Marvin Harrison Jr. allegedly had all the makings to be a top-ten receiver the moment he laced up his cleats in the NFL. The Ohio State superstar garnered a ton of buzz from his Hall of Fame lineage, and being the first non-quarterback taken in this past April’s draft, fantasy managers were taking him off the board in as high as the second round. The expectations for a rookie pass-catcher couldn’t be higher, and he has dramatically failed to live up to them.
The man tabbed as “Maserati Marv” has closer resembled a Honda Civic the past few months, struggling to be a threat, let alone a top-flight option on the outside. With the fantasy playoffs in full swing, is it still worth forgiving the growing pains and giving Harrison Jr. a spot in your lineup?
Stop Blindly Trusting Marvin Harrison Jr.
On the season, Harrison Jr. is the 28th-ranked receiver in PPR, behind the likes of Jakobi Meyers, Khalil Shakir, and Darnell Mooney. On a per-game average, he’s even worse, generating fewer points a performance than fellow rookies Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey.
Since Week Eight, he’s been an afterthought, netting 10.2 points per outing. During that span, he never had more than 60 yards in a showing and only garnered double-digit targets once.
Arizona is a team constructed to pound the rock and work off play action. The club is 26th in 11-personnel rate, leaving only a pair of receivers on the field and emphasizing its smash-mouth approach. The team’s trailing in most of its recent contests has forced more obvious passing downs—situations in which this team is not built to succeed.
Fade Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison Jr. is a smooth route runner but struggles to get open instantly and needs time, which this Arizona attack doesn’t have. According to Next Gen Stats, he’s dead last in average yards of separation per route. A similar problem plagued fellow top pick Jerry Jeudy early in his career, leading to him being in the doghouse throughout his time in Denver. Even with tight end Trey McBride being an excellent pass catcher, it’s not enough to overcompensate for Harrison Jr.’s struggles.
He has a looming matchup in New England against Christian Gonzalez, the second-year corner who will likely earn an All-Pro nod. It makes any bounceback unlikely and puts Harrison Jr. out of even being a fringe FLEX consideration. It’s best to admit defeat, fade the young wideout, and re-evaluate his potential heading into next season.
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