Who Should I Start? James Conner or Alexander Mattison

Sunday, June 28, 11:09 AM

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot/ankle) is still working his way back from the gruesome foot/ankle injury that ended his 2025 season in Week 3. While Conner should be available to play in 2026, the landscape around him in Arizona has shifted dramatically. The Cardinals overhauled their coaching staff, signed running back Tyler Allgeier in free agency, and then used the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on running back Jeremiyah Love. Entering 2026, Conner likely profiles as the Cardinals' RB3. However, the 31-year-old remained a highly productive player in his last full season in 2024, recording 1,508 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 283 touches across 16 games. If Conner proves he's healthy over the summer, he may end up being moved to a running back-needy team before the start of the regular season. Given that his average draft position has plummeted to RB67 in redraft leagues, Conner could be worth taking a flier on in the late rounds of drafts.