During a season in which the Arizona Cardinals struggled in most areas while stumbling to a 4-13 record, the team was among the league’s best on the ground, finishing fourth in rushing (139.1 yards per game) and second in yards per carry (5.0). The presence of athletic QBs Kyler Murray and Joshua Dobbs (now with the San Francisco 49ers) helped, but it’s still encouraging that they accomplished that with few names you’d recognize beyond running back James Conner.
How much of a team effort was it? Consider this: Conner rushed for 1,040 yards last season, but nobody else on the Cardinals reached the 300-yard mark. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that Arizona used a third-round pick on RB Trey Benson to raise the talent level in the running back room. He’ll team with Conner atop the depth chart while holdovers Emari Demercado and Michael Carter try to lock down the No. 3 spot. Here’s a look at where Arizona’s backfield stands heading into the new season.
James Conner
A tough, physical runner, Conner enjoyed his most productive season as a professional in 2023, at least in terms of yardage, topping 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. Averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per carry was well above the 4.2 YPC he posted over his first six years. His usage as a pass catcher slipped markedly, though, with 27 receptions being his lowest output since his rookie year. He scored nine times — that is a respectable number, but after scoring 18 touchdowns in 2021, Conner has combined for 17 scores the past two seasons.
Of course, the lead story with Conner for fantasy owners is health. In seven NFL campaigns, the Pitt alum has never played in every game, and he has missed four contests in back-to-back years. He turned 29 during the offseason, which doesn’t portend improved durability moving forward.
Trey Benson
The second running back selected in this year’s draft, Benson has good size (6-foot, 216 pounds), ample power, and speed to burn. Despite his talent, Florida State didn’t lean heavily on Benson, which should be a positive both for his familiarity with a committee approach and for his conditioning. Of course, that’s only true while Conner is healthy, and it begs the question as to how much upside Benson really holds if the Cardinals view him as someone whose snaps need to be monitored.
Beyond his home-run ability, the rookie also is a capable receiver, though, once again, there is a question as to how that fits with Arizona’s offensive approach. For reference, Conner’s 27 catches led all backs but that tied with TE Zach Ertz, who played in only seven games, for fifth on the club. Benson has drawn some comparisons to running back Melvin Gordon, which demonstrates the kind of upside he possesses.
Michael Carter and Emari Demercado
Carter, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Jets last November, and Demercado figure to battle it out for the final running back spot. Although he did little after joining Arizona, Carter averaged 827 yards and 3.5 TDs in his first two seasons, which is solid production. After making the club as an undrafted free agent, Demercado accounted for 403 total yards and a pair of scores last year. Most of that came when Conner was sidelined, and the team used him sparingly when their lead back was healthy.
Fantasy football outlook
In three seasons with the Cardinals, Conner has averaged 858 yards rushing, 280 yards receiving, and 12 TDs per year. That’s genuine RB2 production despite missing 10 games. Yes, there are concerns about his age, injury history, a healthy Kyler Murray stealing opportunities, and the arrival of another legitimate option with Benson, but Conner still figures to be the lead back. That should be enough for him to remain a top-25 fantasy RB this year.
Benson, on the other hand, is much more of an unknown. He has the skills and physical credentials to make an immediate impact for the Cardinals. What we don’t know is how quickly he’ll gain their trust, how many touches they feel comfortable giving him, and whether he’ll truly be used as the lead back if/when Conner misses time. Benson is an RB4/RB5 with upside.
Although Demercado flashed in limited usage and Carter had a couple decent seasons in Gotham, neither man warrants serious consideration for a roster spot.
