Can Marvin Harrison Jr. bounce back in Week 2 after a poor performance in his NFL debut?

Last Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals started their season on the road against the Buffalo Bills. The Cardinals had the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and they selected WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Since DeAndre Hopkins left, the Cardinals have been searching for a new WR1. They finally have someone capable of filling that role. 

However, it was a slow start for Harrison Jr. in his NFL debut. The rookie was targeted just three times and had one catch for four yards. Cardinals fans should not be worried by the slow start of Harrison Jr. There are still 16 games left this season for him to prove why he was the first WR chosen in the 2024 draft. Arizona is at home this weekend to face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.

Marvin Harrison Jr had a slow start to his NFL career in Week 1

Every Marvin Harrison Jr. Week 1 route⬇️

The average route depth (distance from the line of scrimmage that the initial cut in his route comes) for MHJ was 12.1 yards. I was worried about this.

In Week 1, he was used as a pure X receiver and vertical field stretcher. MHJ was… pic.twitter.com/FtkkIpLgqb

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 9, 2024

Coming into the NFL, everyone knew what type of player Marvin Harrison Jr. was. He was a two-time All-American in college and was dominant at Ohio State. This past Sunday, Harrison Jr. made his NFL regular season debut vs. the Buffalo Bills. The 22-year-old had one catch on three targets for four yards. Greg Dortch led the Cardinals with six catches for 47 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr. did not play well in his first game but there are still positive takeaways.

Despite his three targets, Harrison Jr. was on the field for 90% of the Cardinals’ offensive plays in Week 1. The opportunity for MHJ to have more production is undoubtedly there if he can consistently be on the field that much. There’s no reason that Harrison Jr. shouldn’t be. Of all the WRs on Arizona’s offense, Harrison Jr. is the most talented. He’s also capable of becoming a true WR1 for Kyler Murray. The fourth overall pick will need to shake off the dust from Week 1 and be prepared for the Rams this Sunday. Expect to see MHJ have more than one catch in his home debut for the Cardinals.