Who Should I Start? James Conner or Austin Ekeler
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | 10.9 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 0.0 |
James Conner News
Wednesday, August 12, 6:25 PM
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (ankle) still has not participated in 11-on-11 drills in practice as he recovers from a significant ankle injury in 2025. Conner suffered an ankle dislocation that required surgery in Week 3 of last season, marking just shy of 11 months since the surgery. With the veteran back still not participating in team drills, it's unclear whether Conner will be ready for Week 1's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency and drafted rookie Jeremiyah Love with the third-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While the former workhorse for Arizona could be a factor in the latter part of 2026, fantasy managers should probably pivot to another option in this season's drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Austin Ekeler News
Thursday, April 30, 9:22 AM
Veteran free-agent running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) is 100% fully medically cleared for all football activities after suffering a torn right Achilles last September against the Green Bay Packers, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Ekeler intends to play in 2026 and is expected to draw plenty of interest. The 30-year-old was one of the premier pass-catching backs in the NFL in his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers before he signed a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders before the 2024 season. He appeared in 12 games (six starts) for Washington in 2024, carrying the ball 77 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 366 receiving yards. Ekeler missed some time due to a concussion that year before playing in just two games in 2025 before tearing his Achilles. Ekeler might not be the same shifty back in space after his season-ending injury, but he could still give a team some solid pass-catching depth out of the backfield as he nears the end of his career.
James Conner vs. Austin Ekeler
Still trying to decide between Conner and Ekeler? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that James Conner is projected to score 3.4 points this week while Austin Ekeler is projected to score 0.0 points.
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