3 months agoArizona Cardinals tight end
Trey McBride reached the end zone through the air for the first time this season in the 13-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. McBride had a dominant performance, catching 12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. He was the heartbeat of the Cardinals' offense and willed them down the field drive after drive. Unfortunately, McBride couldn't get his head around fast enough on the Cardinals' final offensive play, which resulted in a game-sealing interception for the Rams. McBride was one of the best tight ends in fantasy football this year, and managers should be pleased with his performance this week.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
Michael Carter recorded 70 rushing yards on 13 attempts in the 13-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Carter stepped in for starting running back
James Conner (knee), who went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. Carter rushed the ball well and made a few plays in the passing game that helped keep the Cardinals' offense afloat. With Conner's absence, it looks like Carter will be the featured back moving forward, with the statuses of Conner and rookie
Trey Benson still unknown. The Cardinals will host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18, and given that they are eliminated from playoff contention, it is reasonable to expect Carter to see more playing time next week, especially if Conner doesn't suit up.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (knee) never returned to the game after re-injuring his knee in the first quarter. It appeared as though Conner got twisted up on during a fourth-down rushing attempt in the first quarter. After that run, we saw Conner being attended to on the sideline by athletic trainers, and he never re-entered the game. Conner ended the game with just four carries for four yards and two receptions for four receiving yards. This caps a tough ending to the season for James Conner's fantasy managers, and his status for Week 18 is up in the air. Given that the Cardinals are eliminated from playoff contention, it may be an uphill battle for Conner to play in Week 18 when the Cardinals host the San Francisco 49ers.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 months agoArizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray passed for 321 yards in a 9-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite throwing two interceptions late in the game, Murray played well in a bounce-back performance after the loss to the Carolina Panthers. Murray's official stat line was 33 completions on 48 attempts for 321 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. While Murray operated the offense at a high level, the Cardinals struggled with field position and red zone efficiency, which were the main factors in the offense scoring only nine points. With running back
James Conner (knee) not returning after a first-half injury, the Cardinals were forced to rely on Murray's rushing ability more, and he rushed for 32 yards on four carries. This was a solid fantasy performance for those who played Murray during their championship weeks. The Cardinals and Murray will look to end the season on a high note with a win against the 49ers in Week 18.
--Cody Pestino - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (knee) is questionable to return to Saturday night's meeting with the Los Angeles Rams. The 29-year-old came into this weekend battling through a knee injury he picked up in Week 16's loss to the Carolina Panthers and apparently isn't entirely over it. Per the broadcast, he's available on the sidelines to reenter the contest. Conner gained four yards on four carries and another four through the air on 2-of-3 receiving before his exit. Backfield mate
Michael Carter figures to handle most of the backfield touches with the veteran out of the lineup.
DeeJay Dallas could mix in as a change of pace behind him.
--Alex CiullaSource: Arizona Cardinals
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
Trey Benson (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Benson is set to miss his second game in a row due to a lingering ankle issue. Luckily,
James Conner (knee) has been cleared to play and figures to see a majority of the carries in the backfield.
Michael Carter figures to serve as the primary backup after a solid performance in Week 17. Carter rushed five times for 18 yards and hauled in all five of his targets for 30 yards in the win last week. He won't be a recommended streaming choice with Conner likely getting most of the touches in the backfield.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (knee) has been upgraded to active ahead of Saturday's Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Conner was questionable coming into this game after suffering a knee injury during last week's loss. He's ready to go now and could see a heavier workload with backup back
Trey Benson (ankle) on the sideline. Conner has rushed for over 100 yards in each of his last two games. The Rams defense has struggled to contain the run this season, but it's also unclear if the knee issue is going to impact Conner at all. Fantasy managers should consider Conner a high-end RB2 for this contest.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
3 months agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver
Greg Dortch hasn't been too impactful on the field lately. Last week, Dortch hauled in his lone target for 19 yards while rushing the ball once for eight yards. The 26-year-old hasn't seen a ton of the field lately. Dortch only saw 30 percent of the offensive snaps last week and played even less the week before that. It seems unlikely that Dortch is going to do anything on the field worth starting him against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 months agoArizona Cardinals kicker
Matt Prater (left knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's Week 17 contest against the Los Angeles Rams. The veteran kicker is currently on injured reserve. While there was some optimism about his status when the Cardinals recently opened his 21-day practice window, the team shut down any speculation about a potential Week 17 return by ruling him out on Thursday. With Prater set to remain sidelined following a week of limited practices, the Cardinals will deploy
Chad Ryland as their primary kicker once again this weekend. The 25-year-old has exceeded expectations so far, going 25-for-29 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Theo Mackie
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (knee) is expected to play against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17 despite being listed as questionable, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Conner picked up the injury during last Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers in which he totaled 117 rushing yards, 49 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Rapoport notes that it's encouraging to see Conner suit up with the Cardinals already eliminated from playoff contention, but he'll be playing at less than 100 percent on Saturday. As a result, he might drop to the RB2 tier in fantasy football. At the same time,
Trey Benson (ankle), who is also listed as questionable, could earn additional opportunities out of the backfield.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
James Conner (knee) is dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 16 and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he is "trending in the right direction" to suit up on Saturday. Although it is great news he is trending in the right direction to play, fantasy managers might want to limit their expectations as the Cardinals were knocked out of the playoffs with their loss last week, as the knee injury he is dealing with could limit Conner's effectiveness and volume. Regardless, Conner has treated fantasy managers excellently this year. Producing as the RB10 with 1,090 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns on the season. This week, Conner can be started as an RB2 with upside if he's active.
--Nicho Roessler - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
3 months agoWith injuries ahead of him on the depth chart, Arizona Cardinals running back
Michael Carter has a huge range of possibilities in Week 17 against the L.A. Rams that varies from remaining on the practice squad to being the team's starter. Both
James Conner (knee) and
Trey Benson (ankle) are questionable to play in the game, and with Arizona officially eliminated from playoff contention, the team doesn't have much incentive to rush two players under contract next year back into action now. Last week, Carter earned 10 touches after Conner's injury, five of which were catches. He holds some streaming appeal, particularly for managers relying upon Conner, but they'll have to check in before game time Saturday to see who is active for Arizona.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 months agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver
Michael Wilson is a low-end WR5 option with his team set to take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. The sophomore has been one of the middle-ground receivers who is just productive enough to hold onto in deeper leagues, but without the breakout potential to warrant starting on a weekly basis. Wilson ranks 55th among PPR receivers, doesn't have a top-25 finish this year, and is now on a team playing meaningless games to close out the season. The Rams rank 24th against fantasy receivers, so there is some matchup potential, but mostly in formats with three-plus flex spots.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 months agoArizona Cardinals running back
DeeJay Dallas may see some added snaps on Saturday since
James Conner (knee) and
Trey Benson (ankle) are both considered questionable. Dallas received one target and no carries in their last game against the Panthers, but he did turn it into a touchdown. That was his first offensive touchdown since 2021. The last time he started a game was in 2020 with the Seahawks, and his two starts produced mixed results. The Los Angeles Rams are in the middle of the pack against the opposing backfields as they allow 20.0 fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats. Dallas, even if he gets extra opportunities, isn't a reliable option for fantasy managers looking to win their championship.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
3 months agoFor at least another week,
Chad Ryland will maintain the starting kicker role with the Arizona Cardinals, but managers should still look for another option with the Cards playing the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. The second-year kicker has filled in nicely for the injured
Matt Prater (knee), connecting on 25 of 29 field-goal attempts and all 21 extra points. Though Ryland's performance hasn't been the issue, Arizona is beaten up at running back with both
James Conner (knee) and
Trey Benson (ankle), and now that they're officially eliminated from the playoffs, this is a meaningless game for them. For managers still playing, seeking a better kicker situation is the smart move.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
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