The Arizona Cardinals are just over one week away from opening up the 2026 regular season.
The Cardinals are entering the campaign with relatively low expectations, but there are players that have the ability to buck the trend. Among those players is third-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is entering a crucial season.
Read more on why Harrison is the most crucial player on Arizona’s roster in 2026 below.
Arizona Banking on Harrison to be Difference Maker
The outside perception of Arizona’s team as a whole simply points to how much Harrison needs to break out.
ESPN’s Ben Solak believes Harrison is Arizona’s x-factor simply by virtue of the Cardinals’ lack of talent overall.
“There are only a few players on the Cardinals’ roster who I’m confident are above-average starters. On defense, there is safety Budda Baker and edge rusher Josh Sweat, and tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Michael Wilson on offense. With rookie and third pick Jeremiyah Love, a prospect I loved coming out of Notre Dame, we are close to a third offensive player — all skill position guys.”
This thought process is a relatively sound one. The Cardinals’ defense is not carrying high hopes heading into the regular season. On the other hand, the offense has a true chance to become an above-average unit over time. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur is impressing as a play-caller to this point, while Arizona boasts three skill position players that can reasonably be labeled as “good” players.
Beyond this, the Cardinals are also boasting an offensive line that is stable at three of five spots. This gives starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett a fighting chance to properly utilize the weapons at display.
This is where Harrison Jr. comes into play. While Harrison’s 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns seem solid at the surface, his career start has been disappointing overall. Among the issues holding Harrison back is a general lack of separation he creates, as well as nine career drops (Pro Football Reference).
While the Ohio State product hasn’t put his name on the map quite yet, there are reasons for the Cardinals to be optimistic.
What Does Harrison’s Cardinals Future Entail?
This season will be telling when it comes to Harrison Jr’s. future with the Cardinals.
If Harrison breaks out fully, expect the Cardinals’ front office to exercise his fifth-year option for 2028 (Spotrac). If he doesn’t quite break out, expect trade rumors to resurface, or for Arizona to play out next year in uncertainty.
The reasons to be high on Harrison are simple. As aforementioned, the Cardinals already roster two plus receivers. The presence of McBride opens up the middle of the field for Harrison on average, while game planning for Wilson is a challenge by itself as well.
Harrison playing alongside talented receivers and benefitting from LaFleur’s play designs is a potential crucial crux to his development in 2026. The 6’4″ receiver is only going to benefit from being able to line up in different spots at the LOS. He is also in position to take advantage of more pre-snap motion and the staff trusting his route-running prowess.
The Cardinals need every bit of production they can get from the former number four overall draft pick.
Why Marvin Harrison Jr. Holds the Key to the Cardinals’ 2026 Season