The Cardinals headed to New Orleans with uncertain outlooks for two of their offensive starters because of injuries, but it looks like both of them will play on Sunday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN and Jeff Darlington of NFL.com both report that wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back Rashard Mendenhall are expected to be in the lineup. Fitzgerald has been bothered by a hamstring injury for the last couple of weeks and was forced out of last week’s victory over the Lions early as a result, but the expectation in Arizona has been that he’d be on the field when the game got underway once the wideout returned to practice on Friday.
Mendenhall also missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of a toe injury, but, like Fitzgerald, he was able to practice on Friday. Mendenhall has run for 126 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries through the first two weeks of the season.
The Cardinals also expect tight end Rob Housler to make his 2013 debut this Sunday after he missed the first two weeks with an ankle sprain. That leaves them with most hands on deck against a Saints defense that’s been compromised by injury.