Michael Floyd is one of several Cardinals that should benefit from Carson Palmer’s return
Expectations were high for Michael Floyd entering the 2014 fantasy season. Fantasypros.com had him ranked as the 22nd overall receiver in the preseason, coming off a 2013 campaign where he notched 66 receptions for 1,054 yards and five touchdowns, good for 16 yards per catch. Floyd failed to meet his expectations for 2014, finishing with 47 receptions for 841 yards and six touchdowns. The quarterback carousel in Arizona did not help his cause, but a healthy Carson Palmer could spell a bounce-back season for Floyd in 2015.
Floyd plays second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald, and last season also saw rookie receiver John Brown eat into his targets. In PPR leagues, Floyd finished as the 44th overall receiver, just behind Doug Baldwin and ahead of Robert Woods. That seems abysmal compared to his preseason ADP until you consider the fact that he still finished as the top fantasy scoring receiver for the Arizona Cardinals. This is further proof that the team’s quarterback situation did not help anyone.
The good news for Floyd’s 2015 outlook is that last season he was targeted 85 times, just 12 less than Fitzgerald. The bad news is he only caught 44.7% of those targets. When there is not consistency at the quarterback position, timing and chemistry can be an issue. In order to bring himself back to fantasy relevance Floyd must secure more of his targets.
One statistic from Floyd’s 2014 season that you shouldn’t overlook is his 17.9 average yards per catch. He is the deep threat in Arizona, and Palmer has never been one to hesitate airing it out. Floyd has the ability to explode any game, rack up yards, and score on just a few targets. His 2014 campaign should cause him to slip in drafts, but he has the upside to return value as a mid-to-late round pick. Michael Floyd is a prime candidate for a bounce-back fantasy season, and a gamble on him could be well worth it.
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