Fantasy Upside
According to NFL.com, Head coach Kliff Kingsbury seems excitable in general. But adding a player with the speed of second-round wideout Andy Isabella seems to be particularly energizing for him. The Cardinals' behind-the-scenes draft footage showed a visibly pumped Kingsbury after they drafted the UMass receiver 62nd overall. The 5-9 Isabella led the nation in receiving yards (1,698) last year, and caught everyone's eyes when he ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. But will Isabella be ready to make an immediate contribution at the professional level? According to USA Today's Doug Farrar, based on his size we may look at the diminutive speedster as a prototypical slot receiver, but there's more to his game. Specifically, Isabella knows how to use that speed down field. He caught 14 deep passes for 705 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. Per Farrar, Isabella is "more Victor Cruz than Wes Welker." That said, Isabella offers the versatility (he's a former running back) to create mismatches all over the field.
Fantasy Downside
Rookie receivers don't generally deliver superior fantasy seasons and Isabella joins a crowded field. It's also worth remembering he's playing under a first-year coach and almost certainly with a rookie quarterback in Kyler Murray.
2019 Bottom Line
The good news is that field is crowded for a reason. Kingsbury has mentioned the possibility of using five-wide sets, and if he utilizes a player with Isabella's speed inside with players like Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald outside, it could create the kind of matchups necessary to make him worthy of a late-round flier in your league.
