During a season in which the Arizona Cardinals struggled in most areas while stumbling to a 4-13 record, the team was among the league’s best on the ground, finishing fourth in rushing (139.1 yards per game) and second in yards per carry (5.0). The presence of athletic QBs Kyler Murray and Joshua Dobbs (now with the San Francisco 49ers) helped, but it’s still encouraging that they accomplished that with few names you’d recognize beyond running back James Conner.
How much of a team effort was it? Consider this: Conner rushed for 1,040 yards last season, but nobody else on the Cardinals reached the 300-yard mark. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that Arizona used a third-round pick on RB Trey Benson to raise the talent level in the running back room. He’ll team with Conner atop the depth chart while holdovers Emari Demercado and Michael Carter try to lock down the No. 3 spot. Here’s a look at where Arizona’s backfield stands heading into the new season.