Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (ankle) exited Sunday's 30-17 win over the New England Patriots with an ankle injury and did not return. The rookie would finish his day with 22 yards on five carries. Benson seemingly sustained the injury midway through the fourth quarter. The severity of the ailment is unknown at this time, though running backs and ankle issues never mesh well. It's unfortunate news for the 22-year-old, who has rushed to the tune of 4.62 yards per carry in his first taste of big-league action. While his workload has been spotty behind trustworthy lead-back James Conner, Benson has done damage with his touches and has been a nice change of pace for the team. Backfield mate Emari Demercado (back) was recently placed on IR with issues of his own, so if the former Florida State Seminole can't suit up in Week 16, DeeJay Dallas would be the backup to Conner. Arizona will square off against the Carolina Panthers on the road next Sunday.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson doesn't provide much fantasy value in the Week 15 matchup against the New England Patriots. The former Florida State standout hasn't had many opportunities this season, despite showing flashes of explosive runs. Benson has carried the ball just nine times over his last four games. With Conner fully healthy, there isn't a high projected workload for Benson, making him not a viable fantasy option in Week 15.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson did not contribute much in the Week 14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Although it seemed like Benson was due for more involvement in the Cardinals' offense, that simply has not been the case. Benson totaled two carries for 15 yards and added one reception for four yards. Until Benson puts together multiple games of fantasy-relevant production, he remains a handcuff for lead back James Conner and not much else.
Trey Benson Is Likely Not A Starting Option In Week 14
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson should not be considered for starting lineups in fantasy in Week 14. The Cardinals will have a home divisional matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in what will be a pivotal game for the NFC West. Benson saw an uptick in usage before the Week 11 bye, but post-bye week, that trend has not continued. Benson has had just seven total carries over the last two weeks. With Benson's usage not at a reliable level, he remains a handcuff for James Conner but is not a fantasy starter.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson hasn't been a starting fantasy option all year long while working behind starter James Conner, and that won't change in a tough Week 13 matchup on the road against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday. The Vikings defense has been stingy against the run, allowing just 14.8 half-PPR points to the position per game, which is the third-fewest in the league. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old third-rounder out of Florida State has seen double-digit carries just twice in his first 10 NFL games. Arizona wasn't able to get anything going on the ground last week in the loss to Seattle, either, with Benson's 18 rushing yards on four carries leading the team. Benson's long-term fantasy value took a hit with the Conner extension announced on Saturday, and he won't be a realistic fantasy starter with minimal volume in a bad matchup this weekend.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson has begun to slowly find a role in the offense and could be in store for a solid workload in their Week 12 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. During Week 9, the rookie logged eight carries with one target. Then in Week 10, Benson earned a season-high 10 attempts and two targets in their decisive victory over the New York Jets. During this two-game stretch, Benson has averaged an impressive 5.5 yards per carry. Before this, Benson saw just six rushing attempts during Weeks 6-8. While fantasy managers should still expect James Conner to operate as the clear leader of the backfield, Benson could be a viable low-end flex option in 14-plus team formats, especially if the Cardinals are playing with a lead. In addition, given how well he is running the ball, Benson could produce a solid fantasy stat line.
Trey Benson Scores First Career Touchdown In Week 9 Win
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson scored his first career touchdown in the 29-9 win over the Chicago Bears. Starting running back James Conner had to check himself out after a hard fall, which opened the door for Benson to enter the game and take the Cardinals' goal-line carries, during which he found his way into the end zone. With the Cardinals taking a commanding lead and Conner getting a little banged up, Benson saw an increase in workload, finishing the game with eight carries for 37 yards, one touchdown, and one reception for 18 yards. It was expected that at some point in the season, the Cardinals would try to get Benson more involved to lower Conner's snap count and keep him healthy, and that happened in Week 9. This was Benson's most impressive game of the season, and the rookie looks like he's starting to find his footing in the NFL. While Benson could be viewed as a handcuff for James Conner, he is not necessarily a viable option when the Cardinals host the New York Jets in Week 10.
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson (illness) is officially active for the Cardinals on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. Benson did not practice on Saturday due to an illness and was listed as questionable on the final injury report, but he will be active and continue to serve as James Conner's backup. The 22-year-old's role has been limited so far in his first NFL season while working behind Conner, as he has only received 30 rushing attempts for 107 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and no touchdowns while adding two receptions on his two targets for 12 yards. Benson has seen double-digit rushing attempts just once, and that was back in Week 2. Expect a similar limited workload on Monday night against a tough defense. In most fantasy leagues, Benson is merely a handcuff for Conner.
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (illness) has been added to the injury report ahead of the Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Benson popped up on the injury report on Saturday due to an illness and is now uncertain to play on Monday. The rookie back has been quiet this season outside of one 50-yard performance. If active, Benson still isn't a viable fantasy option for Week 7. However, his absence would likely mean that Emari Demercado takes over as the primary backup to James Conner. Fantasy managers shouldn't rush to the waiver wire to add Demercado considering Conner is likely going to see the bulk of the carries.
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson had as quiet of a debut as they come in the team's season opener last week against the Bills. The third-round pick out of Florida State saw just three rushing attempts to James Conner's 16. Benson gained 13 yards on the ground and caught one pass for another five yards. The rookie didn't take the field until the Cardinals' third drive and was outsnapped by fellow backup Emari Demercado, 14 to eight. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing referred to Conner as the team's "bell cow" in comments to the media ahead of Week 1 and there's little reason to believe they will move away from him in Week 2. Benson is still worth stashing in case the injury bug bites or the team starts utilizing their backs differently, but he should be on fantasy benches on Sunday against the Rams.
Trey Benson
• RB
•
Cardinals
