Breakout for Marvin Harrison Jr?

Upon being drafted fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2024, Marvin Harrison Jr. was touted as one of the best receiving prospects we’ve seen in the past decade, and for good reason. His final college season at Ohio State in 2023, saw him rack up 67 receptions for 1211 yards and 14 touchdowns. Many believed those types of video game numbers would continue into his rookie season.

Harrison was drafted in the mid-to-late second round in most leagues, but unfortunately, his rookie numbers did not match these lofty draft expectations. While he certainly could not be considered a complete bust, especially due to the fact that he was a rookie, which came with its own inherent risks, finishing as WR30 in PPR formats was not what fantasy managers who paid this hefty draft price had in mind. 

Marvin Harrison

WR • ARI

SEASONAL STATS

📊 Projections2024

📈 2025 Season Projections

PPR Points

220.5

Receptions

73

Receiving Yards

1055

Receiving TDs

7

Aside from being part of a mediocre offense with a quarterback who has yet to meet his own lofty draft expectations in Kyler Murray, Harrison’s main issue last year was a severe lack of efficiency. Despite being targeted 116 times during the 2024 season, tied for 20th amongst all receivers, Harrison only managed to haul in 62 of those targets for receptions, tied for 37th amongst all receivers. Of the 116 plays in which Harrison was targeted, his EPA (expected points added) was 0.235, placing him 134th out of 317 qualified players. In short, his stats simply did not match his volume or workload.

However, 2025 ushers in a new season. One in which Harrison is primed to live up to the lofty expectations that come with both his draft position and his family name. After entering the NFL weighing 209 lbs, Harrison has bulked up to 220 lbs, clearly signaling a willingness and a desire to play with more physicality. In year two in this Cardinals offense, expect more creativity, as head coach Jonathan Gannon has recently expressed a desire to work more closely with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to expand the team’s playbook, thus creating a more efficient and dynamic passing attack. These adjustments will undoubtedly feature Harrison, as he and Kyler Murray look to build one of the league's most dominant duos.

An area of concern fantasy managers will commonly point to for many players similar to Harrison, is the presence of another pass catcher to “steal” targets and volume. In this case, that player would be TE Trey McBride. Although McBride is a top two TE entering the season, Arizona’s offense last year proved that there are plenty of targets to go around. In addition to Harrison’s 116, McBride commanded 147 of his own. In an offense that should expect an uptick in creativity, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Harrison’s target share will be even larger in 2025.

So what do we take from all of this? Draft Marvin Harrison Jr. this season and reap the rewards. His current ADP sits at 35.6 as WR17. He should be taken ahead of guys like Ladd McConkey (WR11), Garret Wilson (WR15), and Terry McLaurin (WR16), among others. Marvin Harrison Jr. wasn’t ready to break onto the scene in his rookie year the same way that fellow 2024 receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. were. But it’s a brand new year. Harrison had such lofty rookie year expectations for a reason. If he’s ready and able to achieve those goals this season, as reports suggest, the league is about to be put on notice. Expect to see the MHJ breakout in full effect in 2025.