The Arizona Cardinals enter 2026 in full reset mode. Kyler Murray is gone, and Jacoby Brissett is the presumptive starter. Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love arrives as the centerpiece of a retooled offense under new head coach Mike LaFleur. Arizona finished 3-14 in 2025. As a result, the team’s fantasy value now runs mostly through its skill-position talent, not its win total.
New Regime, Same Tough Division
Mike LaFleur takes over as head coach after previously serving as a Jets offensive coordinator. He brought in Nathaniel Hackett to run the offense, a former Green Bay Packers coordinator and Denver Broncos head coach. Furthermore, LaFleur has made clear he’ll call plays himself. Hackett is there mainly as an experienced, steadying presence. Arizona plays in a division where three teams won 12-plus games a year ago. Because of that, the Cardinals will likely trail often, and trailing teams throw more.
Fantasy football implications: A pass-funnel game script is bad news for Arizona’s win total. However, it can boost the team’s receiving options.
Quarterback: Brissett Takes Over From Murray
Arizona released Kyler Murray this offseason, ending his seven-year run as the franchise quarterback. Jacoby Brissett started 12 games in 2025 after moving into the lineup. He’s now the presumptive Week 1 starter. Moreover, the team added insurance behind him. Veteran Gardner Minshew signed in free agency, and the Cardinals drafted Carson Beck in the third round. Brissett is a 33-year-old journeyman who has played for six teams in six years. He played well down the stretch last season. Even so, his hold on the job isn’t guaranteed beyond this year.
Fantasy football implications: Brissett is startable in deeper or two-QB leagues thanks to his receiving weapons. Still, he’s a game-script-dependent QB2, not a set-and-forget starter.
Running Back: Love Headlines a Crowded Backfield
The Cardinals used the No. 3 overall pick on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. That makes him the highest running back drafted since Saquon Barkley went second overall in 2018. Arizona also signed Tyler Allgeier away from Atlanta on a two-year deal. Both James Conner and Trey Benson return from injury-shortened 2025 seasons. As a result, this is now one of fantasy’s most crowded backfields. Love profiles as the long-term lead back and clear breakout candidate. Conner is a proven every-down option when healthy, though he’s 31 now. Benson is a former third-round pick who never got untracked before landing on IR. Allgeier is likely a rotational piece behind Love.
Fantasy football implications: Love is a must-draft dynasty and redraft asset with true bell-cow upside once he claims the job outright. Conner and Benson only carry standalone value if Love’s workload is eased early, or if an injury opens the door.
Receiver: A True Top-Tier Tight End
Whatever uncertainty exists elsewhere on the roster, tight end Trey McBride is not part of it. He was one of the most heavily targeted tight ends in the league last season. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. enters year three looking to build on a strong second half of 2025. Arizona also added veteran depth at receiver in free agency. Because Brissett has shown he can support a real passing game when trailing, this offense could have more than one weekly-startable pass catcher.
Fantasy football implications: McBride remains a locked-in fantasy starter no matter who’s at quarterback. Harrison is the receiver most likely to take a leap if Brissett settles in as the full-time starter.
Draft Day Starts With the Right Board
However your league handles the Cardinals’ backfield logjam, draft day goes smoother with a board built for the chaos. Commish Kit has been the draft board of choice for fantasy leagues since 2002. Commish Kit started in Daly City, California, and moved to Austin, Texas in 2012, making 2026 its 24th season in business. Every wall-hanging draft board ships free. It’s carefully rolled and packed in a sturdy mailing tube, never folded, so it arrives ready for draft night — no creases, no excuses.
Whether your league is still sorting out the Cardinals’ running backs or debating Brissett’s long-term outlook, a Commish Kit board keeps the draft moving. 2026 labels include team city and bye week on every one.
FAQ
Who is the Arizona Cardinals’ starting quarterback in 2026?
Jacoby Brissett is the presumptive Week 1 starter after Arizona released Kyler Murray this offseason. Gardner Minshew and rookie third-round pick Carson Beck are behind him on the depth chart.
Is Jeremiyah Love a good fantasy pick for 2026?
Yes. Love was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft, the highest a running back has gone since 2018. He profiles as the eventual lead back in Arizona’s offense, ahead of James Conner, Trey Benson and Tyler Allgeier.
Is Trey McBride still a top fantasy tight end?
Yes. McBride was one of the most heavily targeted tight ends in the league in 2025. He remains a locked-in weekly starter no matter who’s at quarterback.
Where can I get a fantasy football draft board for my league?
Commish Kit has made wall-hanging draft boards since 2002, as featured on Thrillist. Boards ship free and arrive rolled in a mailing tube, never folded.
