Larry Fitzgerald Needs Strong Week 8 Outing to Remain Relevant Fantasy Option

Larry Fitzgerald can only get by on his name and past accolades for so long. If he can't muster a strong performance against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday, the star wide receiver will no longer belong in any fantasy football starting lineups, or roster for that matter.

It's a Catch-22 for the decorated veteran, whose 88 career touchdowns rank first among active wide receivers. He's submitted gaudy numbers for subpar clubs in the past, but the 31-year-old is on the verge of the worst season of his 11-year career as the Arizona Cardinals lead the NFC West at 5-1.

Through six games, Fitzgerald has snagged 23 catches for 283 yards and a lone touchdown. That places him No. 61 among ESPN fantasy producers at wide receiver, sharing real estate with the likes of John Brown, Travis Benjamin, Brandon Lloyd, Louis Murphy and Jerricho Cotchery.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Nobody in a 12-team league would dream of rostering, let alone starting, any of those guys. While none of them is owned in more than 3 percent of ESPN formats, Fitzgerald is still accounted for almost universally. He remains owned in 99.3 percent of the site's leagues despite failing to post more than six catches or 100 yards in a given game.

Fitzgerald isn't bothered by his individual decline, telling AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban, 

"

That was then, this is now. ...

I always keep it in perspective how fortunate and blessed not only me but everyone in this locker room is. Not getting enough targets? Where I grew up we called those ‘champagne problems.’ This is my job and I love it, but I also put it in its proper place.

"

From the Cardinals' perspective, it's great that such an established star is willing to forgo the limelight for the team's best interest. Fantasy owners, however, are primarily concerned with vacuuming stats out of their acquired assets. His propensity to share is helping his team but hurting everyone's fake squads.

Michael Floyd has collected 18.6 yards per catch, but the young receiver is not Fitzgerald's only threat vying for touches. Running back Andre Ellington has become the focal point of Bruce Arians' offense, collecting a team-high 25 receptions. 

Rookie John Brown has also seen an increasing number of passes directed his way. Pro Football Focus' Mike Clay monitored the team's distribution of targets over the past three games.

Carson Palmer returned for the last two and has played three times this season. With him under center, Brown, Floyd and Ellington have all captured more targets than Fitzgerald, who replacement Drew Stanton frequently looked for with limited results.

With those young players emerging, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller wondered if Fitzgerald is still essential to Arizona's success.

The Cardinals and fantasy managers alike will have a tough decision to make. Since fantasy is a cold-blooded game where raw data surpasses brand value, dropping Fitzgerald outright is hardly an outlandish decision, especially if Doug Baldwin or Odell Beckham Jr. is still floating around the waiver wire.

But let's be kind and give him another chance. This weekend, the Cardinals host the Philadelphia Eagles, who rank No. 23 in passing defense. Even after shutting out the New York Giants before their Week 7 bye, the Eagles present one of Fitzgerald's friendliest matchups of the 2014 campaign.

He has encountered four defenses ranked inside the top 12 in passing yards allowed this season, and the Denver Broncos fell outside the top half after meeting Philip Rivers on Thursday night. This marks the fourth straight year they'll joust, and the previous three clashes went well for Fitzgerald.

Year	Rec.	YDs	TDs	Targets
2013	5	72	1	8
2012	9	114	1	9
2011	7	146	2	13

Continuing that trend will keep the slumping receiver in fantasy owners' good graces, cementing his value as someone worth utilizing in the right matchup. As tough as that is to swallow for someone who drafted him as a No. 2 receiver, it's better than the alternative of dumping him completely.

If he comes away empty against Philadelphia on Sunday, fantasy players won't be able to trust Fitzgerald again this season.