Through two weeks of NFL football, there have been a great deal of surprises in both the league and in fantasy. Out west, it’s the Arizona Cardinals who are 2-0 and not the Seattle Seahawks. Despite being one of the most balanced teams in football, the Cardinals have always played second fiddle to the Seahawks. However, this year looks to be different, as Arizona has gotten off to a hot start. One of the main reasons why has been the play of Carson Palmer.

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While Palmer hasn’t gone up against the defenses in the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears, something has to be said about how well Palmer has played. Through two games, the veteran quarterback has completed over 64% of his passes. He’s thrown for just under 500 yards and he’s tacked on seven touchdowns compared to just one interception.

Palmer’s hot start poses the question, “can he keep it up for the whole season?”… Let’s dive into that.

In terms of talent, the Cardinals do not have that receiver like an Antonio Brown or a Calvin Johnson (Larry Fitzgerald was at one point in his career and John Brown looks to be on the way), but they do have excellent weapons that fit perfectly in Bruce Arians’ scheme. With a running game consisting of a trio of Andre Ellington, Chris Johnson, and David Johnson once Ellington returns to health, the Cardinals are able to do a variety of things. Arians is without a doubt one of the best minds in football and it’s been clear over the past two and a half years while he’s steered a steady ship despite horrible QB turmoil in the desert.

In the receiving game, guys like John Brown, Jaron Brown, Troy Niklas, and even Darren Fells are little-known names to some (John Brown is certainly an old favorite of RW Nation), and through two games, their impact has been huge. The Cardinals have two big receivers on the outside in future Hall-of-Famer Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. When you mix that big duo with slot guys like the two Brown’s, it’s easy to see why Palmer has gotten off to a great start.

Lastly, Arizona’s defense is perennially one of the best in football and when it’s playing at the top of its game, that makes it easier for Palmer to put up more points, as he gets more chances on offense. Obviously, Palmer isn’t in the elite category like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady are, but he’s been a beast and it doesn’t look to be stopping any time soon barring injury. In terms of value, there is not a better 2015 “find” in all of fantasy football thus far than Palmer.