Cardinals Name Gardner Minshew Starting QB, Demote Brissett to Third String

The Arizona Cardinals have officially named Gardner Minshew II their starting quarterback, according to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports). Head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed the move Monday after Minshew led a comeback victory over the Cowboys in Week 8, completing 17-of-23 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns in his first appearance of the 2026 season.

Gardner Minshew II

Minshew is an immediate add in fantasy leagues — he put up three touchdowns on 23 attempts in a relief appearance, and he's now the locked-in starter heading into a road matchup against Seattle on Sunday. The volume is real: he's the unquestioned QB1 in Arizona's offense with LaFleur's public confirmation. Pick him up now before everyone else notices.

Jacoby Brissett

Brissett is effectively done in Arizona for fantasy purposes. He's been bumped to emergency third-string QB behind rookie Carson Beck, and LaFleur pointedly declined to say whether Brissett will still be on the roster after the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Even if he stays, he has no path to snaps unless both Minshew and Beck go down. Cut or ignore in all formats.

Carson Beck

Beck is listed as out due to injury, so the backup role is less meaningful right now than it sounds — LaFleur's quote suggests Beck is week-to-week and the team wants to manage his development carefully. He has no fantasy value while inactive, but dynasty managers should note the Cardinals are preserving him as the long-term answer behind Minshew. Keep an eye on his injury status as it updates.