GLENDALE — Marvin Harrison Jr.’s slow start has become one of the larger storylines emerging from the Arizona Cardinals’ early season, but quarterback Jacoby Brissett came to his defense Wednesday.
Arizona Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) leaves the field after a loss to the Seattle Seahawks during a game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Sept. 20, 2026. Credit: Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Harrison has one catch for 33 yards through Arizona’s first two games, with only four targets, and was held without a catch on his lone target in Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The numbers aren’t exactly ideal, particularly for a player selected fourth overall in 2024 and entering his third NFL season.
The slow start also contrasts with how Harrison opened his first two seasons. As a rookie in 2024, he caught five passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns through his first two games, highlighted by a four-catch, 130-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2.
Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) catches a 7-yard touchdown pass against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darien Porter (26)lin the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In 2025, he opened with five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints before catching two passes for 27 yards against the Carolina Panthers, giving him seven receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown through two games.
This year, however, the opportunities simply have not been there. Through two games, Harrison has been targeted only four times, while Michael Wilson has seen 14 targets and Trey McBride has 23.
That lack of involvement has led fans and analysts alike to question where Harrison fits in the Cardinals’ offense, especially within new head coach Mike LaFleur’s system. But Brissett, a veteran quarterback in his 11th NFL season, pushed back on the growing scrutiny surrounding a player still early in his career.
“We just signed Mike (Wilson) to $25 million…nobody’s complaining about him having two catches.”
Jacoby Brissett is not concerned about “the noise” surrounding Marvin Harrison Jr. pic.twitter.com/tmW3S4YRAz
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) September 23, 2026
“Is some of the noise justified? I don’t think so, personally,” Brissett said, according to PHNX Cardinals. “I mean, we just signed Mike [Wilson] for 25 and nobody said anything about him having two catches … It’s just like I think people place, you’ve got to try to find somewhere to make something out of nothing. And the only thing you can do is just go out there and just continue to get better as a teammate of him and him as an individual.
“And I think that’s what we’re doing.”
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) on the field during warm ups prior to a game against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
That perspective carries weight coming from a veteran quarterback who has spent more than a decade in the NFL and understands the noise that can surround young players, particularly those drafted with high expectations.
Harrison’s start, while quiet, hasn’t gone unnoticed. But the larger question for Arizona is whether the offense can create more opportunities for one of its most highly scrutinized players as the season continues.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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