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Should I drop Emari Demercado for fantasy football Week 6? Is Emari Demercado a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado was on the verge of having his signature moment for the 2025 NFL season in Week 5. He broke free from the Tennessee Titans defense for what could have been a 72-yard touchdown.
Instead, he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line, resulting in a touchback. Worse yet, that blunder might have sparked the Titans to complete their comeback. The Cardinals would have been up 27-6 if Demercado held the ball. Instead, the Titans scored 16 unanswered points to secure their first victory this season.
Look away, Cardinals fans 🫣
(via @NFLonCBS) pic.twitter.com/JmtwZEI5pD
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 5, 2025
The error also led to Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon being fined $100,000 for his livid reaction to Demercado’s carelessness. Meanwhile, the third-year running back’s mistake has fantasy football players second-guessing his worth. Therefore, is it time to drop him and search for better options?
Emari Demercado Will Get His Opportunity
The avenue to perform remains open for Demercado. He is second on the Cardinals’ running back depth chart after James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury and Trey Benson landed on injured reserve due to a knee injury that required surgery.
Benson’s estimated return is in four to six weeks. Therefore, Demercado has three more games as Arizona’s change-of-pace RB behind Michael Carter. He will get his touches but will share snaps with Carter and Bam Knight. It’s up to Demercado, though, if he will maximize his reps.
Emari Demercado Could Struggle in Week 6
With the Arizona Cardinals losing their last three games, the chances of ending their slump in Week 6 are slim. They will be on the road facing the Indianapolis Colts, a team that won four of its first five games.
Through Week 5, the Colts are 12th in rushing yards allowed at 98 per game. Likewise, FootballDB states that the Colts are tied with six other teams (Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks) for the fewest rushing touchdowns allowed (two).
If you’re banking on Demercado to score a touchdown against the Colts, it’s not a wise bet because Indianapolis surrenders only 17.8 points per game, third-best through Week 5.
"This Colts team is going to be playing in January. They have one of the best individual game planning defensive coordinators in football."@minakimes believes the Colts' defense is built for a deep playoff run 📈 pic.twitter.com/Ctu4dIL4vk
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 7, 2025
In addition to Indianapolis' ability to stop the run, it will also play at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts haven’t lost in three games at home this season. Demercado and the Cardinals are in trouble if the Colts' high-scoring offense plays that way.
Look for Alternatives for Emari Demercado
Without that long run against the Titans, Demercado would only have had two carries for 10 yards. Beyond that play, he hasn’t made much impact in his first two NFL seasons. In 27 games, he had 82 rushing attempts for 507 yards and three touchdowns. Averaging 18.7 yards per game throughout his career doesn’t necessarily excite fantasy football players.
While Demercado is still looking for a breakout game, it won’t happen against the Colts. If the Cardinals fall behind by a sizable margin, they could shorten the playbook and abandon the run to cover more ground.
The longest run in Demercado’s NFL career makes him a trending choice in fantasy football. However, for Week 6, it’s best to drop him from your roster. In addition to finding better waiver options, Benson’s impending return should diminish his role in the Cardinals offense.
Even if he remains Arizona’s RB2 for a few more weeks, Demercado might have a tough time in Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers. Through five weeks, the Packers ranked second in rushing yards allowed at 77.5 per game. Playing at home could bump up Demercado’s performance, but Green Bay’s defense is a tough out. Scoring against the Packers isn’t easy, either, because they’re giving up only 21 points per game, ranked 11th in the league.
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