Kevin Szafraniec details the growth the Cardinals franchise experienced in 2024 and why even better days could be ahead in 2025. Will Arizona’s continued ascent lead to Kyler Murray and his top offensive weapons outperforming their ADPs for fantasy managers this season?
Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury era ended in the most depressing way imaginable, as the Cardinals finished the 2022 season with a 4-13 record, in addition to having their franchise quarterback out for the foreseeable future with a torn ACL. After becoming a hot coaching candidate following a Super Bowl appearance as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles, Jonathan Gannon faced an uphill battle when he assumed the role of head coach in 2023.
Gannon’s first season at the helm in Arizona was rocky, matching the Cardinals’ 2022 record of 4-13 while struggling to compete with one of the worst rosters in the league. With Kyler Murray fully recovered heading into Gannon’s second season, Arizona’s performance improved on both sides of the ball. By the time the season was over, the Cardinals found themselves with an 8-9 record and showed dramatic improvements in their rankings on both offense and defense.
This offseason, the Cardinals have been intentional about adding the talent that will help Gannon realize his vision for the team. With the Cardinals looking to take another step forward in 2025, will fantasy managers who invest in the Arizona offense reap the oversized rewards that come alongside an offense on the rise?
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Building Upon a Successful 2024
Arizona doubled their 2023 win total in Gannon’s second season as head coach, making positive strides on both offense and defense. Having a healthy Murray all season surely helped the offense take a step forward after the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback missed half of the 2023 season while recovering from a knee injury sustained the previous year.
