The Arizona Cardinals are likely to orchestrate a more slowed-down running battle against the Washington Commanders in Week 1 of the NFL season.
James Conner leads Arizona’s backfield after finishing 2022 with 183 carries for 782 yards and seven touchdowns. But is he actually a must-start in fantasy football against Washington?
Fantasy Football analysis: Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner
With every fantasy player, especially running backs, there is a certain balance of risk and reward. His injury history is extensive.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
Start. Conner is expected to see a monster workload in Week 1. The only competition behind him is Keaontay Ingram, Corey Clement, Marlon Mack and Emari Demercado.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
Start. Conner has standard RB2/FLEX value in smaller (8-10 teams), and borderline RB1 value in bigger (12-14 teams) leagues.
Player(s) you would start ahead of James Conner
Conner is ranked as the 21st overall RB in PPR formats, per FantasyPros consensus rankings.
While Conner will certainly get plenty of usage, the game script could really hurt Conner’s fantasy value. Players with less risk include Bucs RB Rachaad White, Texans RB Dameon Pierce and Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert.