Quarterback
1 – John Skelton
Skelton finished the season as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback in 2010, leading the offense on to the field from weeks 14-17. The results, however, were less than impressive as the Fordham product completed just 47.7% of his passes for 662 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Skelton’s PFF grade in his 240 snaps was just 0.5, and his passing grade was a dismal -3.5.
2 – Max Hall
Hall was the first Arizona rookie to make his pro debut as quarterback of the Cardinals, temporarily replacing Derek Anderson as the starter in weeks five, seven and eight. Unfortunately for Hall and the Cardinals, he was not an upgrade over Anderson as he completed just 50% of his passes for 370 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions. Hall also finished with the lowest PFF pass rating (-12.5) among all quarterbacks in 2010.
3 – Derek Anderson
Anderson came into Arizona prior to the 2010 season projected to back-up Matt Leinart, but after a disappointing pre-season by the former first-round pick out of USC, Anderson was anointed the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. It didn’t take long for the Cardinals to see why he wasn’t good enough to stick in Cleveland as Anderson completed a meager 51.7% of his passes for 2,065 yards, seven scores, 10 interceptions and a PFF pass rating of -7.5.
4 – Richard Bartel
Bartel was signed by the Arizona Cardinals on December 7, 2010 and played in his first NFL game in week 17 in relief of Skelton. Bartel completed 16 of 28 passes for 150 yards and one interception in that game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Running Back
1 – Beanie Wells
After a promising rookie season in which he gained 919 yards rushing and eight scores, Beanie Wells disappointed as an NFL sophomore. The problems started before the season began as Wells, who had a reputation for being injury-prone before being drafted, injured his knee in September. The injury wasn’t believed to be serious at the time, but it seems that Wells never truly recovered and finished 2010 as the second least elusive runner in the NFL according to PFF, rushing for just 397 yards on 116 attempts.
2 – Tim Hightower
With the aforementioned injury to Wells, Hightower became the starting running back for the Cardinals prior to week one and when it was all said and done, the third-year back turned in an adequate rushing performance for the 2010 season, rushing for 758 yards on 153 carries (5.0 YPC) and five touchdowns. A look at Hightower’s game log, however, tells us he was inconsistent at best breaking the 100-yard mark in two contests while failing to earn 10 carries in seven different games.
3 – LaRod Stephens-Howling
Stephens-Howling is most effective as a return man and scored two touchdowns on kick-offs in 2010 to go along with 1,548 yards returning on kick-offs. As a runner, Stephens-Howling has shown promise (2.8 PFF rush rating over two seasons), but hasn’t received the work to be a factor in fantasy (32 carries in two seasons).
4 – Alfonso Smith
Reserve/Future contract.
Fullback
1 – Nehemiah Broughton
Broughton, a restricted free-agent, was drafted by the Redskins in the 2005 NFL Draft and played most of 2010 as a member of the New York Giants practice squad before being signed by Cardinals on January 5, 2011. Broughton did not play in 2010.
2 – Charles Ali
Reserve/Future contract
Wide Receiver
1 – Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald is one of the NFL’s truly elite wide receivers, but unfortunately for him and his fantasy owners he had one of the worst quarterback situations in the league for the 2010 season. Still, Fitzgerald managed to eclipse 1,000 yards (1,137) receiving and 90 catches for the fourth consecutive season, posting a 9.0 pass rating in the process. Moreover, Fitzgerald finished second in the league with 168 targets, marking the second year in a row with more than 160 targets in the regular season.
2 – Andre Roberts
After Fitzgerald, the Cardinals’ wide receiver situation is in flux. As of now it looks that Roberts will enter the 2011 season as the second receiver opposite Fitzgerald after emerging in the final two games of the 2010 season. In those contests Roberts was targeted 20 times on 78 pass routes, and as a result was named a player to watch by PFF’s Mike Clay.
3 – Early Doucet
Doucet primarily lined up as a slot receiver in 2010, playing 250 of 356 snaps at either inside receiver spot. The results, however, were not stellar as Doucet graded as a well below average pass catcher (-8.5 pass rating) and totaled only 291 yards on 26 catches and 56 targets. In fairness, Doucet was hampered by injuries and ended the 2010 season on the injured reserve list.
4 – Stephen Williams
Williams was drafted by the Cardinals out of Toledo in April 2010 and played in six games for a total of 185 snaps of his rookie season. Williams caught nine of his 23 targets for 101 yards and a -6.4 pass rating, mostly due to four dropped passes.
5 – Max Komar
Komar was an undrafted rookie free agent signed by the Cardinals in 2010. Komar played in eight games of the 2010 season and was targeted 22 times, catching 12 balls for 118 yards.
6 – Isiah Thomas
Reserve/Future contract
Tight End
1 – Jim Dray
Dray was the third tight end for Arizona during the 2010 season. In 14 games the rookie out of Stanford was targeted nine times, catching three balls for 23 yards.
Kicker
1 – Jay Feely
Feely converted 23/26 field goal attempts in 2010, including 10/13 from 40 yards and beyond. Feely will be most remembered for his week 14 performance in which he kicked five field goals and ran for a touchdown.
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