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The Arizona Cardinals are coming off their best season in quite some time, as they qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Of course, a meltdown saw them defeated handily by the eventual Super Bowl Champions Los Angeles Rams with a score of 34-11 in their Wild Card game. Still, it was an improvement from previous seasons and they’ll look to continue that momentum heading into the 2022 season. First they’ll need to answer some burning questions on their roster ahead of next season, though.
In this series, we will look at the most important fantasy football position battles for each NFL team. Opportunity is king in fantasy, as you can’t produce fantasy statistics without getting on the field. So, the first step when looking for value plays is to project — correctly — which players will win training camp battles.
Here’s a look at our picks to win the training camp battles for the Arizona Cardinals ahead of your 2022 fantasy football drafts.
WR battle
A.J. Green vs. Rondale Moore vs. Antoine Wesley
With DeAnrdre Hopkins serving a six-game suspension at the beginning of the season, and Christian Kirk heading to the Jaguars from free agency, the Cardinals will have a few different wideouts competing for a spot. They signed Marquise Brown during the draft, reuniting the receiver with college teammate Kyler Murray as they both played at Oklahoma together. With Brown likely at the top of the depth chart in Hopkins’ absence, Green, Moore, and Wesley will be battling for a spot on the field as well.
Our pick to win: A.J. Green
Green saw more action than both Moore and Wesley last year, featuring in 16 games, catching 54 of his 92 targets for 848 yards overall. The 33-year-old found the end zone three times while averaging 15.7 yards per reception. Moore is heading into his second year in the league after being picked in the 2021 draft and will certainly be battling for playing time, but our pick goes to the veteran Green getting the edge especially with Hopkins out for the first chunk of the season.
Backup RB battle
Darrel Williams vs. Eno Benjamin
James Conner is heading into his second year in a Cardinals uniform and will claim the RB1 spot outright. The backup spot is still up for grabs, and likely will come down to a battle between Darrel Williams and Eno Benjamin. While Benjamin was the likely handcuff for Conner heading into this offseason, Williams signing with Arizona this year may have changed the plan slightly.
Our pick to win: Darrel Williams
Williams is making his first jump to a new team since entering the league, after spending four years with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2020 Super Bowl champion signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on May 31, 2022 and will likely be the choice going forward as Conner’s backup. Last season he rushed 144 times for a total of 558 yards and six scores with the Chiefs, while catching 47 of 57 targets and adding another two touchdowns in the air. The 27-year-old has more experience than Eno Benjamin, and former teammate Patrick Mahomes personally vouched for Williams as he headed to Arizona ahead of the upcoming season.