Who Should I Start? James Conner or Khalil Herbert

Monday, January 8, 12:55 AM

In a valiant effort during the Cardinals' 21-20 loss to the Seahawks, Arizona running back James Conner stood out with an impressive performance. Finishing with 27 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown, Conner added another dimension to his game with four receptions for 54 yards. Despite Conner's heroic late touchdown, the Seahawks managed to respond, denying the Cardinals the victory. This marked Conner's first 200-total-yard game of the season, capping off a remarkable quarter of the schedule where he amassed 514 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Conner's outstanding efforts contributed to the first 1,000-yard season of his career in just 13 games. As he enters the final year of his contract, Conner remains a strong contender for the starting role pending the outcome of Arizona's offseason moves.

Sunday, January 7, 10:31 PM

Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert had another chance to see a bulk of the workload with D'Onta Foreman (coach's decision) out again in Week 18. The 25-year-old rushed 12 times for just 28 yards in the team's 17-9 loss to the Packers while also catching two passes for 13 yards. After rushing for 731 yards a year ago, Herbert couldn't take a step forward and ended the year with just 583 yards with similar volume. The Bears drafted Roschon Johnson in 2023, and Herbert failed to separate himself this year as the true lead back for the foreseeable future. While the Bears were a run-heavy team in 2023, which allowed Herbert to thrive at times, they will either endure massive offensive change or continue to have a quarterback who takes rushing opportunities away. Herbert will look to earn a full bell-cow role in 2024.