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Carson Palmer’s first season with the Arizona Cardinals was largely a success, as he set a career-high in passing yards (4,274) while completing over 63 percent of his passes. But he also threw 22 interceptions (tied for second-most in the league) while being sacked 41 times (eighth-most in the league), so there’s room for improvement this year starting in Week 1 against the San Diego Chargers.
Palmer finished 10th in the NFL in pass attempts last season (572; 35.8 per game), and with running back Andre Ellington (foot) possibly out for at least a month he should be throwing the ball plenty on Monday night. The Chargers added a rookie (Jason Verrett) and a veteran (Brandon Flowers) to their secondary this offseason, but how much a pass defense that finished in the bottom half of the league last season virtually across the board will actually improve remains to be seen. San Diego also finished in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks (16.8 per game; ESPN scoring) in 2013, including at least 18 points to the position in their first five games of the season.
Palmer has one of the top wide receiver duos in the league at his disposal in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, and rookie wide receiver John Brown has gotten a lot of positive buzz. The possible loss of Ellington as a weapon out of the backfield hurts a bit, but the Cardinals’ passing game should not miss a beat in Week 1.
Palmer will never be an unquestioned fantasy starter, in this or any other week, but he’s a perfectly suitable low-end QB1 with a fair amount of upside for Week 1. Fantasy owners with another quarterback that has a tougher matchup (Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger) or an injury issue (Cam Newton) can consider Palmer a solid alternative, and he may help bring a season-opening victory for those that don’t write him off.
Brad Berreman is a Columnist at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.
