James Conner injury update: Latest on Cardinals RB for Week 9 fantasy football

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner's injury is a cause of concern for the franchise. Connor is the team's leading rusher, and he was having a stellar 2023 until he sustained a knee injury.

Conner's injury is yet another step back for the Cardinals as they navigate a bridge season in 2023. In this piece, we will give you an update on Conner's injury ahead of Week 9 of the current NFL season. So, without further ado, let's get to it.

James Conner injury update

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, James Conner was added to the injured reserve by the Cardinals due to a knee injury sustained in a Week 5 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Connor must remain on IR for four games, meaning he will be allowed to return to the gridiron any time after Week 9.

What happened to James Conner?

In the Arizona Cardinals' Week 5 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Conner hurt his knee on a 35-yard run. As soon as he felt his knee tweak, the Pittsburgh University alum promptly left the field, went down the tunnel and didn't return to action for the game.

At the end of the game, the Cardinals decided to conduct the necessary scans to examine the extent of damage to his knee. Following the scans, it was decided that Conner would be added to the injured reserve. He remains on IR ahead of the team's Week 9 fixture against the Cleveland Browns.

When will James Conner return?

The earliest Conner can return is the Cardinals' Week 10 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The veteran running back would have missed the mandatory four weeks since being added to the injured reserve.

In the meantime, the Cardinals will rely on backups Tony Jones Jr. and Emari Demercado to hold the fort at the running back position. Neither is a proven commodity, but they'll have to perform at their best in order to help the team improve on their 1-7 start to the season.