Cardinals run it back with 2021 fantasy hits
Arizona hit on a pair of low-risk veteran gambles last year when they signed James Conner to a one-year prove-it deal and traded for Zach Ertz mid-season.
The organization essentially wants to not just double down on those bets but pay major resources to cement them as featured pieces. Conner signed a three-year, $21 million deal and Ertz agreed to a three-year, $31.7 million deal on Monday. Neither player truly tested the market.
Conner is now the NFL’s 11th-highest paid back on a per-year basis and Ertz is 10th at the tight end position.
It’s not as if the Cardinals were flush with cap space heading into this offseason, either. This is a sizable bet on their 2021 core.
Returning to Arizona is certainly a win for both players in fantasy. Conner won’t score touchdowns at that clip again but with Chase Edmonds gone, he should own the three-down role he held late last season for a strong offense. He’s likely to be underrated because he,…