Rookie third-round pick Trey Benson is unlikely to take Conner's starting job but may eventually force a timeshare in the Cardinals' backfield, according to KC Joyner of The Athletic. Conner has missed multiple games in each of his seven NFL seasons, though never more than six in any one year, so any competition for touches could sort itself out. His 2023 included career highs for rushing yards (1,040) and yards per carry (5.0), with the downside being his fewest targets (33) and catches (27, 2.1 per game) since he was a barely-used rookie with Pittsburgh in 2017. The lack of receiving volume was partially a product of Emari Demercado getting playing time in passing situations, and it's worth noting that the Cardinals have two other backs in Michael Carter, DeeJay Dallas with track records as passing-down specialists. That said, Conner still figures to be the starter and lead runner, with Benson being the main threat to poach carries and TDs even if other guys are in the mix on passing downs.
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2023 Season Stats
Rushing
Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | FD | FUM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | ARI | 13 | 208 | 1,040 | 5 | 7 | 44 | 32 | 0 |
2022 | ARI | 13 | 183 | 782 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 3 |
2021 | ARI | 15 | 202 | 752 | 4 | 15 | 35 | 41 | 2 |
2020 | PIT | 13 | 169 | 721 | 4 | 6 | 59 | 27 | 2 |
Receiving
Career Stats
Career Stats
Rushing
Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | FD | FUM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | ARI | 13 | 208 | 1,040 | 5 | 7 | 44 | 32 | 0 |
2022 | ARI | 13 | 183 | 782 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 3 |
2021 | ARI | 15 | 202 | 752 | 4 | 15 | 35 | 41 | 2 |
2020 | PIT | 13 | 169 | 721 | 4 | 6 | 59 | 27 | 2 |
2019 | PIT | 10 | 116 | 464 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 13 | 1 |
2018 | PIT | 13 | 215 | 970 | 5 | 12 | 30 | 12 | 4 |
2017 | PIT | 14 | 32 | 144 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
Season Stats 2023
Previous Game
2023 Regular Season Stats
Regular Season
|
rushing
|
receiving
|
|||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date
|
Opp
|
Result
|
CAR
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LNG
|
FD
|
REC
|
TGTS
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TDS
|
LNG
|
YAC
|
1/7
|
L
20-21
|
27
|
150
|
5.6
|
1
|
29
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
54
|
13.5
|
0
|
34
|
66
|
|
12/31
|
W
35-31
|
26
|
128
|
4.9
|
1
|
22
|
8
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
5
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
|
12/24
|
L
16-27
|
12
|
45
|
3.8
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
67
|
13.4
|
1
|
20
|
71
|
|
12/17
|
L
29-45
|
14
|
86
|
6.1
|
1
|
44
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
6
|
10
|
|
12/3
|
W
24-10
|
25
|
105
|
4.2
|
2
|
29
|
8
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Game Log 2023
2023 Regular Season
|
rushing
|
receiving
|
|||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date
|
Opp
|
Result
|
CAR
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LNG
|
FD
|
REC
|
TGTS
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TDS
|
LNG
|
YAC
|
1/7
|
L
20-21
|
27
|
150
|
5.6
|
1
|
29
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
54
|
13.5
|
0
|
34
|
66
|
|
12/31
|
W
35-31
|
26
|
128
|
4.9
|
1
|
22
|
8
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
5
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
|
12/24
|
L
16-27
|
12
|
45
|
3.8
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
67
|
13.4
|
1
|
20
|
71
|
|
12/17
|
L
29-45
|
14
|
86
|
6.1
|
1
|
44
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
6
|
10
|
|
12/3
|
W
24-10
|
25
|
105
|
4.2
|
2
|
29
|
8
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
11/26
|
L
14-37
|
6
|
27
|
4.5
|
0
|
14
|
2
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
1.3
|
0
|
8
|
15
|
|
11/19
|
L
16-21
|
14
|
62
|
4.4
|
0
|
14
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
0.5
|
0
|
6
|
8
|
|
11/12
|
W
25-23
|
16
|
73
|
4.6
|
0
|
11
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10/8
|
L
20-34
|
6
|
46
|
7.7
|
0
|
35
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10/1
|
L
16-35
|
11
|
52
|
4.7
|
0
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
6
|
|
9/24
|
W
28-16
|
14
|
98
|
7
|
1
|
26
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
18
|
9
|
0
|
10
|
21
|
|
9/17
|
L
28-31
|
23
|
106
|
4.6
|
1
|
22
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
9/10
|
L
16-20
|
14
|
62
|
4.4
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
1.6
|
0
|
11
|
14
|
|
Regular Season Totals |
208
|
1040
|
5.1
|
7
|
44
|
32
|
27
|
33
|
165
|
4.5
|
2
|
34
|
211
|
Player Profile
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Latest News
Leader of improved backfield
Rookie third-round pick Trey Benson is unlikely to take Conner's starting job but may eventually force a timeshare in the Cardinals' backfield, according to KC Joyner of The Athletic. Conner has missed multiple games in each of his seven NFL seasons, though never more than six in any one year, so any competition for touches could sort itself out. His 2023 included career highs for rushing yards (1,040) and yards per carry (5.0), with the downside being his fewest targets (33) and catches (27, 2.1 per game) since he was a barely-used rookie with Pittsburgh in 2017. The lack of receiving volume was partially a product of Emari Demercado getting playing time in passing situations, and it's worth noting that the Cardinals have two other backs in Michael Carter, DeeJay Dallas with track records as passing-down specialists. That said, Conner still figures to be the starter and lead runner, with Benson being the main threat to poach carries and TDs even if other guys are in the mix on passing downs.
Quiet day in loss
Conner's day quickly fell victim to a game script that saw the Cardinals already down by 13 points at halftime. The veteran back also found running room to be mostly at a premium, considering 14 of his rushing yards came on one carry. Conner's yardage tally was a season-low total, and he'll aim to bounce back from the unproductive afternoon against his old Steelers squad on the road in Week 13.
Returns as lead runner Sunday
After a four-game stint on injured reserve due to a knee injury, Conner made his first appearance since Week 5 and immediately took over the Cardinals backfield. His 16 rushes easily outpaced the three combined for reserve backs Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones, and Conner also ceded just six carries to quarterback Kyler Murray, who saw his first game action in 11 months following last year's ACL tear. As was usually the case before his own injury, Conner wasn't looked at by his QB in the passing game, which is consistent with the two or fewer targets he received in four of five contests to begin the campaign. Conner next will take on the Texans on Sunday, Nov. 19.
Back in action Sunday
After missing the minimum four games on injured reserve and getting activated Saturday, Conner will make his first appearance since Week 5, when he initially sustained a knee injury. He's a good bet to regain a majority share of the Cardinals backfield considering Emari Demercado (toe) is sidelined and Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones are the only competitors for snaps. In his four healthy appearances this season, Conner took 70 touches for 348 yards from scrimmage and two rushing TDs.