Update, Sept. 15 — Conner was upgraded to a full practice on Friday to close out the Week 2 practice schedule. He’s listed as questionable, but his ability to get in a full practice suggests he is good to go for Sunday.
Update, Sept. 14 — Conner was once again limited on Thursday due to calf injury. Friday will be important for him to get a full practice in for us to feel safe playing him in fantasy this week against the Giants.
Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner was limited at practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury ahead of Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season against the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon. Conner led the Cardinals’ backfield in a Week 1 20-16 loss to the Washington Commanders last week. Here we’ll update you on the latest Conner injury news with some fantasy football analysis.
Fantasy football implications for Week 2
In Week 1, Conner had 14 carries for 62 yards while also adding five receptions on five targets for eight yards. The production wasn’t there but the usage was elite for an RB1. Conner finished with nearly 20 touches and dominated snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Conner led all RBs with 52 snaps and 29 routes run. He was essentially at RB the entire game for Arizona.
If Conner is ruled out, Keaontay Ingram would be the next back in line for carries. He finished with seven snaps, two routes and five carries for a lackluster -4 yards. Since Conner is limited, you shouldn’t have to worry if you’re his manager in fantasy. But Ingram didn’t exactly inspire confidence as a backup. The other option at RB is Emari Demercado. If Conner were to miss time, you’d think the Cardinals bring in another veteran back to pair with Ingram. They can’t just air the ball out with Joshua Dobbs until Kyler Murray returns — or can they?
So long as Conner is healthy, given that type of volume, he’s a good play in most fantasy football formats.