Arizona Cardinals - Fantasy News

Who to Start: Paul Richardson or Larry Fitzgerald?

by Mike Rose

11/8/17

NFL

Arizona Cardinals

Both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals seek a crucial win on Thursday Night Football with each team within striking distance of first place in the NFC West. The last time these two foes hooked up was in Week 16 of the 2016 season.

Neither Paul Richardson of the Seahawks nor Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals accounted for much in that one, combining for 83 yards on eight receptions. The Seahawks will be looking for revenge this time around as they lost a close thriller, 34-31, in that last meeting with the Cards.

Fantasy Matchup: Paul Richardson (10.5 PFP) vs. Larry Fitzgerald (12.0 PFP)

Richardson enters this Week 10 tilt averaging 10.63 Dober Fantasy Points per game. Though that isn’t a horrible number from him on your Dober Play Cards, you want more, right? Well, more is what he’s given his fantasy owners two of the last three games, as he’s hauled in 11 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns over that stretch.

While those stats might be attractive, two of the outputs came against a pair of awful defenses. The New York Giants and Houston Texans rank No. 22 and No. 23, respectively, against pass catchers and have struggled to stop the opposition for much of this season. Other than those two games, Richardson has reached the 60-yard plateau only one other time.

Before his three combined touchdowns in Weeks 7 and 8, he hadn’t scored since Week 3. A huge plus in starting Richardson in your Dober Pick ‘Ems, though, is that he’s going up against a Cardinals defense that ranks No. 29 in fantasy against pass catchers.

The Cardinals defense has given up 176.4 yards and 37 points per game to opposing receivers. So, if you’re looking for a great matchup to start not only Richardson but any of the Seattle receivers, this is the week to do it. Despite being a 1.5-point dog to Fitzgerald, you should be chomping at the bit to put anyone within the Seahawks receiving corps in your Dober lineup.

Richardson regressed from his major production the previous week with only three receptions for 41 yards and no scores his last time out. While he hasn’t been a major factor most weeks, he’s definitely a must consider against the Cards.

On the flipside, Fitzgerald has had consistent production in 2017 and is ranked as the No. 5 receiver in fantasy. He’s coming off of a five-catch, 70-yard performance against the lowly 49ers defense and should get open against Seattle, which ranks No. 17 in fantasy against opposing receivers.

While Fitzgerald’s best two games of the year have come against the Cowboys (No. 27 pass defense) and Buccaneers (No. 31), he’s managed to have a Fitzgerald type of year. In those two games combined, he hauled in 23 catches for 287 yards and two touchdowns. That yardage output, though, is more than double his output for the season.

It might be a safer bet here to pick Richardson over the proven vet Fitzgerald with the former having Russell Wilson throwing him passes and the latter unfortunately looking back at Drew Stanton. Due to Richardson facing such an atrocious pass defense paired with him having by far the better quarterback, I would go with him in your Dober fantasy lineups.

Week 10 Fantasy Projection: Paul Richardson (+1.5) vs. Larry Fitzgerald