The Arizona Cardinals are monitoring their backfield situation closely as they prepare for Sunday’s matchup with Tennessee. Trey Benson has been dealing with an ankle injury that first became known earlier this week. For fantasy football managers relying on the Cardinals’ lead back, what is his current status heading into Week 5?
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Trey Benson Injury Update
Update: Benson underwent meniscus surgery has been placed on IR. He is expected to be out 4-6 weeks.
Benson sustained his ankle injury last Thursday when he got his ankle rolled up on during the Cardinals’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The injury went largely unnoticed initially, as it occurred late in the game with the Cardinals in the hurry up offense where Emari Demercado plays anyway.
The first indication of a potential problem came when Benson was absent from the Cardinals’ bonus practice session on Monday. Since this was not an official practice, the team was not required to release an injury report or provide detailed explanations for player absences.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon described Benson as “day-to-day” when asked about his status, indicating the team is taking a cautious approach with their starting running back.
On Wednesday, Adam Schefter reported Benson is dealing with a knee injury and that his Week 5 status is “in doubt.”
Given that Arizona played on Thursday, they have extended rest between games compared to a typical weekly schedule. This extra recovery time could work in Benson’s favor as he manages the ankle issue.
The key indicator for Benson’s Week 5 availability will be Thursday’s practice session. If he can return to even limited participation on Thursday, it would put him on track to play against Tennessee on Sunday.
The Cardinals have already elevated Michael Carter from the practice squad to the active roster, suggesting they are preparing for the possibility that Benson might not be available. Additionally, the team worked out four running backs on Tuesday, further indicating concern about their backfield depth.
Arizona cannot afford to lose another key backfield contributor after James Conner’s season-ending foot injury earlier this month. The team’s cautious approach with Benson reflects their need to keep him healthy for the long term rather than risk further injury by rushing him back too quickly.
Fantasy managers should monitor practice reports throughout the week. Benson’s participation level on Thursday will provide the clearest indication of his availability for Sunday’s game against the winless Titans.
Benson Fantasy Outlook
Game script was a factor on Thursday night against the Seahawks, but Benson got to double digit PPR points (10.4) and that should be labeled as a victory given that, for much of the game, Arizona had zero rhythm on offense against what might be a top five defense.
In his first game since the injury to James Conner, Benson handled eight of 11 running back carries and hauled in all five of his targets. Emari Demarcado delivered the dramatic play to tie the game late via a TD reception and that’s going to be his role. Benson held a 33-18 edge for the evening in snaps and will continue to handle an elite percentage of the rush attempts.
The five catches isn’t something I’d bank on (16 of Demarcado’s snaps saw him run a route), but could he make good on the 2024 James Conner role (roughly 15 carries and three targets)?
I think so and that should be plenty in this favorable matchup. Benson is deserving of lineup lock status this week, even if he didn’t overwhelm a week ago.
— PFSN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe
