Broncos vs. Cardinals: Betting and Fantasy Preview

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Denver-Arizona Presents a Difficult Betting Matchup With Fantasy Upside

Arizona continues to win despite appearing headed for a high draft pick. The Cardinals beat the Rams outright last week as 13-point underdogs, offering another reminder to be careful when betting against NFL underdogs.

Denver has also looked awful, yet it is laying 4.5 points at Arizona. Taking the Cardinals remains unappealing, but laying points with Denver is equally difficult. The offense seems destined to score around 17 points, making Arizona’s ability to reach 14 a key question.

Denver’s defense remains excellent and could intercept Brissett multiple times, potentially creating a defensive touchdown or two. Still, the team does not look as good as it did last year. The under is the more appealing lean, although this is a difficult game to invest in for several reasons.

JK Dobbins has struggled, and Denver’s rushing attack has lost the efficiency that helped define the team last season. Running the football effectively and playing strong defense was Denver’s formula, but that combination has not been there this year.

Jonah Coleman’s return provides some optimism. The rookie running back looked spectacular in his only game and gave the offense a different dynamic with his playmaking ability. He was placed on injured reserve shortly after many fantasy managers added him, but he has now been activated. His immediate workload is uncertain, though Denver may need to commit to the Jonah Coleman experiment and see whether he can help the offense.

Coleman is also available in 70% of leagues, making him a fantasy addition to consider. Even with his return, reaching the over could remain difficult.

Michael Wilson is another player to watch. He has been among the leaders in red-zone targets this year but has converted only 33% of those opportunities. That rate could improve, giving Wilson a chance for a bounce-back performance despite a difficult matchup with Denver. His step backward in Harrison’s absence has been surprising, but that could begin to change.