The Arizona Cardinals added Evan Hull, a back possessing an astonishing 98th-percentile 17.3-percent College Target Share and an 82nd-percentile 4.47 40-yard dash, following brief stints with Indianapolis and New Orleans.
Hull’s arrival coincides with Trey Benson missing practice, and he will slot in as the RB4 on the Cardinals depth chart. With Trey Benson sitting on the 53-man roster bubble, Evan Hull has an immediate window to push James Conner backfield touches. A competent satellite back, Hull is likely destined for the practice squad unless he can win a special teams role in August.
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) returned ...
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) ...
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson finally had a ...
Not good. While the Arizona backfield remains a crowded committee featuring veteran James Conner and newcomer Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson managing a knee flare-up after last season’s meniscus surgery just buries him further. The raw athletic profile highlighted by a 4.39 40-Yard Dash (97th percentile) and a 116.3 Speed Score (96th percentile) remains impressive, but Benson’s career now hangs in the balance.
Benson was a favorite to land with a new team before Week 1, but the Cardinals are now laying the ground to stash him on IR to start the season. Fantasy managers must now monitor his roster status and strongly consider cutting this tantalizing talent loose in fantasy football dynasty leagues.
It High draft capital and financial commitments make Jeremiyah Love, who posted a 6.9 College YPC, and Tyler Allgeier roster locks. James Conner and Trey Benson represent realistic trade candidates following injury-riddled campaigns, though Conner’s has the efficiency edge.
Bottom line: NFL teams rarely roster four running backs who do not contribute to special teams. This report was likely planted as a signal to other NFL teams that Conner and Benson are valuable assets and available.
Trey Benson flashed a 35.7-percent Juke Rate and 5.3 Yards Per Touch before a meniscus tear derailed his opportunity to take over the Arizona backfield. Pushing too hard during his practice window triggered a setback, leaving him to watch the team draft his potential replacement from the sidelines.
Now buried on a crowded depth chart, the former third-round pick is a prime change-of-scenery candidate who needs a trade to salvage his dynasty value. Benson is droppable in all but the deep leagues.
Tyler Allgeier signed a $12.25 million deal with Arizona hoping to become the lead back, but his role was immediately threatened when the Cardinals drafted Jeremiyah Love third overall. This high-profile selection creates a crowded and confusing backfield for fantasy purposes, especially with veteran James Conner and Trey Benson still in the rotation.
Allgeier will shift into short-yardage and goal-line duties, and the rookie Love is expected to dominate the team’s rushing and pass-catching opportunities in 2026. Allgeier will have moderate standalone value as a key cog in the high octane Cardinals defense and will continue to be the league’s premier upside handcuff back.
The two top playmakers in Trey Benson and Marvin Harrison Jr won’t be suiting up on Sunday for Arizona. To make matters worse, coach Jonathan Gannon would not set a timeline for either player. The Cardinals (3-9) will host the Los Angeles Rams (9-3) on Sunday afternoon.
Harrision Jr suffered a heel injury, severely affecting his mobility. He attempted to play through the pain, but only exacerbated the setback further. He’ll try to rest and possibly “give it a go” in practice next week, though current optimism is lackluster. He will be replaced in snaps and routes by Michael Wilson, who has become a fantasy darling in point-per-reception leagues over the last couple of weeks. He’s developed a second-nature chemistry with quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
For Benson, the news is more concerning. He practiced the week heading into last Sunday’s tilt early in the week before being a no-show at Friday’s final practice. Not only was he not activated to the roster in time for Week 13, but he also missed practice this entire week. Gannon has said little more in speaking to the media than “(Benson) is taking it day by day. ”
This is a sore spot for the second-year back. It is already Week 14, and the team has nothing to play for down the stretch. The smart money is that the running back won’t be activated by Wednesday’s (Dec. 10) deadline. That would cause him to revert to IR and be shut down for the remainder of the season. At this point, there is simply no need to rush him back as he preps to likely take over the bellcow role for the Cards in 2026.
Fantasy lowdown: Fantasy managers across the country were counting on Benson returning in time to give their teams an extra stiff-arm in the playoffs and perhaps be a league-winning difference-maker. Instead, it appears that Bam Knight will continue to carry the load and then split reps with Emari Demercado (high ankle sprain) returns. Knight is only rostered in well below the 50 percent mark and would be a must-add to rosters. For Week 14, however, managers can look elsewhere as Knight takes on the Los Angeles front.
Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)
