In every fantasy football season, there are stashed players that wind up making a huge difference come playoff time. Cardinals running back James Conner could very well be one of those players this season.
Conner has not played since Week 3 of the 2025 season as he is still recovering from a foot injury.
Below, we will dish out a Conner injury update and look at when he will return to the Cardinals.
James Conner fantasy football injury update: When will Cardinals RB return?
It’s been a strange year for Conner, a player who posted back-to-back 1,000-plus yard rushing seasons not too long ago (2023, 2024).
Conner went down with a foot injury in Week 3 of last season against the 49ers. The former Pitt Panther re-worked his contract in March to stay with the Cardinals, and he participated in individual drills during Cardinals training camp.
In August of this year, however, the Cardinals placed Conner on IR.
“He’s not far off [from returning],” Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said in August. “But it just was in the best interest of the player and the organization to give him a little bit more time.”
“A little bit more time” has turned into a lot more time, as Conner remains on IR.
LaFleur gave an update on Conner’s status on November 4 and again indicated that the RB is not far off from returning.
“He’s fighting his butt off behind the scenes to put himself in a position to go perform, not just return, but to actually perform,” LaFleur said. “Because of the pro that he is, I’m taking it week-to-week with him.”
Sitting at 3-6 on the season, Arizona’s incentive to win at all costs is pretty low. Even if Conner is ready to go, it’s uncertain as to how hard the Cardinals will push him to actually play.
With rookie running back Jeremiyah Love also on injured reserve, though, the Cardinals do have a need for running back depth.
There remains the possibility that the Cardinals could use Conner as their primary back down the stretch of the regular season.
Here is a look at the upcoming schedule for Arizona.
- Week 10 Sunday, November 15: Rams at Cardinals
- Week 11 Sunday, November 22: Cardinals at Chiefs
- Week 12 Sunday, November 29: Commanders at Cardinals
- Week 13 Sunday, December 6: Eagles at Cardinals
The Cardinals’ bye week comes in Week 14.
James Conner fantasy football update
Conner is currently rostered in just 5 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues. His ADP this past summer was 175 overall.
Conner had 95 rushing yards on 32 carries in three games played last season. The 31-year-old was a fantasy football darling in the late 2010s and early 2020s. In 2018, as a member of the Steelers, Conner recorded 12 rushing touchdowns. In his first season with the Cardinals, in 2021, he tallied 15 rushing touchdowns.
Cardinals odds
The Cardinals had the lowest of low expectations entering the 2026-27 NFL season as they had +70000 Super Bowl odds and a projected win total of 4.5 at Fanatics Sportsbook.
While Arizona is far from a true contender in the NFC, the Cardinals’ 3-6 record at this stage of the season is somewhat surprising. The Cardinals beat the Chargers in Week 1, the Rams in Week 6, and the Cowboys in Week 8.
The Cards’ current win total projection is 5.5.
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