Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a foot injury in last week’s 16-15 loss against the San Francisco 49ers. Midway through the game, Conner went down awkwardly after a run and immediately grabbed at his right foot. He was carted off the field and did not return.
Initially, it was reported as an ankle injury, but the Cardinals later confirmed the injury is to his foot. Ahead of Thursday Night Football’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, fantasy owners want to know what they should do with the injured running back.
James Conner Injury
The Cardinals have confirmed that James Conner will require season-ending surgery on his foot. The team has placed him on injury reserve, and they are expected to announce Conner’s replacement on the 53-man roster. It will likely be a toss-up between Emari Demercado and Michael Carter.
Cardinals RB James Conner did in fact suffer a season-ending injury to his right ankle that will require surgery, per source. The injury is considered “severe”, even if the team does not yet know the full extent of the damage. pic.twitter.com/IMktQeYBoz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2025
When Will James Conner Be Back?
James Conner won’t feature in the 2025 season. Right now, there is no timeline provided for his return. Given the severity and nature of the injury (foot surgery, not just ankle), a full recovery is likely to span several months.
Before the injury, Conner recorded 32 carries for 95 rushing yards and added eight receptions for 38 receiving yards in the season.
James Conner Fantasy Outlook
This is a major blow for fantasy owners holding onto James Conner as he’s ruled out for the season. Since he was the RB2 on the Cardinals, he was rostered in almost all fantasy leagues.
In the wake of development, FantasyPros already recommends dropping Conner in redraft formats given his season-ending status.
In Conner’s absence, Benson becomes the lead back in Arizona. Benson has carried the ball with an average of 6.0 yards per run. His workload will be increased, thereby making him a must-buy waiver target. Moreover, his pass-catching upside cannot be ignored at all when making a decision.
Moreover, fantasy owners should also keep an eye on the Cardinals’ subsequent roster move to fill the void left by Conner. Either Emari Demercado or Michael Carter will soon be promoted from the practice squad.
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