Trey Benson fantasy football outlook for 2024: Is Cardinals RB a safe pick this year?

Trey Benson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 66th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft. He was widely considered one of the most talented running back prospects this year, so it makes sense that the Cardinals targeted him. They have been in need of offensive weapons, so Benson can potentially help them.

Rookies often carry more risk than most other players in a similar position in fantasy football. This is a result of unknown factors such as their workload and how their skill set will translate to the NFL. Benson certainly qualifies as a risky option for the 2024 fantasy football season, but he also brings upside. Here's where his fantasy outlook currently stands.

Breaking down Trey Benson's fantasy football outlook for 2024

Trey Benson (image credit: Getty)

Trey Benson began his college football career with the Oregon Ducks, where he spent just one season. After receiving just six carries in his first year, he transferred to the Florida State Seminoles. He immediately established himself as a dominant running back with his new team, combining to record 2,267 scrimmage yards and 24 total touchdowns across two seasons.

The Arizona Cardinals have been seeking upgrades to their offensive weapons, so they used the draft to select Benson and Marvin Harrison Jr. They have the potential to be one of the best overall rookie duos, with Harrison expected to serve as their featured wide receiver. Benson's path to a significant role is a bit more clouded, as he will have to compete with James Conner for playing time.

Plenty of NFL teams use multiple running backs in their offensive system. Considering the Cardinals used a premium pick on Benson, despite their many other positional needs, they could be planning on a tandem approach.

Benson's outlook for the 2024 fantasy football season will likely be heavily dependent upon how many touches he gets, but if he carves out a large enough role, he could be a sleeper.

Where should you draft Trey Benson this year?

Dynasty Fantasy Football is where Trey Benson holds his most value. Where he was drafted suggests that the Cardinals have him in their long-term plans, and with Conner in the final year of his contract, Benson's role could drastically grow next season. He is a strong mid-round target in Dynasty leagues, while in traditional season-long formats, he is a solid late-round flier with valuable upside.

Managers looking at Benson in their fantasy drafts this year should reference Sportskeeda's Who Should I Draft tool. This will allow them to compare his fantasy projections to other relevant options and determine if he is the best to make at the time when they are on the clock.

Benson has an average draft position of 126 as the projected RB40, so could be a real steal and is worth picking up as a bench stash in the later rounds.