Emari Demercado Fantasy Stats

Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado was listed as a healthy inactive for his team's Week 3 rumble against the Baltimore Ravens, the team reported on Sunday via the X platform. The 27-year-old back has five carries for 15 yards with no touchdowns so far in 2026. His absence puts the focus squarely on Javonte Williams to lead Dallas' ground game.

Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado has almost no standalone fantasy value right now. He has five carries for 15 yards through two games and has not drawn a target, while Javonte Williams has handled 24 carries and eight receptions. The reason Demercado still matters is pretty simple. Dallas lists him second on the depth chart, with Tyler Goodson behind him, and Malik Davis (hip) is out for the season after undergoing surgery. That leaves Demercado with a much cleaner path to touches if something happens ahead of him. For now, though, fantasy managers are stashing the role rather than the production. RotoBaller's September 23 mid-week waiver rankings have Demercado 59th overall and recommend him in 14-team leagues. He is not worth forcing onto a standard 10- or 12-team roster, but managers in deeper formats can hold him as a lottery ticket in case the Dallas backfield suddenly opens up.

Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado had a quiet game in his team's Week 1 loss to the New York Giants, recording two carries for seven yards. However, with Cowboys running back Malik Davis (hip) on season-ending Injured Reserve with a hip injury, Demercado has established himself as the clear RB2 in Dallas. As long as star Cowboys back Javonte Williams remains healthy, Demercado is unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role. Still, Demercado now profiles as one of the more valuable handcuff running back options for fantasy managers. The 27-year-old was productive when given the opportunity in 2025, recording 413 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 57 touches across 13 games with the Arizona Cardinals. He also offers a three-down skill set that could allow him to play a workhorse role in the event of an injury to Williams. In deeper leagues, Demercado could be worth stashing off the waiver wire.

Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado had two carries for seven yards in Sunday night's 28-20 loss to the New York Giants, but his spot behind Javonte Williams is more interesting now than the box score suggests. Malik Davis was placed on season-ending injured reserve after hip surgery, and Dallas made Israel Abanikanda inactive for the opener after promoting him to the 53-man roster. That left Demercado as the only other active tailback behind Williams, though Dallas still gave him just two touches. That matters. Williams handled 12 carries and five catches, so there is no immediate fantasy role to chase. Demercado was claimed off waivers on August 31 and has prior familiarity with offensive coordinator Klayton Adams from their time in Arizona. The opportunity is still speculative, especially if Abanikanda is active in Week 2. With Davis gone, though, Demercado has a clearer route to backup work than he did a week ago. He is worth a stash in deeper leagues, not a priority claim, before Dallas hosts Washington.

Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado is basically unrostered on Yahoo, but that could change after Malik Davis was injured during Friday's practice. Davis had clearly won the No. 2 job behind Javonte Williams, with Demercado sitting directly behind him after Dallas claimed the veteran off waivers at the end of August. If Davis is forced to miss time, Demercado suddenly has a much cleaner path to backup work. He has been efficient when called on, averaging 6.5 yards per carry on 126 career attempts. Last season with Arizona, Demercado ran 44 times for 312 yards and caught 13 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter against the Giants. Williams is still the lead back here. But with Demercado at 0% rostered on Yahoo, deeper-league managers now have a reason to take a shot before there is more clarity on Davis. If Davis misses time, Demercado's handcuff value rises quickly.

The Dallas Cowboys claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. In a surprising move on roster cutdown day on Sunday, the Cowboys waived both running backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, leaving them with just Javonte Williams and Malik Davis in their backfield entering Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Demercado, who was with the Chiefs during training camp, will now head to Dallas, where he will serve as the RB3 to open the regular season. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of TCU spent his first three NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, averaging a notable 6.5 yards per carry for 819 yards and three rushing scores in 40 games (two starts) while adding 50 receptions on 70 targets for 324 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. Demercado has been efficient when he has gotten opportunities so far, but he will open 2026 as the clear third option out of Dallas' backfield, and he could also face competition from fullback Hunter Luepke.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Emari Demercado rushed nine times for 37 yards and caught his only target for 15 yards in the 9-9 tie with the Seattle Seahawks. Demercado finished second on the team in carries, behind Brashard Smith, and third on the team in rushing yards. Demercado's 4.1 yards per carry in the contest was the lowest among the RB trio of Demercado, Brashard Smith, and Emmett Johnson. Demercado is currently listed as the Chiefs RB2 behind Kenneth Walker, but that may be a formality as rookie Johnson operated as the starter in this contest. Johnson started the first two drives of the game before Demercado saw his first opportunity. Despite being listed as the Kansas City RB2, Demercado is likely to operate as a passing-downs specialist to spell Kenneth Walker but is not likely to carry the load if Walker gets hurt. Demercado may hold some PPR value in the deepest of leagues, but the expectations are not high for the Kansas City running back heading into 2026.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed former Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Demercado had over 1,100 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns (three rushing) in his three years with the team, and he'll now join Kenneth Walker III in KC's new-look backfield going into the 2026 season. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of TCU had a career-high 312 rushing yards on 44 carries in 13 games in Arizona in 2025, but he didn't find the end zone on the ground. Demercado added 13 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown in an expanded role after both James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) suffered season-ending injuries. He never held a big role in Arizona's backfield, but he was productive when he touched the ball, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt on 126 carries. Demercado should have more upside as a stash candidate in deeper fantasy leagues while competing for backup duties with Brashard Smith.

The Arizona Cardinals will not tender a contract to restricted free-agent running back Emari Demercado before next week, making him a free agent, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Demercado had over 1,100 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns in his three years with the Cardinals, including a career-high 312 rushing yards on 44 carries in 2025 in 13 games with both James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) injured. He added 13 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets in 2025. Especially with Conner and Benson coming off serious injuries last year, it wouldn't be surprising to see Arizona try to bring Demercado back on a cheap deal for 2026. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of TCU probably won't be anything more than a complementary back wherever he lands in free agency this offseason.

Across 13 games in 2025, Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado recorded 413 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 57 touches. Demercado opened the year as the RB3 in Arizona behind James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee). However, Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3, and Benson went down for the year with a knee ailment in Week 4. Despite the injuries ahead of him, Demercado was unable to carve out a lead role in Arizona and ended up splitting playing time with running backs Michael Carter and Bam Knight. Demercado is now set to hit restricted free agency, so there is no guarantee he will be back with the Cardinals in 2026. Even if he gets a new contract in Arizona, it seems clear that the team views him as a complementary piece. The Cardinals should also get Benson back in time for the start of next season, and could look to add more talent in either free agency or the draft. In dynasty formats, Demercado may no longer be worth rostering after his underwhelming 2025 showing.