Arizona Cardinals 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17. In the preseason opener at State Farm Stadium, the starters went for the Cardinals, with Calais Campbell and Josh Sweat sidelined. Kyler Murray flashed in spells, but a late first-half interception drew some attention as a reminder that execution matters even in August. The win offered a number of positive takeaways as well as some caution flags, particularly around injuries and depth-chart questions as the club heads to Denver.
Several Cardinals flashed positively in each phase, while others pressed their case to push into the late-roster mix. The club also used the game to evaluate backfield and receiver options behind the starters, which should inform the next round of depth-chart decisions ahead of Week 1. The upcoming road trip to the Broncos will be another valuable datapoint as the evaluation process continues.
Injury notes surfaced—some players were dinged but nothing revealed as season-threatening. For fantasy managers, the takeaway centers on the depth pieces who could earn roles when the regular season begins, Murray’s field-rusher dynamics in limited action, and which receivers or backs step up behind the top unit. Track Sunday’s tally in Denver closely for immediate fantasy implications and late-round DFS value.
