With Hopkins on the roster, Isabella was the fourth wide receiver behind Hopkins, Kirk, and Fitzgerald. Going into 2020, I had little to no hope for Isabella. Fitzgerald also returned for another season in 2020, making Isabella an afterthought. Then, the Cardinals traded for DeAndre Hopkins, pushing Isabella further down the target pecking order. Fitzgerald, Kirk, Johnson, Damiere Byrd, and even Pharoh Cooper had more targets than Isabella in 2019.Ĭonsidering that head coach Kliff Kingsbury handpicked Isabella in his first draft, I think Isabella’s usage let down most dynasty owners. Isabella had 21 yards/reception during his rookie season, but he made almost no impact on the Cardinals’ offense. He averaged fewer than one target/game, although he was incredibly efficient on his few touches. However, Isabella only played a limited role as a rookie.
Isabella was their first choice, though, giving him an inside track to a starting job in 2019. They also picked Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson in the same draft, giving them additional options at the receiver position. The Cardinals needed a speedy wide receiver to complement veteran Larry Fitzgerald and second-year player Christian Kirk.
Even though Massachusetts is a smaller school, Isabella received NFL attention when he caught 102 passes for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns in his senior year. Isabella played college ball at Massachusetts, an independent team in FBS. The Cardinals drafted Isabella with the 62nd overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.