Who Should I Start? Trey Benson or TreVeyon Henderson

Wednesday, October 1, 2:19 PM

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.

Saturday, October 4, 10:24 AM

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson has not yet emerged as the team's lead back, and therefore, he's tough to trust as a fantasy starter heading into Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. Henderson is the future lead back in New England, but through the first four games of his career, the backfield has belonged to Rhamondre Stevenson. During that span, Henderson has a modest 36.6 percent snap share, 97 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and one touchdown. He's averaging just 3.7 yards per carry but still works his way onto the field thanks to his draft capital, his pass-blocking skills, and Stevenson's fumbling issues. With that said, Stevenson projects as the lead running back once again in Week 5, leaving Henderson in the backup role and therefore largely dependent on finding the end zone. The Bills have allowed the ninth-most rushing yards, fourth-most rushing touchdowns, and 13th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, leaving Henderson as a low-end RB3/flex who can be benched in leagues with 10 or fewer teams.