Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus, another setback for a backfield already reeling from the season-ending loss of James Conner (foot). Benson had been working into a steady role with 29 carries for 160 yards and 13 receptions for 64 yards through four games, but his absence now opens the door for Emari Demercado to take on feature-back responsibilities. Demercado should be added in all fantasy formats as he projects to see the bulk of opportunities in both the running and passing game, especially with Arizona lacking proven depth behind him. While Benson showed flashes of efficiency early, his return timetable places him on injured reserve and makes him droppable unless you have an IR spot available.
Oct 1, 2025 2:19 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) is being placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday with a knee injury that he suffered in last Thursday night's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Cardinals are expecting Benson to play again this year, but he will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. It's another major blow to Arizona's backfield after they already lost James Conner (Achilles) for the season. The earliest that Benson can return is Week 10 against the Seahawks -- the Cardinals have a bye in Week 8. In the meantime, Emari Demercado will become Arizona's No. 1 backfield option, making him a priority addition off your league's waiver wire if he's available. Michael Carter will also see an expanded role as the team's RB2 and is worth a look in deeper leagues for RB depth. Benson should be stashed in an IR spot if you have him rostered.
Oct 1, 2025 1:08 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) "banged his knee" during the team's Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and Benson's status for Week 5 is "now in question," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Benson recorded 54 yards from scrimmage on 13 total touches in Week 4, which was the team's first full game since veteran running back James Conner (ankle) was lost for the season with an ankle injury. Third-year back Emari Demercado was Arizona's RB2 in Week 4, recording 21 yards from scrimmage and a receiving touchdown on four total touches. If Benson misses the Cardinals' Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, backfield touches would likely be split between Demercado and running back Michael Carter. Carter has just one carry so far in 2025, but he rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries across three games (one start) with Arizona in 2024.
Oct 1, 2025 11:20 AM EST
When asked specifically about running back Trey Benson (undisclosed), Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon called him "day-to-day" on Monday and noted that there will be more when the first injury report of the week comes out on Wednesday, according to Howard Balzer of Cards Wire. Benson apparently picked up an injury in last Thursday night's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but it's unclear whether it will put his status in the air for Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. The good news is that Arizona has extra time off since its last game. The 23-year-old disappointed in Week 4 in his first game as the lead back following James Conner's (ankle) season-ending injury, as he rushed for only 35 yards on eight carries and caught five passes for 19 yards. Benson will be a must-start against the winless Titans if he's active this week. If his injury is serious enough to keep him out, Emari Demercado would become the Cardinals' top backfield option.
Sep 29, 2025 6:53 PM EST
Theo Mackie, beat writer for the Arizona Cardinals, reports that head coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned the following about the run game: "We have to run the ball better. It's just not where it needs to be at the moment. And that's a part that, going into the year, you'd think that you'd be able to run it a little bit better." Cardinals running backs are currently averaging exactly 4.0 YPC on the season. Operating as the team's clear back, Trey Benson rushed eight times for 35 yards and hauled in all five targets for 19 yards in the Cardinals' 23-20 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night. Regardless of Benson's final line, it was encouraging to see Benson involved in the pass game and earning eight out of the 11 running back carries on the evening. The main issue for the Cardinals on Thursday was their inability to sustain drives. The Cardinals experienced multiple three-and-outs in the first half and third quarter. Once they fell behind by a few scores in the second half, the game flow dictated a more pass-happy game script, which led to Emari Demercado receiving more playing time. There should be better days ahead for Benson; he still had a good share of the opportunities out of the backfield. Fantasy managers should view him as a lower-end RB2 moving forward.
Sep 26, 2025 9:20 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson will be thrown into the starting spot after a very unfortunate injury to James Conner (ankle) in Week 3. They already started to split more of the touches through three weeks than they did all last season, so this starting opportunity shouldn't be as much of a "shock to the system." In PPR formats, Benson averaged around 8.3 fantasy points per game through three weeks, which put him at RB34. He was quite efficient with the smaller workload, registering 6.0 yards per attempt. He even received 11 targets compared to six targets all of last year. The tough part is that the Seattle Seahawks are currently ranked as the seventh-toughest defense against the run and have given up the second-fewest points of any defense in the league. Benson's ceiling right now is a mid-level RB2, especially in PPR leagues.
Sep 25, 2025 9:27 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said he is fully confident in second-year running back Trey Benson's ability to take on a bigger workload with veteran back James Conner (ankle) sidelined for the remainder of 2025. Benson appears to be in line to handle the vast majority of backfield touches in Arizona, at least in the immediate future. The 23-year-old has recorded 170 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches through his first three games of 2025. In any fantasy league where Benson is not already rostered, he should be the number one priority add on the waiver wire heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Sep 23, 2025 11:17 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson should be in line for a significant workload increase after the unfortunate news that veteran Cardinals back James Conner (ankle) will miss the remainder of 2025 due to an ankle injury. Benson has logged 21 carries for 125 yards and eight receptions for 45 yards through the first three games of the season. He may not play a true three-down role, as Arizona mixed in running back Emari Demercado on passing downs after Conner went down in Week 3. Still, Benson should dominate touches in the Arizona backfield and is the priority waiver-wire addition in all fantasy leagues where he remains available.
Sep 22, 2025 10:32 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson continues to see more opportunities so far this season, but his fantasy relevance hasn't hit a startable point just yet. In Week 1, he saw 33% of the offensive snaps and then received 44% in Week 2. He finished right around the middle of RB3 territory in PPR formats for both weeks, so his production hasn't warranted being in fantasy lineups yet. Despite getting only three carries against the Carolina Panthers, he also saw six targets for a 24% target share. His playing trend is one to watch as the season goes on, but he's better left on the bench going up against the San Francisco 49ers' defense while on the road.
Sep 19, 2025 10:01 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson had eight carries for 69 yards in the Week 1 win over the Saints. He added one catch for six yards. While the 23-year-old didn't find the end zone, he still played well, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Of course, James Conner was involved, logging 43 snaps, 21 more than Benson. Still, it was apparent that Benson had a place in the offense, even more than some had anticipated. With the Cards coming off a win, the team will look to keep it going in Week 2 versus the Panthers. Without question, Carolina had issues stopping the Jags on the ground, with Travis Etienne ending the day with 143 yards off 16 attempts. Conner should remain the No. 1 option out of the backfield in Sunday's showdown with the Panthers. However, Benson will likely get plenty of work, especially if the game gets out of hand. With a favorable matchup on the horizon, the 2024 No. 66 overall pick can be viewed as a flex option in deeper fantasy formats.
Sep 12, 2025 11:13 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner unsurprisingly led the team's backfield in their Week 1 win over the New Orleans Saints with 12 carries, but he averaged only 3.3 yards per carry for 39 total rushing yards. Meanwhile, backup Trey Benson handled eight carries for 69 yards -- 75 percent of his production came on one run -- and also caught his only target for a six-yard pickup. If Week 1 was any indication, the backfield split in Arizona could be more even than most fantasy managers expected going into the year, which is reason enough to pick Benson up off the waiver wire. The 23-year-old back is currently only rostered in 39 percent of Yahoo leagues, making him a prime waiver-wire priority for those that are already looking at a thin RB situation. Benson and the Cardinals also have a juicy Week 2 matchup against a bad Carolina Panthers defense.
Sep 9, 2025 12:34 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson produced a very forgettable rookie season in 2024. He registered a total of 69 touches (63 carries, six receptions), 350 yards from scrimmage, one rushing touchdown, and one fumble. The Cardinals hope he eventually becomes the successor to James Conner, but the veteran set career highs in yards and carries last year while Benson gave up touches to Emari Demercado and Michael Carter. During training camp and preseason, the team did talk about getting Benson more involved, but his upside currently revolves around whether or not Conner can stay healthy. In 12-team leagues, it's better to avoid Benson in Week 1 until we see how their game plan shakes out.
Sep 6, 2025 10:19 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson received the most carries out of the backfield in the team's 20-17 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The second-year back out of Florida State finished with nine carries for 29 yards and one catch for 20 yards on his lone target. The efficiency on the ground wasn't particularly shining through this game, but he did show some explosive moments and took a short pass from Kyler Murray for 20 yards near the end of the first quarter, which set them up for a field goal. Benson is likely to remain the backup to James Conner, but the Cardinals have a lot of backs getting touches so far this preseason.
Aug 10, 2025 10:32 AM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner considers Trey Benson a starter. "We're both RB1," said Conner. "He's gonna play a lot this year." Benson was drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He appeared in 13 games last season. However, he finished with only 291 yards and one touchdown off 63 touches. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has already indicated that Benson would be more involved during the 2025 campaign. Yet, Conner's latest comment adds more validity to Gannon's statement even more. It appears Benson could be more than an insurance policy this season, although his increased involvement won't be good for Conner's fantasy outlook. If anything, Conner could be the preferred pass-catching option out of the backfield, with Benson in line to handle the bulk of the carries.
Aug 2, 2025 7:13 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson is poised to take a step forward, according to the team's head coach Jonathan Gannon. Despite a quiet rookie season, the Cardinals are still high on their former third-round pick. Benson rushed for 291 yards on 63 carries while scoring one touchdown on the ground in 13 games last season. James Conner remains the lead back in Arizona and that isn't going to change this summer. Benson should enter the season as the primary backup and is hopefully going to get more involved. Despite that, Benson probably won't have weekly fantasy value unless Conner goes down at some point.
Jul 25, 2025 6:37 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals second-year running back Trey Benson said that he's added seven pounds this offseason but is also more explosive going into his sophomore campaign. "That's my mindset: Two RB1s," Benson said. The team's other RB1 is of course James Conner, who is a workhorse but is no stranger to injuries. The 22-year-old former third-rounder (66th overall) last year out of Florida State took a clear back seat to Conner in 2024, carrying the ball just 63 times for 291 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and one touchdown while catching all six of his targets for 59 yards in 13 games (one start). He missed the final three games with an ankle injury. Benson has the size and speed to be a workhorse himself, but that's not going to happen unless Conner misses time with injury in 2025. He is still more of a dynasty stash than a redraft target, with RotoBaller ranking him as the No. 46 fantasy RB.
Jun 12, 2025 9:11 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has high hopes for running back Trey Benson as he heads into his second NFL season in 2025. James Conner re-signed with the Cardinals after posting a career-high 1,094 rushing yards in 16 starts in 2024, but Benson is expected to take on a bigger role and be more productive in Year 2. "If (Trey) takes the necessary jump from Year 1 to Year 2, I think we have two starting backs," Gannon said. "That's how I view those guys. You see certain teams out there with two '1s,' I would say, and I think we should have two '1s' next year." The 22-year-old Benson finished with only 291 rushing yards on 63 carries in his rookie season, but he was playing at his best when he injured his ankle late in the year. Benson's fantasy ceiling will be limited as long as Conner stays healthy in 2025, but fantasy managers that select Conner should look to handcuff him with Benson.
Mar 3, 2025 11:05 PM EST
The Arizona Cardinals placed rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, so he will not be available to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The third-rounder from Florida State will end up missing the final three games of his rookie season. As James Conner's primary backup in his first year in the NFL, Benson finished with 63 carries for 291 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown while catching six passes for 59 yards. Conner was pulled from last week's loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night due to a knee injury and could also be rested in a meaningless game this weekend, which would put DeeJay Dallas and Michael Carter in line to split the backfield workload for Arizona. Benson is a solid hold in keeper leagues, although he could be in line for a backup role again in 2025 if Conner stays healthy.
Dec 31, 2024 5:34 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Benson is set to miss his second game in a row due to a lingering ankle issue. Luckily, James Conner (knee) has been cleared to play and figures to see a majority of the carries in the backfield. Michael Carter figures to serve as the primary backup after a solid performance in Week 17. Carter rushed five times for 18 yards and hauled in all five of his targets for 30 yards in the win last week. He won't be a recommended streaming choice with Conner likely getting most of the touches in the backfield.
Dec 28, 2024 7:02 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) was limited in practice all week and is considered questionable to play in Week 17 on Saturday night against the hosting division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Lead back James Conner (knee) was also limited in practice all week and questionable for Week 17. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said he's uncertain about the statuses of both Conner and Benson heading into Saturday night. Benson, who did not play in the team's Week 16 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, would only be worth a look in fantasy as an RB3/flex if he returns and Conner is ruled out. If both Arizona backs are unable to gain clearance, the Cardinals would likely split the backfield touches amongst DeeJay Dallas and Michael Carter. The 21-year-old Benson is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his first 13 NFL games, but he's been afforded only 63 carries behind Conner.
Dec 26, 2024 7:30 PM EST
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