The Arizona Cardinals don’t have the best receiver group in the league. Yet, WR Marvin Harrison Jr. kept them steady with 34 receptions for 525 yards and 4 touchdowns. A sudden injury has forced him to miss the Week 11 game against the San Francisco 49ers. It opened the way for WR Michael Wilson to take center stage as their WR1. His plan is clear and strong.

“I think maybe the only change is there’s a little more anticipation of getting the rock a little more and knowing the ball is gonna be coming my way just because I’m gonna be the first read in a lot of plays,” Wilson told reporters on the first day of practice for Week 11. “But in terms of the way I play the game, I don’t think it changes. My job description is still the same. It’s to run fast, block, get open, catch the football, and be a good teammate. And so, yeah, not much really changes.”

While Wilson’s mindset is locked in, stepping into the WR1 role will require him to elevate a performance that, to date, has been solid but not spectacular. In 9 games, he has quietly accumulated 22 receptions for 231 yards and 1 score. While it’s not bad, Wilson hasn’t performed at the level that QB Kyler Murray hoped. Back in 2023, when the Cardinals drafted him in the 3rd round (94th overall), Murray was excited. The QB even praised his release, movements, and handling of one-on-one tackles.

However, he couldn’t match up to the talents of Marvin Harrison Jr. While the first-round pick (4th overall) of the 2024 season recorded 800+ receiving yards and 8 scores in his rookie season, Wilson has 500+ yards and a total of 7 touchdowns in his first two seasons. But the NFC West franchise still trusts him.

It’s the sole reason they have chosen him to play alongside TE Trey McBride to support QB Jacoby Brissett, who has become the starter now. Yet, fans were worried about their Ohio State talent.

No return timeline for Michael Wilson’s teammate

It was already a tough year for Marvin Harrison Jr. Earlier, he made mistakes during the week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Fans even wanted him benched. Later in the season, his father targeted the franchise for not using his son properly. The NFL legend even claimed that he failed to understand their offense. But the real shocker came after the week 10 loss.

Michael Wilson’s teammate went down with appendicitis and underwent surgery on Monday night (November 10). It was heartbreaking for the fans who needed him. His locker room, too, needs him. But the head coach, Jonathan Gannon, used this opportunity to unite his players.

He called it another day in the tough world of sports. But the coach also urged his players to remember they are here to win. While the injury affects them, they have to regroup, believe in their strengths, and push forward for victory. However, there have been plenty of problems in their wide receiver group alone.

Another teammate of Michael Wilson, WR Simi Fehoko, injured his arm in the week 10 game. They have put him on the injured reserve (IR). It means he will miss a minimum of 4 games. Another WR, Zay Jones, tore his Achilles and is out for the season. Gannon promoted WR Andre Baccellia from the practice squad to the active roster on Wednesday. They then signed former Buffalo Bills WR Jalen Virgil to the practice squad.

These moves were important. However, the game day will tell the impact of this strategy.