Your Seattle Seahawks didn’t just win big against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, 31-7, they absolutely shut down one of the league’s most hyped young receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr. What’s truly wild? Harrison Jr. registered a pathetic zero-catch, one-target showing against our defense, a truly alarming display that signals his 2026 campaign is off to a disastrous start.
MHJ’s Nightmare Start Is Getting Worse
The Cardinals picked Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2024, expecting him to be a game-changing playmaker and anchor their WR1 spot for years. He showed flashes as a rookie, reeling in 62 receptions for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. But things went sideways fast. His sophomore year was a noticeable dip, with only 41 catches for 608 yards and four scores, and he even missed five games due to injuries. Now, this season is looking even rougher. Week 1 against the Chargers, he was underwhelming, catching just one of three targets for 33 yards. But Week 2, that zero-catch, one-target stat against our Seahawks? That’s not just concerning; it’s a flashing red light. He’s struggling big time to build chemistry with quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who stepped in for Kyler Murray early last season, and Harrison Jr. is currently on a far, far worse pace than he was last year.
Other Stars Stumbling Out of the Gate
It’s not just Harrison Jr. feeling the heat early in the 2026 season. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, the Washington Commanders running back, was supposed to build on a promising rookie campaign and become their feature back. As a rookie in 2025, he stacked up 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries. This year? Through two games, he’s got a pedestrian 106 yards and one touchdown on 28 totes. Most of that came in the opener against the Eagles, and by Week 2 against the Cowboys, backup Rachaad White was clearly getting phased in. NFL Network fantasy analyst Michael F. Florio noted that White has been the more effective ball carrier and has a “stranglehold on the passing down snaps,” which means Croskey-Merritt’s just a non-factor in that area, with only two catches for a combined negative-two yards this season. With quarterback Jayden Daniels out again due to an elbow injury, the Commanders are going to lean heavily on their backfield, and Croskey-Merritt needs to get efficient or he’ll keep losing snaps and carries to White.
Week 3 is right around the corner for these guys. For Harrison Jr., he’s got to find a way to connect with his QB and prove he can be the game-changer Arizona drafted, especially after getting shut down by our Hawks. For Croskey-Merritt, efficiency is the name of the game if he wants to get back to being a feature back. The early season jitters need to shake off fast, or their campaigns will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply