Who Should I Start? Ty Chandler or Emari Demercado

Saturday, December 13, 5:11 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (knee) won't come off Injured Reserve this week and has been ruled out for Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Chandler hasn't played since injuring his knee back in Week 1's win over the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old had his practice window opened ahead of Week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks, but the team has still determined that he is not ready to return for game action. Chandler was a full participant in practice this week, so it seems he is getting close. He will need to be activated by next week, or he will revert to Injured Reserve and miss the remainder of the season. If he can return, Chandler will contribute primarily on special teams while serving as the RB3 behind Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason.

Saturday, February 21, 10:31 AM

Across 13 games in 2025, Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado recorded 413 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 57 touches. Demercado opened the year as the RB3 in Arizona behind James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee). However, Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3, and Benson went down for the year with a knee ailment in Week 4. Despite the injuries ahead of him, Demercado was unable to carve out a lead role in Arizona and ended up splitting playing time with running backs Michael Carter and Bam Knight. Demercado is now set to hit restricted free agency, so there is no guarantee he will be back with the Cardinals in 2026. Even if he gets a new contract in Arizona, it seems clear that the team views him as a complementary piece. The Cardinals should also get Benson back in time for the start of next season, and could look to add more talent in either free agency or the draft. In dynasty formats, Demercado may no longer be worth rostering after his underwhelming 2025 showing.