The Arizona Cardinals' running back room, already battered by James Conner's season-ending foot injury, took another hit this week. Rookie Trey Benson, who had stepped up as the primary back, underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee and landed on injured reserve. Expect him out for at least four to six weeks, leaving the team scrambling just ahead of their matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Indeed, it's Michael Carter and Emari Demercado who now shoulder the load. Carter, a veteran who's bounced between practice squad and active roster, got elevated last week and saw limited action in the loss to Seattle— just one carry for a yard. But with Benson sidelined, reports suggest Carter could emerge as the early-down workhorse, leveraging his experience from Jets days where he once topped 900 rushing yards as a rookie. However, his role here might not be so straightforward; the Cardinals have leaned on committees before, and Carter's 2024 stint with Arizona yielded modest returns: 131 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries across three games.
Demercado, meanwhile, flashed potential in that same Seattle game. He rushed twice for eight yards and caught both targets for 13 yards, including a touchdown that kept fantasy owners buzzing. More of a third-down specialist with receiving chops—think 37 catches for 223 yards over two seasons—Demercado started the year as the RB3 but now eyes more inside runs. Coaches hint at a split, with Demercado handling passing situations while Carter grinds the clock. Still, neither has carried a full workload lately; Demercado's last heavy usage was back in 2023's Week 8.
Moreover, the Titans' defense ranks middling against the run, allowing about 110 yards per game, which could give the duo a fighting chance. Yet, Arizona's offense has sputtered without a clear lead back, posting just 78 rushing yards last Thursday. Bam Knight lurks as a depth piece, but don't count on him stealing snaps yet.
As the Cardinals push forward without their top two rushers, the real test will be whether Carter and Demercado can stabilize the ground game—or if this injury wave exposes deeper offensive flaws worth pondering.