Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr. leads rookies in TD catches, but lacks consistency

Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. leads all rookies this season with seven touchdown catches, and yet there's still a sense that his first NFL season has been underwhelming. 

Drafted fourth overall out of Ohio State and the son of a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Harrison went to Arizona with high expectations, but has yet to find a consistent connection with quarterback Kyler Murray.

Three weeks ago, the Cardinals were 6-4 and surprise leaders atop the NFC West standings, but they've dropped three straight, with interceptions on passes intended for Harrison in each of their past two losses.

Harrison flashed big-play potential in Week 2 when he caught touchdowns of 60 and 23 yards in the first eight minutes of a 41-10 rout of the Rams, part of a four-catch, 130-yard day. But he has topped 100 yards only once since then — he had eight 100-yard games with the Buckeyes last season — and doesn't have a single catch of longer than 25 yards in the past 11 games.

Harrison's catch rate — the percentage of targeted throws that result in receptions — is just 52%, which ranks 23rd out of 27 rookies with 20-plus targets this season. He's caught more than half the passes thrown his way just three times in 13 games, so out of 96 NFL players with 50-plus targets, his catch rate ranks 91st.

This can speak to the attention opposing defenses are already giving him. Arizona's leading receiver has actually been tight end Trey McBride, who's on pace for more than 100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards. It's reasonable to think that Harrison will be closer to those numbers in his second season, while continuing to be the team's best touchdown threat in the passing game.

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