Kyler Murray Expected to Miss Week 6: Fantasy Football Impact for Michael Carter, Marvin Harrison Jr., and More

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is expected to miss Sunday's game in Indianapolis against the Colts. Murray is also in danger of missing multiple games with a foot injury, something that throws the Cardinals' season into flux.

Murray suffered the injury last Sunday and has been limited or out of practice all week. His absence changes Arizona's outlook, both in Week 6 and the next few weeks, an important stretch that could determine whether the Cardinals can compete for the playoffs.

Let's look at some of the real-life and fantasy football implications of Murray sitting out Week 6. We'll talk about fantasy outlooks for the skill players with a backup QB, whether Arizona can contend for the playoffs if Murray misses an extended stretch, and if this could lead toward the team selling any veterans at the trade deadline.

Check out FantasySP's injury roundup to stay current with the players who may miss games each week.

What is the Week 6 Outlook?

This was already a tough game against the Colts, who have been one of the surprise teams of the early season. Now without their top quarterback, the Cardinals can't feel good about their chances. Vegas lines have Indianapolis as something close to 10-point favorites.

If the offense struggles to move the ball, this one could get ugly, as several other Indianapolis games have this year (they beat the Dolphins and Raiders by a combined score of 73-14, for instance).

Arizona's offense is averaging the sixth-fewest yards per pass attempt (5.9) with Murray throwing all but one pass. Jacoby Brissett might be able to raise the floor a little bit, but he's not going to take the ceiling to a place where this team can excel. There are problems with the passing game that extend to the pass catchers and injuries elsewhere, so it's unlikely that this is going to turn into an above-average offense with Brissett under center.

The Cardinals are also without their top two running backs right now, as James Conner is out for the season, and Trey Benson is on IR and will be out at least three more games. Add injuries all over the defense, and this team is wounded going against a red-hot group in Indianapolis. There's a reason that the Colts are heavy favorites.

What are the Fantasy Football Implications?

The Colts have allowed the 12th-fewest yards per pass attempt and rank right in the middle in yards per rush attempt allowed. Indy's offense is the driving force, not the defense, so they do allow the chance for some fantasy players to find success.

Brissett isn't a fantasy option unless you're in a super-deep league and need a last-minute Murray replacement. He is a below-average thrower of the football who can approximate average while not turning it over. Brissett doesn't run a lot, but he has some shiftiness and can scramble away. (Bryce Young and Dillon Gabriel are both low-level streamers with great matchups if you need a last-minute pickup.)

The pass catchers in question are wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride. Both guys are still fantasy options, but they lose some of their ceiling while keeping an OK floor.

McBride is a weekly starter at tight end, and that doesn't change here. The Colts have given up the 10th-fewest fantasy points per week to TEs, but McBride is matchup-proof. A functional backup in Brissett keeps McBride up to his high fantasy status.

Harrison is more of a question. His performances have been uneven, but he still shows enough flashes of greatness to make it tough to bench him. Harrison ranked as WR22 in both standard and PPR scoring heading into Week 6, putting together better games in Weeks 1, 4, and 5 while struggling more in Weeks 2 and 3.

While they are middling against the pass, the Colts have been vulnerable to wide receivers in fantasy, giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to the position. A big reason for that comes from Week 4 against the Rams, whose wide receivers combined for 321 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Indianapolis can be beaten.

Harrison probably slips just a bit to the WR3/4/flex region. He's worthy of consideration for your lineup, but there's a lower ceiling here, something that could push him to the bench if you have a strong set of receivers.

The running backs take a slight hit, but no one is under anything more than flex consideration anyway. It was assumed that Emari Demercado would take the lead role, but Michael Carter dominated the backfield last week and figures to do the same here. Carter was inefficient, and he has a low ceiling and floor.

The Colts have held running backs to the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game. With their middling performance stopping the rush, that doesn't spark big confidence for a low-level player like Carter. I prefer leaving him on the bench unless you're desperate for a flex player.

What's Next?

This could be interesting. The Cardinals are 2-3 and have already lost a few heartbreakers, dropping their past three games by a combined five points. If the injuries keep piling up, and especially if Murray is out for an extended period, their playoff hopes could slip away pretty fast.

After the Colts, Arizona faces the Packers before the bye in Week 8. It's then the Cowboys, Seahawks, and 49ers out of the bye, with the Rams still to come twice. The trade deadline is on November 4, the Tuesday after Week 9. If the Cardinals lose to the Colts, Packers, and even Cowboys, would they ship off veterans on expiring contracts?

Wide receivers Greg Dortch and Zay Jones fit the bill, as do offensive linemen Kelvin Beachum and Will Hernandez. Calais Campbell signed a one-year deal, and it could be his last, so would he want to go somewhere with a chance to win if the team looks out of it?

A lost season to injury would likely see the team revamp and run back much of the same in 2026. The defense has added a lot of talent, but it's easy to see that the offense needs work, particularly another playmaker or two and offensive line help. This was a team with playoff ambitions, but that might be out the window as injuries add up.

Conclusion

The immediate future looks like it could be rough for the Cardinals, starting with Week 6 against the Colts. If Murray misses another week before the bye, they are at major risk of coming out 2-5 and staring down a lost season.

In the fantasy world, Murray's absence lowers everybody's ceiling. Brissett has proven himself a steady hand without much explosion, so the top pass catchers (Harrison and McBride) should be fine, particularly the latter. Use the running back Carter only in extreme need.

This is a pivotal stretch for Arizona, and they need Brissett and others to step up big, or it could be the end of their competitive season.