Marvin Harrison Jr. is still the No. 1 receiver for the Arizona Cardinals. Photo credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Let’s face it. First impressions are important.
You get a bloody nose on your first date? Not ideal.
You hit a parked car on your driver’s test? Whoops.
You catch one pass for 4 yards in your highly anticipated NFL debut? Big yikes!
OK, maybe the last example was a little harsh. You might not get that second date, and you might have to wait to get your driver’s license, but there’s always an opportunity to erase the memory of one dud game if you’re an NFL receiver with enormous talent.
Here are three players who could bounce back in Week 2:
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
Yes, we know, one catch for 4 yards. But think about it this way: 4 yards is 12 feet!
Sarcasm aside, it is far too early to overreact to Harrison’s quiet debut. Quarterback Kyler Murray ended up focusing mostly on Trey McBride (nine targets) and Greg Dortch (eight), and James Conner got four targets out of the backfield.
Harrison was fourth with a trio of targets, and he caught only one of those passes. But if you dig a little deeper, you see that he was on the field for 55 plays—90.2% of Arizona’s offense. That was more than McBride (52 snaps, 85.3 percent), Conner (41 snaps, 67.2 percent), and Dortch (37 snaps, 60.7 percent).
The rookie is going to be OK. We think.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Feb. 12, 2023: Andy Reid and Travis Kelce celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. credits: Michael Chow / USA TODAY NETWORK Haters gonna hate, etc., but Kelce knows to shake it off when it comes to Week 1.
In some ways, Kelce was lucky that the Chiefs went up against the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener. Most of the tight end consternation focused on the other side of the field, where Mark Andrews sold hot dogs in the stands while Isaiah Likely caught a whopping nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Andrews is “Likely” facing big competition from his teammate all season. But Kelce is in a different situation in Kansas City, where he’s still the clear alpha at his position.
Look at routes run: Kelce was involved in 48 plays, which represented 88.9 percent of Kansas City’s offense. No other pass-catcher was on the field as much as he was. He finished with only three receptions for 34 yards, but stay patient. Kelce has big games on the way.
WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
Nov 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) leans into the play against Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Dee Delaney (30) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. credits: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports Aiyuk spent most of the preseason watching clips of Jerry Maguire — “Showww Me the Money!!!” — so it wasn’t a huge surprise that he was quiet in Week 1. He caught two passes for 28 yards from Brock Purdy, who will join him on the way to the bank soon.
Aiyuk told reporters after the game that he felt like he was in good shape and that conditioning was not a factor in his debut. It makes sense, as he had plenty of time to work out all offseason, and he simply had to adjust to game speed and contact after so little practice.
This week could be an opportunity for Aiyuk to get his feet back under him and the football back in his grip. The Minnesota Vikings are thin at cornerback, and while they did a great job shutting down Daniel Jones and the New York Giants last week, they are going to have their hands full with the 49ers’ many weapons. That includes Aiyuk, who would be wise not to try to lug his duffel bag of cash on his receiver routes this week.