Cardinals Draft Michael Wilson: Dynasty Rookie Outlook (2023 Fantasy Football)

The 2023 NFL Draft is here! After months of waiting, we finally know where the 2023 NFL Draft class will land. This information shapes the outlook for rookies in 2023 and beyond. We’re going to have you covered throughout and following the 2023 NFL Draft to help you prepare for your fantasy football leagues. Next up for many will be dynasty rookie drafts. To help you prepare to make your dynasty rookie draft picks, let’s dive into Thor Nystrom’s 2023 NFL Draft profile as well as Pat Fitzmaurice’s dynasty rookie draft outlook for Michael Wilson.

Dynasty Rookie Picks & Predictions: Cardinals Draft Michael Wilson

Let’s first see what NFL Draft expert Thor Nystrom says about Michael Wilson.

Thor Nystrom’s 2023 NFL Draft Outlook & Player Comp

Player comparison: Braylon Edwards

Injury-prone former four-star recruit who flashed whenever he was on the field. Team leader who was voted captain. Premium mix of size, strength, movement, body control, and hands. But struggled to stay on the field due to injuries.

For a receiver his size, Wilson’s movement really stands out in person — multiple times at the Senior Bowl, Wilson elicited “ahhs” from the Senior Bowl crowd by shaking a smaller cornerback out of a violent route break.

This was a staple of Wilson’s Stanford film. Wilson flings throwing windows wide open for his quarterbacks in this way. Here’s an athleticism stat about Michael Wilson that’ll shock you: Of all the players at the Senior Bowl, regardless of position, only two finished top 15 in top-end speed and top five in deceleration. Trey Palmer (expected) and Michael Wilson (not so much). But this helps explain Wilson’s utter disregard for human life in route breaks.

It’s rare to see a receiver his size decelerate with that force and precision — and that’s not a throwaway receiver trait. That’s the guaranteed-to-shake-them trait. More proof of concept on that front. Wilson posted a 9.37 RAS. His profile is very quick and explosive, with a 97th-percentile 10-yard split and 84th-percentile vertical. But he’s a modest long-strider who ran a 4.58.

I love Wilson’s play style and physicality. He wants to bury cornerbacks when he’s run blocking. On special teams units, he’s hunting. We don’t want him to ever throttle down, but he does need to learn how to protect his body. Wilson only played in 14 games over the last three seasons due to a variety of nagging injuries.

My other nitpicks about Wilson may or may not be endemic. For instance, I thought his ball skills were better in Mobile than on tape. Then again, so much of Wilson’s career was shaking off rust, trying to kick an injury, and trying to reacclimate himself back in with teammates — is it possible his timing was a little off in some game reps?

Are a few of his drops (8.2% career drop rate) explained by this? He could also stand to work on his release package, which at this time is rather basic. He has the footwork and upper-body strength to not have to worry about press coverage, but he had reps in the Pac-12 where inferior corners were able to disrupt his route path early because he didn’t appear to have a plan out of the chute.

This type of thing is especially important for Wilson because, for all the beneath-the-surface gifts we’ve pointed out, he happens to have sub-20th-percentile arm length (31 inches), allowing aggressive press corners to get into his chest off the snap if he doesn’t beat them with his footwork and/or strength.

2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook: Michael Wilson

Wilson could be an intriguing dynasty asset, but he has to be considered a major injury risk. He sustained a Jones fracture in his foot in late 2020, then sustained another Jones fracture the following summer. Both injuries required surgery. Last year, Wilson’s season ended after only six games due to an undisclosed injury.

Despite the worrisome injury history, the Cardinals spent a third-round pick on Wilson, who could have a chance to earn immediate playing time if the Cardinals trade DeAndre Hopkins, as they’re expected to do at some point. As landing spots go for rookie receivers, Arizona is a good one.

The 6-1, 216-pound Wilson is a big, physical, athletic receiver who posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.55. He’s a fluid move with admirable body control and reliable hands. As noted by FantasyPros college football and NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystgrom, Wilson put on a show during Senior Bowl week, eliciting “ahhs” from the crowd when he would escape a cornerback’s coverage with a particularly violent cut. Wilson is also said to have exceptional football character, with a deep devotion to his craft.

Wilson was an intriguing rookie sleeper, but third-round draft capital is going to attract attention. He’s still a risky investment due to his troubling medical history, but Wilson is worthy of a late-second-round pick in 1QB dynasty rookie drafts and an early-to-mid third-round pick in superflex drafts.