Cardinals Betting Preview 2026: Futures Picks & Predictions for Arizona

The Arizona Cardinals are making every effort to secure the top pick in the 2026 draft. But are they still a good bet? Find out in our Arizona Cardinals betting preview, where we analyze the top odds from our top sports betting apps.

Expectations for the Arizona Cardinals in 2026 are lower than ever, as we are plummeting even further below the basement and heading straight towards the depths of the Earth’s core.

Keeping a positive outlook is a challenge when the starting quarterback may not return until halfway through the season, and DeAndre Hopkins has joined the Tennessee Titans. The team still struggles with a subpar offensive line and a running back, James Conner, who has had a lackluster career with only 4.2 yards per carry.

The Cardinals appear to be focused on securing the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft rather than succeeding in the 2026 season. Despite this goal, there are still opportunities for bettors to capitalize on their potential failures, including the possibility of their few offensive weapons making an impact in garbage time.

Explore our 2026 Arizona Cardinals betting preview, featuring odds from top NFL betting sites, in our comprehensive 2026 NFL betting guide. Pick confidence ratings range from 1 to 5 stars.

Cardinals betting preview 2026

Cardinals to win Under 4.5 games (-120 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐

The Cardinals’ win total market saw a significant shift with the news of quarterback Kyler Murray’s absence for the first four games of the regular season, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team’s decision to release Colt McCoy further added to the uncertainty, with rookie Clayton Tune potentially starting in Week 1. Several top live betting sites have adjusted their totals to 3.5 games, with the Under on 4.5 games now heavily favored. FanDuel currently offers the best price on 4.5 games at -142.

It is possible that Kyler Murray may not play in a game until late in the season, if at all. This could be a result of the Cardinals struggling without him and heading towards a downfall.

Murray tore his ACL in December 2026, but has since returned to workouts in the spring with positive progress, as reported by Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. However, the timeline for his clearance for contact remains unknown. There is a possibility that Murray may miss a substantial portion of the beginning of the season, putting the Cardinals in a tough position as losses accumulate.

Regardless of your opinion on his contract and performance, Murray signed a lucrative five-year extension in 2026 worth $230.5 million, with $103 million guaranteed at signing. It would not make sense to rush such a valuable asset back from injury only to risk further damage in a disappointing season.

As a result, it is probable that he will be sidelined for an extended period of time, resulting in a rotation of Colt McCoy, Jeff Driskel, and rookie Clayton Tune taking turns as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals in 2026. Additionally, McCoy is currently recovering from an injury of his own. The team will have to rely on an offensive line that struggled, ranking 23rd in sacks allowed during the 2026 season, and will have limited offensive weapons beyond Marquise Brown.

Advancing the ball in order to achieve the necessary comebacks for victory will be a difficult task. In 2026, the Cardinals ranked last in the league with an average of six yards per attempt, even with Murray playing for 11 games.

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Cardinals to finish with the worst record (+220 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Cardinals are the clear frontrunners to end the season with the worst offensive performance. They are the only team with NFL worst record odds of +300 or lower at the top sports betting sites. The Texans are the next closest team, with odds as long as +1000. The Cardinals are also heavily favored to be the lowest-scoring team, with odds of +650, followed by the Texans at +1000.

McCoy is a reliable short-term injury replacement option, having excelled in that role throughout his career. However, expecting a journeyman quarterback approaching 37 years old to do much more than fill in temporarily is setting the offense up for failure. McCoy struggled to move the ball effectively, averaging just 5.9 yards per attempt in his four starts for the Cardinals in 2026.

While there is hope for Tune’s potential, counting on a fifth-round rookie to lead an offense could lead to a quick downfall. Still, as Scott Justin pointed out, Tune has a chance to surprise as the rookie passing yards leader thanks to the Cardinals’ favorable passing game situations.

At the same time, there were minimal efforts made to make substantial improvements to a defense that ranked second to last and gave up an average of 26.4 points per game in 2026.

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Cardinals to be the last winless team (+400 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Finding victories on the Cardinals’ schedule requires creativity and a keen eye, especially in the early part of the season.

The Cardinals will be challenged by the upgraded Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens in the first two months of the season. The only slightly easier matchups are a home game against the New York Giants in Week 2 and a road game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6.

Despite the Rams’ capabilities, the Giants are still considered more talented and are likely to stay ahead of the Cardinals in the division.

James Conner Over 5.5 rushing touchdowns (-130 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Cardinals are capable of scoring touchdowns on occasion. They will rely on their powerful short-yardage runner, as they have done in the past.

Conner may not possess straight-line speed or the ability to create his own space, but the 6-foot-1, 235-pound running back excels at moving bodies in close quarters.

In 2026, he found the end zone seven times in just 13 games, following a season where he scored 15 touchdowns to tie for second place despite a lackluster rushing performance overall (752 yards on a disappointing 3.7 yards per carry). Conner was given 50.9% of the team’s carries inside the 10-yard line in 2021 and 44.1% in 2026.

Marquise Brown Over 800.5 receiving yards (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one is predominantly fueled by meaningless plays during garbage time.

Despite missing significant time, Brown still managed to finish close to this mark in 2026 with 709 yards over 10 games. The Cardinals’ quarterback situation may not be the most exciting to watch, but it won’t matter much against weaker defenses that allow chunk yardage underneath while the opposing team is ahead by multiple scores late in the game.

Hollywood Brown thrives in his role as a short-to-intermediate receiver, feeling right at home while compiling yardage. In the 2021 season with the Baltimore Ravens, he hauled in 91 catches for a total of 1,008 yards, averaging 11.1 yards per reception.

NFL betting preview

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