Marquise Brown Career Production
*Based on PPR scoring
Career Contextualization
Marquise Brown was a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, selected 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens. He was the first wide receiver drafted in a class full of other star players like A.J. Brown (51st overall), D.K. Metcalf (64th), and Terry McLaurin (76th). While he hasn't put together a career on par with those three, Brown has provided consistent value for fantasy players.
Brown was a first-round pick after two impressive years at Oklahoma. He totaled at least 57 receptions for 1,095 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns each year with the Sooners. His 1,318 receiving yards in 2018 were the fifth-most in college football and the third-most in the Big 12. Meanwhile, his 10 receiving touchdowns were the fifth-most in the Big 12 conference in 2018.
Unfortunately, Brown's fantasy career has been limited, given the Baltimore run-heavy offense. The Ravens had more running plays than passing plays during his first two years in the NFL. However, things changed last season.
The uptick in pass plays, especially in the red zone, was because of the injuries at running back. Baltimore lost J.K. Dobbins (ACL), Gus Edwards (ACL), and Justice Hill (Achilles) to season-ending injuries before Week 1. As a result, the Ravens turned to the passing game more without their top three running backs. Brown's target share in 2021 was almost the same as in 2020 despite the Ravens calling 205 more passing plays. Yet, he had the best fantasy season of his career in 2021.
Current Situation
During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Ravens traded Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. While everyone was surprised by the trade, Brown reportedly asked the Ravens for a trade after the 2021 season. He explained that the Baltimore system wasn't for him and needed a change.
In Arizona, Brown is back with his former college quarterback, Kyler Murray. Furthermore, he will be the No. 1 wide receiver in Arizona to start the 2022 season. Veteran DeAndre Hopkins will miss the first six games of the season with a suspension.
Brown has two years left on his contract now that the Cardinals picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. With Hopkins' long-term future in question, Brown could become the new No. 1 wide receiver in Arizona for years to come.
Hopkins is coming off the worst year of his career with 42 receptions on 64 targets and 572 receiving yards in 10 games. Now that he is suspended for the first six games of the 2022 season, Hopkins might need an impressive second half of the season to remain in Arizona.
Even if Hopkins returns in 2023, he will likely become a cap casualty during the 2024 offseason. The Cardinals will save $14.9 million against the salary cap by releasing Hopkins before the 2024 season. With the money saved by cutting the 32-year-old wide receiver, the Cardinals can lock up Brown long-term.
General Prediction for 2022 and Rest of Career
Unlike the Ravens, the Cardinals are a very pass-happy team. They had 4,619 passing yards last season, the eighth-most in the NFL. More importantly, there are over 150 targets available from last year's squad.
Christian Kirk led the team with 103 targets and a 17.4% target share last year. Now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brown will step into Kirk's role in Arizona.
Furthermore, A.J. Green re-signed and is under contract for just the 2022 season. Therefore, Brown could see even more targets in 2023 with Green and possibly Hopkins off the roster.
More importantly, Brown has plenty of long-term upside. Hypothetically, if he got traded to a team like the Detroit Lions or New York Giants, Brown wouldn't have a young star quarterback throwing him the ball. But, instead, he has that in Arizona with Murray. While there has been plenty of drama surrounding Murray's potential extension, the quarterback should be a Cardinal for most of his career.
Coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career, Brown is heading into the prime of his career. The soon-to-be 25-year-old had the first top-24 finish of his career in 2021. Now that he is with the pass-happy Cardinals and Murray for at least the next two years, Brown's fantasy outlook is excellent.
The time to buy Brown is now as he has top-12 upside for the 2022 season and beyond in Arizona with Murray.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
