James Conner injury update: Latest on Cardinals RB for Fantasy Football Week 7

To highlight James Conner’s importance to the Arizona Cardinals offense, he already has 68 carries for 364 yards through five games this season. That’s an average of 5.4 yards per carry and 72.8 yards per game. Meanwhile, quarterback Joshua Dobbs is a distant second with 189 rushing yards.

Conner’s recent injury dented the Cardinals’ offense. They have fallen to 1-5 after six games and are still seven weeks away from their bye. Unfortunately for them, they won’t have Conner back any time soon.

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James Conner injury update

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner

James Conner was placed on injured reserve after the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 5 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This will sideline for at least four games. It’s a huge blow to his promising start to the 2023 NFL season and the Cardinals’ campaign.

Conner averaged 10.3 fantasy points in standard mode before he was listed on IR. His best performance came in Week 2 when he had 23 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants. A week later, he had 14 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown in their victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The former Pitt Panther has had an extensive injury history since joining the Cardinals in 2021. That year, he appeared on Arizona’s injury report for ankle and heel injuries. Last season, ribs and knee injuries forced him to sit out three games.

Apart from those concerns, he has been relatively healthy. He played 16 games in 2021, including their Wild Card Round game against the Los Angeles Rams. Conner played and started in 13 games last year.

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What happened to James Conner?

NFL Pro Bowl

James Conner suffered a knee injury during his 35-yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. He was immediately removed from the game and went to the locker room. He had six carries for 46 yards before the injury.

A week before the injury, Conner had 11 carries for 52 yards against the San Francisco 49ers. Those numbers yielded him 5.6 fantasy points, his second-lowest output in 2023.

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When will James Conner return?

Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams

Players on injured reserve will be out of action for at least four weeks. Since James Conner got hurt in Week 5, the earliest he could return is in Week 10 at home against the Atlanta Falcons. However, the Cardinals will monitor his situation to determine if he will be ready to play by then.

Otherwise, they can start his 21-day practice window after the four weeks, extending his potential recovery period. Maximizing this timeline can have him back in Week 15 against the 49ers, their next game after the bye.

Conner will have only four games left to play if he returns that late. However, he could miss the rest of the season if the Cardinals don’t play him after the 21-day window.

In his absence, Cardinals running backs have been unreliable fantasy football options. Emari Demercado has 16 carries for 59 yards, while Keontay Ingram has 22 carries for 55 yards.