TEMPE — Compared to other NFL wide receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr. is falling behind in the targets department.
Looking across the league, 11 NFL wideouts have at least 20 targets through two weeks of work.
Expand the number further and 43 wide receivers have had at least 13 come their way.
None of them are named Harrison.
Instead, you’ll find Arizona’s No. 4 overall pick from a year ago tied for 49th in the league with 11 targets across eight quarters.
But while it’s a far cry from his NFL Draft counterpart Malik Nabers and his league-leading 25 targets to go along with 238 yards, Harrison remains locked in on one thing: Winning.
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr.’s focus is on the 49ers and not on the “silly conversation” surrounding his target share.
“We’re 2-0. That’s the most important thing.” pic.twitter.com/d08PrlSFqN
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 17, 2025
“That’s a silly conversation really,” Harrison said of the chatter surrounding his target share through two weeks. “We’re 2-0. That’s the most important thing. We’ve got a big game this week, so that’s really my only focus.
“Anybody that’s a competitor loves the game, loves what they do. Everybody wants the ball,” he added. “They want to impact the game. But most importantly, it’s all about winning.”
Some rhyme and reason behind Marvin Harrison Jr. low target share
There is definitely a discrepancy in targets when looking at Harrison’s workload compared to others.
There are also some other things at play here.
First off, the New Orleans Saints made it a point to cloud Harrison with extra coverage in Week 1.
The wideout still managed to impact the game with 71 yards on five catches (six targets) and a touchdown even with quarterback Kyler Murray taking what the defense was giving him on underneath looks in an effort to play clean football.
Harrison also added a defensive pass interference call for 13 yards, so really that’s seven targets on the afternoon had it not been for the penalty.
He saw a similar target share in last week’s win over the Carolina Panthers, too.
Counting another DPI into his total — this one a lengthy 38-yard flag — the wideout saw six targets come his way.
But his two catches for 27 receiving yards are more glaring for his dropped pass and missed opportunity in the end zone than the balls that didn’t go his way.
“It’s always frustrating when you may not get the impact that you kind of want in the game, especially when you put in so much work. I know my process throughout the week and all the work that I put in throughout all season and leading up to the game.
“When you don’t get the results that you want to impact the game, that kind of is frustrating. But at the end of the day, you’re very happy that we’re 2-0 sitting here and got a victory.”
How games are shaking out are also a key component in Harrison’s looks so far.
As pointed out by ESPN’s Mike Clay, the Cardinals sport the game script-adjusted fourth pass-heaviest offense in the NFL but have led on 70% of their offensive snaps (third-highest in the NFL).
Arizona hasn’t had to push the envelope or put the ball in harm’s way as much with downfield looks thanks to game flow.
More competitive games, which are on the horizon, should translate to more targets for Harrison down the line.
Harrison is still a main figurehead in this offense. Seeing his target share increase as the season goes on just seems inevitable.
“Honestly, I never really look at targets as what needs to happen,” coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. “The ball’s going to go where the ball goes. I know (Harrison) has a certain number of plays that he’s the read in. (The defense) has a say, too. If they decide to play a coverage that the ball’s not going to go there, it’s not going to go there.
“With saying that, I know he needs to touch the football for our offense to be at its premium.”
Harrison not the only one needing more involvement in Arizona offense
Let’s not forget who else resides within Arizona’s offense.
Yes, Harrison must continue to get his. But he’s also not the be-all, end-all in the receiving game.
Trey McBride is coming off a career year with all signs pointing to another successful season as one of the league’s top tight ends.
For this offense to work as coordinator Drew Petzing wants it to, McBride must continue to be fed early and often.
The same goes for the running game.
Remember, this offense is built around the run game behind James Conner and a sprinkling of Trey Benson.
So far, the run game hasn’t popped like it did the past two seasons, and the San Francisco 49ers present the biggest test yet in 2025. That’s not going to stop the Cardinals from trying to establish the run early, however.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s target share ⬇️ https://t.co/CCovqUUsXC pic.twitter.com/mau3UIhfzC
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 17, 2025
“I say it every time. Do I wish all of them could get 10 targets a game? Of course,” Murray said Wednesday. “There’s only one ball. We’ve been playing this game for a long time. We all understand how it goes.
“Some days (Harrison’s) going to get 10, some days he might get three, whatever it is, and (WR Michael Wilson) might get eight. You never know, but each one of those guys are ready to make plays and do their job at a high level.”