Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) is officially listed as questionable ahead of the Week 15 matchup against the Houston Texans. Demercado is in danger of missing his fourth straight game due to a high-ankle sprain he suffered in Week 11. He has managed to get in limited practice sessions, but we'll see if that's enough to clear him for this game. If he sits out, Bam Knight and Michael Carter should continue splitting up the reps in the backfield in a bad matchup against the top defense in the NFL. Between the two, Knight is the better streaming choice for Week 15. Knight has scored a touchdown in three of his last four games, and his dual-threat ability should give him flex value for this weekend, assuming Demercado remains sidelined. If Demercado is active, he'll likely play a limited role as a pass-catcher for Arizona.
Dec 12, 2025 6:47 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) remained limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday. Demercado is working his way back from a three-game absence, and it looks like there's at least a chance that he could suit up against the Houston Texans on Sunday in Week 15. The 26-year-old was solid when healthy, amassing 182 scrimmage yards and playing more than 40% of the offensive snaps over his last two healthy games. Friday's practice will provide more clarity on his status for Week 15. Even if he does play, though, he'll have to compete for touches with Michael Carter and Bam Knight. For now, Demercado isn't a dependable running back or flex option in the fantasy football playoffs.
Dec 11, 2025 10:12 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) was listed as limited in the team's practice on Wednesday, according to Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic. Demercado has missed the last three games due to a high-ankle sprain, but if he can upgrade to a full practice on Thursday or Friday, he should have a good chance to return this weekend when the team takes on the Houston Texans. The 26-year-old could be worth a pickup in deep PPR leagues for fantasy managers who still have something left to play for now that it's official that Trey Benson (knee) will not return in 2025. Demercado has only 31 carries in nine games this year, but he's averaging 7.8 yards per carry and has caught eight passes for 64 yards. If he misses a fourth straight game, it will be Bam Knight and Michael Carter once again splitting Arizona's backfield touches in a pass-heavy attack led by veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Dec 10, 2025 5:54 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. There was some hope that Demercado would return this weekend after getting in two limited practice sessions. Unfortunately, Demercado sat out of Friday's practice and will be held out for a third straight game due to an ankle sprain. His absence has opened up more playing time for both Bam Knight and Michael Carter, with Trey Benson (knee) still on Injured Reserve. Between the two, Knight is the better streaming choice for Sunday's slate in a tough matchup against L.A. Knight has found the end zone in three straight games. The 24-year-old should be considered a solid low-upside flex play against the Rams. Demerado has a limited path to fantasy relevance in PPR leagues the rest of the way, but only if Benson stays on IR.
Dec 5, 2025 6:18 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) returned to practice on Wednesday, according to Dani Sureck of AZCardinals.com. Demercado missed the past two games due to a high-ankle sprain, but he is trending in the right direction to suit up in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams. With Trey Benson (knee) still on Injured Reserve and seemingly not making much progress after missing Wednesday's practice, Demercado could have a key role if he his able to return on Sunday. Bam Knight and Michael Carter have split the backfield duties in his absence, but Demercado has been their most dynamic back, averaging 7.8 yards per tote on 31 carries this season. We should know more about Demercado's status for Sunday in the next two days.
Dec 3, 2025 2:36 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) has been ruled out for his team's Week 13 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per Darren Urban of azcardinals.com. Week 13 will mark Demercado's second straight missed game due to an ankle injury. With Demercado and Trey Benson (knee) remaining out in Week 13, the Cardinals' backfield remains wide open. Bam Knight (knee) has been the team's lead back in recent weeks, but he's listed as questionable to play himself due to a knee injury. If Knight is out or limited, Michael Carter could take over the lead role in the Arizona backfield. Jermar Jefferson could also see some work in Arizona after being active for the first time in 2025 in Week 12.
Nov 28, 2025 4:00 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) has been ruled out for the Week 12 contest this Sunday against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Jonathan Gannon said. Demercado suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 11 and will sit out this weekend. Given the nature of the 26-year-old's injury, there's a good chance he'll miss another game in Week 13 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, too. Meanwhile, Trey Benson (knee) is having his 21-day practice window opened this week, so he's nearing a return for the first time since injuring his knee in Week 4. When Demercado gets over his ankle injury, he just might be the No. 4 RB on Arizona's depth chart, so he's certainly not worth stashing in 12-team fantasy leagues. With Demercado out this week and Benson probably not ready to return yet, Bam Knight could get one more week as the RB1, with Michael Carter working on passing downs.
Nov 19, 2025 12:24 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday's 41-22 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and is considered unlikely to play in Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Demercado left the game in the second quarter after recording five carries for eight yards and two catches (three targets) for 12 tards. The injury comes at an unfortunate time for the 26-year-old as he was beginning to establish himself as the preferred option in Arizona's backfield, but he will now be sidelined for at least one week and possibly longer as ankle injuries tend to linger. Bam Knight handled most of the backfield duties in his absence and would be expected to take on an even larger role if Trey Benson (knee) is still unable to return in Week 12.
Nov 18, 2025 10:02 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) exited during the second quarter of Sunday's Week 11 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. He is officially listed as questionable to return. At the time of his departure, he had eight rushing yards on five carries, plus two catches for an additional 12 receiving yards. Demercado had been sharing reps as part of the Cardinals' backfield committee, so Bam Knight should take over as the primary running back for the duration of his absence. Michael Carter also figures to earn some touches.
Nov 16, 2025 5:18 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado continues to operate out of a backfield committee, but he still has appeal as an RB3/flex in most fantasy leagues. Demercado and Bam Knight have been the primary options out of the backfield in Arizona, while Michael Carter also gets occasionally involved. While Knight has typically handled more volume, Demercado has looked better in most games, including last week when he had four carries, 64 rushing yards, three catches, and 40 receiving yards. He's averaging 10.8 fantasy points (PPR) in every game where he has played at least one-third of the offensive snaps. He also owns an impressive average of 8.96 YPC, which is similar to his 9.29 YPC from last year. Fantasy managers should deploy Demercado as an RB3/flex, but they should also be aware that he has a low floor if he handles a smaller workload than usual.
Nov 15, 2025 11:11 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado could see an increased workload heading into the team's Week 11 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. With Bam Knight (ankle) a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Demercado may build on his career-best performance last week, where he picked up 104 yards from scrimmage on just seven touches. The 26-year-old back is likely to see heavy usage moving forward, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett poised to get the ball out quickly to his playmakers.
Nov 12, 2025 11:11 PM EST
Despite increased involvement in the Arizona Cardinals' backfield of late, running back Emari Demercado is listed as the No. 2 RB behind Bam Knight heading into the team's Week 11 divisional clash with the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. Knight made the start in Sunday's blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks and led the backfield with 10 carries before leaving late in the game with an ankle injury. Knight's ankle injury doesn't seem to be serious enough to keep him from playing this weekend, which makes the 26-year-old Demercado less attractive as a potential DFS sleeper against San Fran. Trying to predict Arizona's backfield since Trey Benson's knee injury has been a headache for fantasy managers, although as long as he stays healthy, Knight appears to be the guy in more of a committee approach. Dermercado had a season-high 14 carries for 79 yards on Nov. 3 against the Cowboys, but he handled only eight touches in Week 10, going for 67 scrimmage yards. It's hard to recommend any Cardinals RB in fantasy as anything more than a desperation RB3/flex until Benson returns from IR.
Nov 11, 2025 5:13 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado had only seven total touches in Sunday's blowout loss to the Seahawks. Still, he was able to salvage a respectable fantasy performance on the back of two big plays, a 55-yard fourth-quarter rush, and a 34-yard catch and run on a first-half dumpoff. He finished the day with 104 yards and looked like the Cardinals' most explosive back for the second straight week. Unfortunately, he still finds himself in a near 50/50 time share with Bam Knight, making him little more than a desperation flex play until Trey Benson (knee) returns from the knee injury that has now cost him five games. The Cardinals face the 49ers in Week 11, an above-average matchup for running backs, and Demercado represents a high-risk/moderate-reward on this week's waiver wire.
Nov 10, 2025 2:38 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado posted his best performance of the season during last week's win over the Dallas Cowboys. Demercado saw a season-high 14 carries for 79 yards in the Week 9 victory. Before that, Demercado saw only a few carries in the backfield, but figures to have earned a larger role in the backfield. It's worth noting the Cardinals are operating a three-back committee with Michael Carter and Bam Knight involved as well. It seems like the team is intent on going with the hot hand in the backfield, which is Demercado right now. Fantasy managers in desperate need of help for Week 10 might want to consider Demercado as a possible flex option.
Nov 9, 2025 7:33 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado led the team in rushing in their Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys, handling 14 carries for 79 yards. Demercado's role for Week 10, however, is still uncertain after head coach Jonathan Gannon has provided no insight whatsoever into their plans for how they will manage the backfield on Sunday in Seattle. Arizona's backfield has been a nightmare for fantasy managers to figure out recently, but Demercado provides some element of explosiveness and big-play ability that Bam Knight and Michael Carter don't offer. Knight has maintained the slight upper hand on snaps in recent weeks, while Carter has slid to the RB3 role. Demercado has the most juice as a receiver out of the backfield, which is an area that Seattle has struggled with this season, allowing the second-most receptions (48) to opposing running backs. It's tough to know for certain, but Knight and Demercado project to split most of the touches on Sunday, with Knight on early downs and Demercado on pass downs.
Nov 8, 2025 1:27 PM EST
When asked about how the team's backfield split will look in Sunday's road tilt with the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon declined to give clear insight. "Similar but not the same," said Gannon. "Maybe a little bit different." It was also noted that he and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing have not discussed which running back will be out there to start the game. Emari Demercado led the team in carries (14) and yards (79) in Week 9. However, it's worth noting that Bam Knight led the duo in snaps (38-27) and was handily out-produced (9/27). As it stands, Gannon could deploy a hot-hand approach, leaving fantasy managers stuck guessing between the two. For what it's worth, Knight has been the snap-leader since teammate Trey Benson (knee) went down with injury. Hopefully, Week 10's clash with Seattle yields further understanding of the situation.
Nov 7, 2025 11:57 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado had a strong performance in a 27-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, rushing for a team-high 79 yards on 14 carries. Demercado ran well against a poor Dallas run defense, and with uncertainty in regards to Trey Benson's (knee) return, the Cardinals could ride the hot hand with Demercado as the back to receive the most touches in their Week 10 matchup against the division-leading Seattle Seahawks. The Arizona backfield has been a messy one to figure out for fantasy managers, and it will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future. Seattle is a tough matchup, but Demercado has value as a flex play.
Nov 6, 2025 12:56 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado led his team in both carries (14) and rushing yards (79) in their 27-17 Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Week 9 was Demercado's highest-usage game of the season by far, as he had not recorded more than four touches in any game leading into the week. Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) is eligible to return from Injured Reserve for the team's Week 10 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Still, there's no guarantee that Benson will be ready, or that he'll be able to handle a full workload even if he's active for the game. If Benson is compromised or remains out, Demercado could be the team's lead back for a second straight week. Seattle is a very tough matchup for running backs, but Demercado is still deserving of a waiver-wire look from fantasy managers.
Nov 4, 2025 11:25 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) doesn't carry an injury designation into Monday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Demercado was limited through the first two practices of the week. However, Demercado was able to get through a full session on Saturday. After that, Demercado was cleared to suit up for Monday's Week 9 matchup in Dallas. The 26-year-old is currently stuck in the middle of a committee in the backfield. In Week 5, Demercado only touched the ball three times, but he rushed for 81 yards. Sadly, Demercado isn't touching the ball enough right now to warrant starting in any formats.
Nov 1, 2025 6:17 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 7 this Sunday against the visiting Green Bay Packers, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Demercado suffered an ankle injury in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts and was unable to practice all week. The 26-year-old will now have next week's bye to heal up before potentially returning for a Week 9 contest versus the Dallas Cowboys. Demercado was a popular waiver-wire addition when Trey Benson (knee) suffered a knee injury in Week 4, but it was Michael Carter, not Demercado, who took over the majority of backfield work for the Cardinals. Arizona then went to Bam Knight as their primary backfield option in Week 6, with Carter taking on most of the pass-catching duties. Expect that to continue against Green Bay, with D'Ernest Johnson or Jermar Jefferson serving in the RB3 role with Demercado out.
Oct 17, 2025 1:11 PM EST
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