The Arizona Cardinals likely lost running back James Conner for the forseeable future after the veteran suffered a lower-body injury in Week 3, but his absence could pave the way for Trey Benson to dominate in fantasy football. A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Benson entered the season as one of the league’s most prominent handcuffs, but can he become a reliable asset with Conner (probably) sidelined indefinitely?
Update: James Conner is out for the rest of the season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter
Trey Benson Fantasy Football Outlook After James Conner Injury
Week 3 Usage
With James Conner sidelined, Trey Benson became the unquestioned workhorse for the Arizona Cardinals. In total, the second-year pro finished the night with 10 carries for 42 yards while adding another three receptions for nine yards. This may not sound like much, but he was the only Cardinals running back outside of Conner to record a single yard. Third-string running back Emari Demercado recorded zero yards on his two carries and didn’t record a single reception.
Based on this, it’s safe to assume Benson will be the clear lead running back moving forward. Aside from Demercado, the only other running backs on the roster are Bam Knight, who hasn’t recorded a carry since 2023, and practice squad running back Michael Carter. Needless to say, Trey Benson will not receive 100% of the snaps, but he should have one of the safest workloads in fantasy football. None of the remaining players are good enough to consistently earn touches, so what could Benson do with a full workload?
Volume is king in fantasy football, and Trey Benson’s projected workload ensures he’ll at least be a reliable RB2. While this means you can put him in your lineup most weeks, he lacks the elite talent to be a true RB1 the rest of the way. Additionally, Kyler Murray doesn’t throw to the running back position too frequently, so Benson won’t have the high-value touches to raise his floor.
Of course, this assumes that the Cardinals don’t add another notable running back. While the team will likely add another depth option, what are the odds they trade for a notable player like Jerome Ford, Alvin Kamara, or Breece Hall in the wake of the James Conner injury?
Additional Competition
The free agent market has no real running back talent to talk about, as guys like Gus Edwards shouldn’t steal touches from Trey Benson. The trade market is a different story, as rebuilding organizations could sell their aging running backs to teams with postseason dreams like the 2-1 Cardinals.
As of this posting, the Arizona Cardinals have seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, one in each round. Seeing as head coach Jonathan Gannon probably needs to make the playoffs to keep his job, nobody should be surprised if he forfeits a late-round pick for someone like Ford or Kamara.
If you’re in a redraft fantasy football league, you might as well put in a claim for Trey Benson and see what happens. However, if you’re in a dynasty league, it’s probably best to wait and see what the Cardinals do. If you have Benson on your roster, see if you can sell high. Otherwise, sit tight and let this one play out.
Main Photo: Cary Edmonson – Imagn Images
