Cardinals Chase for First Place Loses a Key Piece

Reports surfaced today that Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 9 against the 49ers, per Adam Schefter on Twitter. Edmonds is expected to miss multiple games. As we saw with Broncos’ wide receiver Jerry Jeudy earlier this season, these injuries can take over a month to heal and have lingering effects on a player’s performance upon return. I highlighted some of the rehab and mobility concerns surrounding ankle sprains in my Kyler Murray Injury reaction article. Edmonds sprain is considered more severe, as referenced in “High Ankle Sprains – The Fantasy Football Death Sentence” by Zach Pavlichek, PT, DPT of Dynasty Football Factory.

The Cardinals’ offense proved they were more than capable of securing a tough divisional win without superstar quarterback Kyler Murray and first-team all-pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins. They have the depth and defensive presence to compete at the top of the conference without Edmonds in the lineup. However, there will be an immediate void of valuable touches in this offense, and someone will have to step up to fill it. Let’s look at the next players up in the Cardinals rotation and how Edmonds’ injury will change the offense.

Redraft Impact

James Conner RB1 SZN. Need I say more? James Conner is producing touchdowns at an incredible rate. Conner has 11 total touchdowns on just 99 touches in 2021. He is averaging a TD every nine touches. Concerns surrounding his low work rate and split snap count with Edmonds can be thrown out of the window. As the lone leader of the backfield in Week 9, Conner rushed 21 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Most encouraging was his usage in the passing game. Conner caught all five of his targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. 

Edmonds held the unquestioned role of the pass-catching back in the Cardinals offense. With no one to take away his three-down opportunity, Conner should see his projected season-long value boosted to that of a low-end RB1.

It is worth noting that Colt McCoy started the contest sans Kyler Murray. McCoy threw for 249 yards, one touchdown, and rushed seven times for 23 yards. Mike Petrop of BRoto Fantasy Football noted on Twitter how the Cardinals’ versatility in the offensive scheme was vital to their victory against the 49ers. The ‘Cards’ switched from their usual three and four-wide receiver sets to allow extra blockers in the run game. I projected a similar change in offensive philosophy following Kyler Murray’s injury to protect the young star on early downs with a more solidified run game. I expect the same pattern to continue moving forward.

Dynasty Impact

At this juncture of the season, Edmonds dynasty value will see a significant decrease if he is on contending rosters. Only six weeks remain in the fantasy season, and Edmonds could very likely miss that allotted amount of time if he sees any setbacks in his rehabilitation.

Edmonds is 25 years of age and fast approaching the feared age cliff for running back production in Dynasty. This injury is devastating for Edmonds amidst a career year of efficient production. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Unfortunately for Edmonds, the Cardinals will be without much wiggle room in the salary cap department after needing to re-sign Kyler this offseason. The obvious hope is that Edmonds makes a full recovery in time to make a statement in a contract year, but it may be too little too late to change his outcome with the franchise.

We touched base on the immediate value and usage increase Conner will receive in season-long formats. Those statements ring true in dynasty leagues as well. Conner had turned into a league-winning asset well before the injury to Edmonds. Conner has vastly outplayed his preseason ADP and market values. The clear path to RB1 usage has further solidified Conner’s current stand-alone value.

However, Conner’s future with the Cardinals is just as unclear as Edmonds’. Conner is also without a contract extension. The 26-year-old running back has undoubtedly earned the attention of a sizable re-up from an NFL team. Still, it is unlikely the Cardinals will afford a multi-year extension unless Conner takes a team-friendly pay cut.

Rookie wide receiver Rondale Moore could be in for increased usage out of the backfield as both a rusher and pass-catching threat. Moore cannot chip in as a pass-blocker on third downs but did average 10.1 yards per carry as a true freshman at Purdue. Moore was recognized for his versatility as a playmaker with the coveted Paul Hornung award and has flashed his open-field vision at several points this season.

There is one under the radar asset that is being completely overlooked in this scenario: Eno Benjamin. A second-year running back out of Arizona State, Benjamin is the only current member of the Cardinals backfield with a contract that extends past 2021. Eno Benjamin’s NFL Draft 2020 profile by Joe Memmolo Jr. referenced Benjamin’s impressive collegiate career numbers. If recency bias is your thing, look no further than Benjamin’s special 21-yard touchdown run in Week 9, where he burst through the gut of the defense and trucked a defender into the dirt on his way to six points.

At 22 years old, with a clear path to increased playing time, Benjamin is the most intriguing asset to watch out for on this Cardinals offense. Do not let the lure of Conner’s elite in-season production deter you from taking a gamble on what could be the future lead back in 2022.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

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