In this article, I’ll be taking a look at Trey Benson‘s career production and weighing his output and efficiencies against his current contract value. After taking the starting role in the Cardinals’ backfield following a James Conner injury, Benson quickly got hurt and missed his opportunity to cement himself as the lead player in the Arizona run game. Following this injury, will Benson become relevant again? Is his contract indicative of him staying with the team?
Let’s jump into the details.
Benson’s volume was limited in 2025, but his rush efficiency was nothing to turn your head at. See a summary of his games below.
He carried at 5.52 yards per carry, which led all Cardinals RBs by a large margin. Benson forced 10 missed tackles on just 29 attempts, which ranked 11th in the NFL among qualified backs at the point he was injured. His yards-after-contact average of 3.59 per attempt was also strong. He had a 93% catch rate on 14 targets, showing off his receiving ability.
What is key is comparing Benson’s performance with the other replacement-level backs in Arizona that filled in the rest of the season. Benson put up better numbers all around, averaging nearly two yards per carry more than Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Bam Knight.
The James Conner Situation
Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The central roster question heading into 2026 is what happens with James Conner, who enters next season at 31 years old, is under contract through 2026, and is recovering from significant ankle surgery. The Cardinals re-signed Conner to a two-year extension earlier in 2025, and the final year of that deal runs through 2026, meaning he is under contract whether Arizona wants him or not unless they cut him outright.
The financial case for keeping Conner is thin. The 30-year-old finished 2025 with 133 scrimmage yards and two TDs in three games before getting carted off. Benson outgained him on a per-carry basis by a wide margin in the games where both were active, giving Benson a slight performance edge.
Benson is under contract until 2027, averaging $1.5M per year; his dead cap is around $0.6M. Conner, as stated, is going into the final year of his contract, making an average of $9.5M with a dead cap of $2.2M. It is unlikely the Cardinals cut him, as the cap hit wouldn’t be minimal; riding Conner out for another year may be wise, although the backfield could potentially shift in Benson’s favor if Conner’s performance continues to decline following recovery.
To address the elephant in the room: Trey Benson has now had two significant lower-body injuries in his young NFL career — a multi-ligament knee tear at Oregon before his FSU transfer that cost him an entire season, and the 2025 knee injury that sent him to IR after Week 4. He has played 17 total NFL games across two seasons and missed 30+ games due to injury in that span.
Benson came back from the Oregon injury and played 26 consecutive games at FSU, averaging 6.3 yards per carry across two seasons, healthy and dominant. His college track record post-injury was exceptional. The 2025 knee issue is being characterized by the Cardinals as a different joint, less complex structurally, and his projected recovery had him practicing before the end of the regular season, even though the team shut him down.
His NFL trade value will likely be low, meaning the Cardinals are incentivized to hold on to him, especially due to his low cap hit. As shown below, his career arc has been consistent; he has been an efficient back year over year, even through college following his injury.
Fantasy Verdicts for 2026
Trey Benson sits as a high upside, late round pick in deeper redraft leagues, and as a keeper in dynasty leagues if you can afford some risk. For more conservative dynasty players, the situation is trickier: his trade value is near his floor, however, there is a strong chance it goes to zero if Conner returns as the RB1, which looks possible. In the end, a healthy Benson is a player who showed 5.52 yards per carry, 10 forced missed tackles, and a 93% catch rate in his 2025 sample, entering a starting role in a wide-zone offense with a dual-threat QB. The ceiling, if he stays healthy, is quite high.
from Fantasy Footballers Podcast https://ift.tt/pBQSjt4
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