JamesConner

News: 2 days agoConner rushed 12 times for 33 yards and a touchdown while corralling all five of his targets for 80 yards in Sunday's 31-6 win over the Jets.

Spin: Conner struggled as a rusher outside of a short touchdown Sunday, but he offset that with his biggest game of the season as a receiver. The bruising back was dealing with a finger injury during the practice week, which could have had something to do with rookie Trey Benson (10-62-0) cutting into the starter's workload in the first half against the Jets. The 29-year-old Conner will get an extra week to recover as Arizona enters its bye before resuming action against the Seahawks on Nov. 24.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Despite missing four games due to a knee issue, Conner emerged as Arizona's most reliable offensive weapon, regularly carrying the load (18 touches per game) and finding surprising efficiency (5.1 YPT, RB16) despite erratic QB play. Conner averaged 80 rush yards per game and cleared 1,000 yards on the ground for the first time in his seven-year career. He also recorded seven rushing scores for the second straight season. At 29 years old and in the final year of his current contract, Conner's time in the desert is likely coming to a close, as evidenced by the team's addition of Trey Benson in the third round of April's draft. The rookie might steal a few snaps and touches from Conner, but the vet figures to see enough volume to garner RB2 consideration.