Arizona Cardinals: Top 3 most underrated players for 2023
By Sion Fawkes
You can argue that the Arizona Cardinals have an underrated roster for the 2023 season. But who are the most underrated players in the desert this year?
The Arizona Cardinals have underrated players at every position group heading into the 2023 season. Behind James Conner, running back Keaontay Ingram didn’t impress anyone last season, but heading into his second year, there is still more than enough time for the former USC running back to make his mark.
Josh Jones is the forgotten man on the offensive line. And while his chances of landing on the starting five are beyond slim, he’s the type of player you want on your line if someone from the starting unit goes down.
But the aforementioned Ingram and Jones are two of many players who just missed the cut in the underrated category. Here are three players who could make a sound impact in 2023 that no one will see coming.
3 most underrated Arizona Cardinals players in 2023
1 - Rashad Fenton
While Rashad Fenton had a terrible year in 2022, we need to remember that he only started in six games for two different teams. But in 2021, Fenton played in 14 games, started eight of them, and more than held his own with the Kansas City Chiefs.
While the Arizona Cardinals have at least three if not more cornerbacks already locked in for a spot on the team, if Fenton’s strong play returns in the preseason, he could force his way onto the roster. If that occurs, then don’t expect a drop-off in play if injuries hit the Cardinals corners.
2 - Carlos Watkins
Carlos Watkins logged just four starts and 12 games in 2022, but between 2020 and 2021, he saw playing time in 31 games, starting 25 of them. In that span, he recorded 59 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, and even a pick six.
This season, Watkins joins a weak defensive line and he could be the best player there. If Watkins is the main guy on the defensive front this season, don’t be surprised when he puts up better-than-advertised production.
3 - Greg Dortch
To those of us who followed the Arizona Cardinals over the past year, Greg Dortch shouldn’t be on this list because we know what he can do. But Dortch will be playing on a one-year prove-it deal worth just over $1 million.
Dortch should easily make the team thanks to his production last season. But in 2022, former head coach Kliff Kingsbury benched him for no apparent reason when Rondale Moore returned, forcing Dortch to claw his way back into the lineup later in the season.
This year, despite his production from last season, he’s playing on an incredibly low salary. Few players have had the odds stacked against them as much as Dortch, and if he enjoys a repeat of his 2022 campaign, he should finally get paid what he’s worth.
feed
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)