Harrison is out.
For Harrison himself, the outlook is murky. With Arizona eliminated from playoff contention, there’s little reason for the Cardinals to rush their franchise receiver back at less than full health. Fantasy managers rostering Harrison should have contingency plans ready for the final weeks of the fantasy season.​