Saints vs. Cardinals Picks, Lineup Tips for Daily Fantasy FanDuel, DraftKings
Neither the Arizona Cardinals nor the New Orleans Saints have opened the 2022 NFL season the way they'd have liked to. The Cardinals have dropped two straight games to fall to 2-4, while the Saints are also 2-4, having lost four of their past five games.
One of these two NFC squads will get back on track with a win Thursday, though, as the Week 7 slate opens with a matchup between the two at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
New Orleans ranks sixth in the league in total offense, averaging 382.3 total yards per game. Arizona is 16th (346), but it also has some talented offensive playmakers. So, those playing daily fantasy on DraftKings or FanDuel on Thursday will have plenty of solid choices when filling out their lineups.
Here's some DFS advice for this Week 7 prime-time matchup.
Murray's Mobility Makes Him Top QB Play
Kyler Murray is one of the more mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, and he needed to use his legs even more than usual last week.
The 25-year-old had 10 carries for 100 yards in the Cardinals' road loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, when they were without their top two running backs, James Conner and Darrel Williams.
Williams (knee) has already been ruled out for Thursday's contest. Conner (ribs) is questionable and will be a game-time decision, although he didn't participate in any of Arizona's practices this week. So, it seems the Cardinals could again be relying on Eno Benjamin and rookie Keaontay Ingram out of the backfield.
That will likely lead to more running opportunities for Murray. And if he can limit his number of turnovers (he had two last week), he should be in line for a strong fantasy performance.
The Oklahoma product has a high ceiling, and he's overdue for a huge game. But that could happen for the quarterback against the Saints, which are allowing 26.3 points per game (fourth most in the NFL).
The Cardinals could get into the end zone a few times, and Murray ($16,800 on DraftKings; $17,000 on FanDuel) could be a great captain/MVP pick for daily fantasy lineups for that reason, even though he'll cost a large price.
Olave Should Perform Well in Return
There have been some impressive performances by rookie wide receivers this season, and New Orleans' Chris Olave has been responsible for a few of them.
The 22-year-old had nine catches for 147 yards in the Saints' Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers and scored touchdowns in back-to-back games in Weeks 4 and 5.
Olave's debut NFL campaign came to a halt last week, as he missed New Orleans' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals because of a concussion. But he told reporters he's at "100 percent" heading into Thursday's game, and he wasn't listed on the Saints' injury report.
It seems likely the Ohio State product will pick up where he left off. New Orleans will again be without receivers Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle), making Olave the top receiving option for the offense.
So, if you're looking to play a wide receiver in this matchup, Olave ($11,100 on DraftKings; $11,000 on FanDuel) is the best choice. It isn't yet known whether Jameis Winston or Andy Dalton will start, but neither quarterback should have trouble getting the ball into the rookie's hands.
Avoid Cardinals' Wide Receivers
What a difference four days made for the Cardinals' receiving corps. The unit is going to look quite different on Thursday than it did during the loss in Seattle on Sunday.
Marquise Brown suffered a foot injury and will miss Thursday night's game against New Orleans, but DeAndre Hopkins is back from a six-game suspension and will make his season debut. And the Cardinals traded for Robbie Anderson this week, bringing in the receiver from the Panthers in exchange for a pair of draft picks.
So, who among this group should be in DFS lineups? Hopkins hasn't played in a game since Week 14 of the 2021 season; Anderson barely knows the offense and will be "very limited" on Thursday, according to head coach Kliff Kingsbury; and it's not clear how Rondale Moore's role could change with these additions.
There's too much uncertainty to count on any of these Arizona WRs in daily fantasy. One of them could have a big game, but it's tough to know which one it will be. So, if you can construct a strong lineup without any of them, that's probably the best way to go.
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