Tag: Trey Benson

Rookie RB Trey Benson placed on IR among other roster moves

Benson’s season ends missing the final three games with an ankle injury.

The Arizona Cardinals announced a trio of roster moves heading into the final week of the season. Rookie running back Trey Benson, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, will also miss the finale against the San Francisco 49ers. He was placed on injured reserve.

To replace him on the roster, they signed offensive lineman Nick Leverett from the practice squad. Leverett’s addition suggests perhaps an injury on the offensive line interior or the desire to keep him from signing him with another team.

Leverett had been on the practice squad for the last 11 weeks.

To fill his spot on the practice squad, they brought back running back Hassan Hall to the practice squad, who was with the team in the offseason and spent time on their practice squad last season.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

James Conner active, Trey Benson inactive for Cardinals vs. Rams

As expected, Conner will be in the lineup, but Michael Carter will replace the injured Benson vs. the Rams.

The Arizona Cardinals, as reported for the last couple of days, will have starting running back James Conner in the lineup. The team released its inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday for their game on the road against the Los Angeles Rams and Conner was not included.

He was questionable with a knee injury he suffered last Sunday.

Also set to play is starting left guard Evan Brown, questionable with a neck injury.

However, rookie running back Trey Benson, questionable with an ankle injury that cause him to miss in Week 16, will not suit up. He was deactivated.

The rest of the inactives on the list were expected.

Cardinals Week 17 inactive list

  • S Jammie Robinson
  • S Joey Blount
  • RB Trey Benson
  • LB Milo Eifler
  • LB Benton Whitley
  • TE Travis Vokolek
  • WR Xavier Weaver

Blount was ruled out with an injury to his ribs.

Aside from him and Blount, the rest are healthy scratches. Robinson and Whitley have not been with the team long. Eifler isn’t needed as all four of their regular inside linebackers are set to play.

Defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga is active for the second straight week after three weeks of not dressing.

Rookie offensive tackle Christian Jones is active for the first time in his NFL career and serves as the backup swing tackle to Kelvin Beachum and Jackson Barton, both starting to replace starters Paris Johnson and Jonah Williams, both of whom are on injured reserve.

Michael Carter was elevated from the practice squad and will fill Benson’s role to back up Conner and could have a bigger role because Conner is not 100%.

Andre Chachere was elevated from the practice squad to fill Blount’s role on special teams.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

RB Trey Benson seemingly out as Cardinals elevate RB Michael Carter, S Andre Chachere

Expect Michael Carter to have a big role offensively as he was elevated from the practice squad to play vs. the Rams.

The Arizona Cardinals announced two additions to the active roster on Saturday a few hours ahead of their Week 17 Saturday night game on the road against the Los Angeles Rams. They elevated running back Michael Carter and safety Andre Chachere from the practice squad to the active roster.

The move to elevate Carter suggests that rookie running back Trey Benson, questionable to play with an ankle injury, will not play. Carter will likely have a large role offensively as starter James Conner, while expected to be in the lineup, is dealing with a knee injury and is not at 100%.

Safety and core special teamer Joey Blount was ruled out of the game with an injury to his ribs, so Chachere will fill that role.

With Chachere playing, recently acquired Jammie Robinson likely will be inactive.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals could be down to their 3rd-string RB vs. Rams on Saturday

The Cardinals could be without their top two running backs on Saturday when the Rams host them in Week 17

Since their 41-10 defeat to the Cardinals in Arizona, the Rams have been looking for revenge in their pursuit of the postseason. In a hotly contested division race, both sides put up potent offenses using contrasting philosophies.

Once their receiving corps became healthy, the Rams used a quick passing attack as the basis of their offense. The return of Puka Nacua has led to successful results for not only the offense but the team as a whole. Nacua missed the week two matchup between these two franchises.

The Cardinals went in a separate direction with a devastating rushing attack. Star James Connor has achieved his second consecutive 1,000-yard season while rookie Trey Benson has averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his limited opportunities.

Despite being out of the playoff hunt, the Cardinals are looking to play spoiler and derail their division rivals’ ambitions for another NFC West title. However, Arizona’s desires have hit another roadblock as the Cardinals are preparing for a game-day scenario without Connor and Benson.

Both running backs appeared on the injury report after being limited all week, and they’re both questionable to play on Saturday.

With Arizona out of playoff contention, it will be a tough decision for Jonathan Gannon to risk the health of two top producers in a game that will not impact how his team’s season will end. With the recent devastating news regarding Houston’s Tank Dell, who suffered a season-ending injury that will most likely keep him out for at least the start of the 2025 season, coaches may be rethinking their approach to the final two games of the year.

If Connor and Benson are a no-go, it will be either DeeJay Dallas or Michael Carter leading the backfield on Saturday. They’ve combined for just 13 total carries this season.

James Conner, Trey Benson “both have a chance to play” vs. Rams

The Cardinals’ top two running backs are hurt but both have a chance to play against the Rams in Week 17.

The Arizona Cardinals have their top two running back currently dealing with injuries as they prepare for the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. James Conner exited the game on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers with a knee injury and rookie Trey Benson missed the game with an ankle injury.

While one report suggests that Conner could miss the rest of the season based on his situation and the injury, head coach Jonathan Gannon is not ready to rule him out, and the same goes for Benson.

While Gannon ruled out both starting left tackle Paris Johnson and starting right tackle Jonah Williams, both of whom have knee injuries, for this week, he would not do the same for Conner or Benson.

He believes they have a shot at going Saturday night.

“We’ll kind of see how they go, but that’s obviously why I didn’t rule them out,” he said Tuesday. “I know they both have a chance to play.”

The Cardinals’ first day of practice on Tuesday was to be only a walkthrough, so the injury report will be only an estimation.

If neither is able to play, it will mean a bigger role for other guys. Michael Carter, currently on the practice squad, “would get a lot of carries,” and then DeeJay Dallas would likely move into the backup role while Tony Jones Jr., also on the practice squad, would likely fill the third-down role that Dallas has had the last two games since Emari Demercado was placed on injured reserve.

The Cardinals and Rams play Saturday night at SoFi Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Fantasy Football: 5 waiver wire running backs to target in Week 17

Trey Benson is among the top running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.

Congratulations, you’ve made it to your fantasy football championship game!

Either that or you’re taking a consolation bracket very seriously, or you play in a league that has a Week 18 championship game (which is a bad idea). Regardless of why you’re here, we’re happy to have you.

Bryce Young (4.9%) is suddenly fantasy-relevant at quarterback, Jalen McMillan’s (33.1%) stock is through the roof at wide receiver, and Chigoziem Okonkwo (6.4%) has had a great two-week run at tight end. Today, though, we’re taking a look at the running back position.

We’ve put together a quick list of five running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire going into Week 17.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire RB Targets

1. RB Kendre Miller (47.6%): Alvin Kamara is dealing with a groin injury, leaving Miller as the Saints’ primary running back. New Orleans wasn’t able to get anything going against the Packers on Monday, but they’ll have an easier matchup against the Raiders next week.

2. RB Trey Benson (18.1%): James Conner might miss the final two games of the season with a knee injury, leaving Benson as Arizona’s new RB1 (health permitting). Benson missed last week with an ankle injury, so it’s worth taking a look at Michael Carter (0.1%) in case Benson is also held out this week.

3. RB Audric Estime (8.4%): Estime led Denver’s backfield in carries (nine) and rushing yards (48) on Thursday and scored his first NFL touchdown. Broncos coach Sean Payton has hinted that Estime’s workload could increase over the next two weeks.

4. RB Tyjae Spears (48.2%): Spears (14) got more touches than Tony Pollard (12) and he totaled more yards (66 vs. 40) and touchdowns (2 vs. 0). TDs can be fluky, but Spears is worthy of flex consideration.

5. RB Patrick Taylor (33.0%): Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo are all banged up, leaving Patrick Taylor as the 49ers’ de facto RB1. Taylor led the team in carries (eight on Sunday), but Deebo Samuel (five) was also involved. Taylor is worth a look in case Guerendo is sidelined again in Week 17.

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Several Cardinals backups looking at big roles in Week 16 vs. Panthers

Expect big roles for Kelvin Beachum, Michael Carter and Krys Barnes in Week 16.

The Arizona Cardinals will play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Week 16. They have a lengthy injury report and it appears a few key players will be unable to play.

Linebacker Mack Wilson suffered a concussion last week and has not yet practiced this week as of Monday morning. Left tackle Paris Johnson reportedly could miss multiple weeks with a strained MCL.

Rookie running back Trey Benson has an ankle injury and has not practiced. Head coach Jonathan Gannon ruled him out on Friday before practice. Running back Emari Demercado is on injured reserve. So is punter Blake Gillikin.

So the Cardinals will have role players needing to step up in big roles.

Michael Palardy is the new punter and already has a game under his belt. DeeJay Dallas replaced Demercado as the third-down back.

They will have those roles again.

But other backups will be thrust into important roles.

Kelvin Beachum will likely start at left tackle for Johnson. He started nine games at right tackle while Jonah Williams was on injured reserve.

Krys Barnes will play for Wilson at linebacker.

Assuming Benson will miss the game on Sunday, we should expect to see Michael Carter elevated from the practice squad and playing the No. 2 back role behind James Conner, as he did late last season.

With how bad the Panthers are against the run (No. 32 in yards allowed and yards allowed per attempt), Carter could have a productive game.

The Cardinals have basically a must-win game this week. It will be critical for these regularly role players or bench players to step up and be solid in their roles. “Next man up” is a reality this week for Arizona.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Rookie Trey Benson not at Wednesday practice for Cardinals

Benson, who has an ankle injury, was not on the field for the open part of Wednesday’s practice.

The Arizona Cardinals are having their depth at running back tested. Already without third-down back Emari Demercado for at least the rest of the regular season, rookie Trey Benson is injured.

He was not out in the open part of Wednesday’s practice.

Benson injured his ankle in the team’s 30-17 win over the New England Patriots. He rushed five times for 22 yards in the win.

Demercado was placed on injured reserve on Saturday with a back injury.

With Benson missing practice, it makes sense why the Cardinals signed running back Tony Jones Jr. to the practice squad. Otherwise, the Cardinals would have only had three running backs — James Conner, DeeJay Dallas and practice squadder Michael Carter — available for practice.

If Benson is unable to play this weekend against the Carolina Panthers, expect Carter to be elevated to the active roster and to fill Benson’s role as the guy giving Conner a few snaps off.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

 

RB James Conner should be Cardinals’ offensive Plan A, not Plan B

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner had 90 rush yards on just 18 carries this past Sunday. Perhaps OC Drew Petzing should make him Plan A.

In Sunday’s 30-18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner totaled 90 yards on just 18 carries. With an average of five yards per carry, it would seem logical for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to make Conner plan A on offense moving forward.

Other factors determine Conner’s usage of course, including the dynamics of the game score and team deficit. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t make life easy for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray when they faced him in Week 12, and in Week 14, the Seattle defense sacked Murray twice and intercepted him twice as well.

Still, Petzing was set on throwing a total of 38 passes, squandering a crucial red zone opportunity in the fourth quarter which ended in a missed field goal attempt by kicker Chad Ryland.

Petzing has become a nominal new-age statistic, opting to overly use the pass when the running game shows itself effective. It’s far too late in the season to live on lectures, but head coach Jonathan Gannon must gather the troops and get the team back to play rugged football. Petzing’s proclivity for flash has made Murray eager, subjecting the offense to squandered possessions when they should be pacing themselves behind the legs of Conner.

Editor note: Conner had 22 touches in the Cardinals’ 61 offensive plays on Sunday. His 22 touches were tied for the most touches he has had in a game this season. 

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Fantasy Football: 12 running backs to target on the waiver wire

Christian McCaffrey is hurt again, making Isaac Guerendo a must-add on the fantasy football waiver wire. These are the top RBs to target.

Here we go again.

Christian McCaffrey suffered a knee injury on Sunday Night Football in Week 13 and the San Francisco 49ers announced Monday that he has a PCL injury. McCaffrey will now go on injured reserve and he’s expected to miss the rest of the regular season.

That would have left Jordan Mason as the next man up in San Francisco, but he has a high ankle sprain that will also land him on injured reserve. Mason will now miss at least the next four games.

Following the injuries to both McCaffrey and Mason, Isaac Guerendo is a top priority must-add on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.

Elsewhere on the fantasy front, Russell Wilson (43.1%) is gaining steam at quarterback, Adam Thielen (27.3%) is relevant at wide receiver again, and Will Dissly (32.9%) has a good tight end matchup against KC this week.

Today, though, we’re focusing on the running back position. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to consider on the fantasy football waiver wire going into Week 14.

Fantasy Football Running Back Waiver Wire Targets

1. RB Isaac Guerendo (1.3%): With McCaffrey and Mason both sidelined, it should be the Guerendo show down the stretch in San Francisco.

2. RB Chris Rodriguez (0.2%): The Commanders placed Austin Ekeler on injured reserve with a concussion, leaving Brian Robinson as their top RB. Robinson is not alone in the backfield, however, as Rodriguez had a big day on Sunday with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. If Washington continues splitting RB touches, Rodriguez could be a gem off the waiver wire.

3. RB Kimani Vidal (10.7%): J.K. Dobbins (knee) was ruled out and then placed on injured reserve, which means he’ll miss at least the next four games. Gus Edwards seems to be the new RB1 for the Chargers, but Vidal was right behind him in carries on Sunday (six to four). He’s a sleeper.

4. RB Alexander Mattison (47.0%): Mattison and Zamir White were both sidelined on Sunday, leaving Ameer Abdullah and Sincere McCormick (0.1%) as the Raiders’ top RBs in Week 13. Mattison is worth picking up for once he returns. If Mattison and White remain sidelined, McCormick will be worth a look in deep leagues.

5. RB Tank Bigsby (32.5%): Coming out of the bye week, Travis Etienne led the Jaguars’ backfield with 13 carries for 46 yards, but Bigsby also got seven carries plus one target. Up next is a Titans defense that allows 120.1 rushing yards per game.

6-12. Handcuff running backs: Jonathon Brooks (47.6%), Tyler Allgeier (41.5%), Zach Charbonnet (50.9%), Blake Corum (14.2%), Ray Davis (11.4%), Trey Benson (24.1%) and Braelon Allen (22.0%).

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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