The Arizona Cardinals‘ running game has erroneously been a fantasy football afterthought for the last three years, with James Conner continuing to pump out quality season after quality season during his time in the desert. Yet, the arrival of explosive rookie RB Trey Benson to this roster certainly makes this one of the most perplexing backfields to invest in for your fantasy team heading into the 2024 NFL season.
What is the fantasy outlook for Benson heading into his rookie year with the Cardinals?
Trey Benson’s 2024 Fantasy Forecast
On the surface, Benson’s landing spot with the Cardinals is good but not great from a short-term perspective.
On the plus side, Benson will have an opportunity to join a talented offense with a proven commodity at quarterback with Kyler Murray under center. On the negative side, Conner is still under contract and projected to be the lead back at the start of the 2024 season.
If Conner started to show significant signs of his game deteriorating, I’d feel more comfortable predicting Benson taking the lead role in this backfield early in his rookie year. Unfortunately, Conner is coming off of a career-high 1,040 rushing yards last season and has finished as a top-20 fantasy RB every season he has been in a Cardinals uniform.
Conner’s Fantasy Production With the Cardinals
- 2023: 1,040 rushing yards, 27 receptions, 165 receiving yards, 9 total TDs (RB18)
- 2022: 782 rushing yards, 46 receptions, 300 receiving yards, 8 total TDs (RB19)
- 2021: 752 rushing yards, 37 receptions, 375 receiving yards, 18 total TDs (RB5)
From a sheer talent standpoint, Benson checks many of the boxes NFL teams seek in a three-down prospect at the position with his size (6’0”, 216 pounds) and speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine), which both fit the ideal criteria from an athletic traits perspective to project as a featured NFL back.
Despite his college career getting off to a slow start due to a devastating knee injury, Benson produced an excellent amount of production during his days with the Florida State Seminoles, and he finished his final year in Tallahassee with 1,133 total yards and 15 TDs, helping lead FSU to an undefeated regular season.
The Cardinals have an improving offensive line, but it’s not elite. This could have an effect on Benson’s fantasy performance if he’s stuck in a complementary role behind the productive veteran to start his rookie year.
Yet Benson’s explosive playmaking ability is littered all over his tape, with numerous long runs where he topped out as one of the fastest ball carriers in college football.
If Benson can make some splash plays while splitting work with Conner early in the season, he very well could see an expanded role in this backfield over the back half of his rookie campaign, which could make him a very valuable fantasy asset during your playoff stretch.
Benson’s ADP at No. 122 overall in the 11th round as the RB36 off the board presents an interesting amount of upside and risk at the current price. For some additional context, Benson is actually being selected behind of Ezekiel Elliott and Gus Edwards, both of whom have a clearer inside track to touches heading into the 2024 NFL season.
The Cardinals’ third-round investment in the talented back from FSU suggests he is more than just a depth piece behind Conner in 2024. Fantasy managers who believe in Benson’s upside should definitely temper their expectations early in the season, but should feel comfortable selecting him at this price point.
