Rondale Moore managers have been patiently waiting for a consistent call to action from the rookie wide receiver. Moore had a faux-breakout game in Week 2 against the Vikings but has scored double-digit fantasy points in only one game in the past six weeks.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are slowly developing Moore behind veteran wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, and A.J. Green. All three rank inside the top 40 wide receivers in PPG and have enjoyed stellar years due to Kyler Murray’s outstanding early-season dominance.
The rookie appears to be the odd-man-out on most nights but I guarantee that trend will not continue forever. Let’s look at Rondale Moore’s path to rising the ranks of the Cardinals depth chart and why I feel he is a priority buy in all dynasty leagues.
Athletic Profile
(Rondale Moore did not attend the 2021 NFL Combine)
Weighing in at 5’7” and 187lbs, there is no denying that Moore is historically undersized for an NFL athlete. What Moore lacks in size, however, he more than makes up for in athleticism.
Moore ran a 4.32/40-yard dash at his Pro Day for Purdue. The versatile multi-tool threat was highly touted as a supreme athlete before the 2021 NFL Draft. Moore is the only player in the history of the NFL Combine era with under a 4.4/40, over 20 reps on the 225lb bench press, and over a 40” vertical leap (Moore’s vertical is 42.5). Moore’s trifecta of strength, speed, and agility make him a stand-alone athlete, even at the NFL level.
Moore’s athletic scores on PlayerProfiler echo the praise received in his draft profile. Moore ranks above the 90th percentile in 40-yard dash times, as well as burst and agility. Despite being 5’7”, Moore’s catch radius ranks well above average, listed in the 73rd percentile of receivers. If you’ve ever watched Moore with the ball in his hands, you can see the effortless transitions of speed and direction.
PFF has the outstanding playmaker most closely comparable to former Panthers legend, Steve Smith Sr. Our BRoto Fantasy Football player comps have Moore’s profile compared to the likes of elite deep-threats Brandin Cooks and Tyler Lockett. I believe Moore to be a unique blend of all three—he possesses a different level of playmaking ability than any of the previously mentioned stars.
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Past Production/Collegiate Career
Rondale Moore has been collecting accolades well before he was on anyone’s fantasy radar. As a 17-year-old senior out of Trinity High School in Kentucky, Moore set state receiving records in all major categories on his way to being named the Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year. He would go on to receive scholarships from more than 30 major Division I schools as a four-star recruit, according to PFF. Moore committed to a scholarship with the Purdue Boilermakers and would waste no time setting the collegiate football world on fire.
In his first game with the program, Moore set a record with 313 all-purpose yards. Moore continued his breakout as a true freshman, as he finished his first year with 2,215 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns. He recorded 1,258 receiving yards, 744 special team yards, and 213 rushing yards, averaging a stunning 10.1 yards per carry on just 21 attempts. He would be awarded the Big Ten freshman of the week honors a total of four times throughout the season, more than any other eligible player. Moore was also voted to the first-team All-American squad.
At the end of the 2018 college football season, Moore was awarded the Paul Hornung Award for his outstanding play as the most versatile offensive player in the nation. Previous winners of the coveted award have been star NFL talents such as Odell Beckham Jr., Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley.
Unfortunately, Moore would play in just seven games in his next two seasons at Purdue. A litany of hamstring and other unspecified “lower-body” injuries kept Moore from building on his tremendous freshman campaign. Nevertheless, Moore’s stunning breakout at 18 years of age slots him into the 99th percentile of breakout prospects recorded by PlayerProfiler.
In-Season Production
2021 Splits: 34 REC/40 TGT/352 YDS/1 TD - 11 RSH/61 YDS/0 TD
The developmental process of Moore has left much to be desired from a production standpoint. Moore is averaging 8.5 PPR points per game in 2021, ranked 66th amongst wide receivers. He is likely being dropped from rosters in season-long formats. In dynasty leagues, however, Moore is a priority buy-now player.
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Moore ranks in the top twelve receivers in yards after the catch, despite participating in only 50.2% of the Cardinals passing plays and earning only 39 targets this year. Moore also Ranks 12th overall with 216 yards after the catch and is top-30 in yards per route run, averaging 2.16 yards on 163 routes.
On the fantasy football by BRoto app, you can see exclusive metrics such as yards after the catch over expected (YACOE). In the eight games played with Kyler under center this season, Moore ranked 4th in the NFL with 2.2 YACOE/REC. Once Moore’s usage meets the levels of his veteran counterparts, his fantasy production will skyrocket.
Managers contending for a dynasty league title this season may already be frustrated with Moore’s lack of consistent usage and output. Whether you are contending or rebuilding, I would send out offers in your leagues to further gauge how managers feel about the rookies' inconsistencies. As I mentioned above, it is only a matter of time before the usage balances out with Moore’s incredible efficiency.
The absence of A.J. Green in the Cardinals’ upcoming matchups may close the opportunity to buy Moore at a discount. With Kyler Murray dealing with a medial ankle sprain, however, the entire Cardinals offense could see a dip in production.
Future with the Franchise
Moore is buried on the Cardinals' depth chart for the immediate future. Encouragingly, that will not be the case past the 2021 season.
Christian Kirk is in the last year of his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022. The Cardinals have yet to offer Kyler Murray a contract extension and will need to free up as much cap space as possible to keep their franchise star. Kirk is unlikely to be re-signed after this season unless he is willing to take a team-friendly discount.
A.J. Green’s contract was negotiated at a reduced cost by the Cardinals this offseason. Green is being paid just 1.25 million dollars and has no future guarantees with the franchise. If Green is willing to stick around on a minimum salary, the Cardinals may wish to extend him for one more season. Green is enjoying a resurgence to his NFL career this season but at 33 years old, he won’t be able to continue this production level for much longer.
DeAndre Hopkins is the only receiver on the roster that is guaranteed on the roster next season. Hopkins signed a massive contract extension with the Cardinals that will keep him on the roster through 2024. The team does have a potential out in 2023 but would eat a vast 15.5 million dollar dead cap hit should they decide to cut Hopkins.
We can even look past the WR position, as I believe Moore may be in for some increased backfield work a la his days at Purdue. James Conner and Chase Edmonds are both on one-year deals, with the running back duo entering free agency at the end of the season. Edmonds suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 9 against the 49ers and is expected to miss multiple weeks, further complicating his future with the franchise and opening up an opportunity for increased touches for Moore.
Eno Benjamin is the only running back on the roster with a contract that extends past 2021. Again, if the Cardinals wish to re-sign Kyler to an extension, they will have to be frugal with how they allocate their money in contract negotiations this offseason.
Kyler reportedly personally requested the organization to draft Moore and even sent the scouting staff videos of Moore running deep routes at Purdue. Moore is undoubtedly a part of the organization’s plans as a Super Bowl contender in the Kyler-led era. Do not let Moore's in-season splits or usage deter you from acquiring a talented young athlete with a guaranteed path to future production.
Go acquire Rondale Moore.
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By Matt Ward
Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff. Please follow me on LinkTree to stay up to date on all of my content: @PsychWardFF. You can also find my other works as the Lead Writer for BRoto Fantasy Football and a Staff Writer for Dynasty Football Factory.
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