X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Wild Cards: Fantasy Outlook for Arizona's RBs

Scott Engel takes an in-depth look at the Arizona Cardinals backfield from a fantasy football perspective after the recent injuries to running backs David Johnson and Chase Edmonds, followed by the trade for Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake.

When fantasy owners drafted David Johnson in the first round this season, they thought and hoped for a return to superstar form. Johnson had an Average Draft Position of seventh overall in the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC).

The season opened in promising fashion, with 137 yards from scrimmage and six receptions plus a rushing TD. But then the production began to fall off. He totaled 218 yards from scrimmage in the next three games with two total TDs. He did have two games with six and eight catches respectively, but it was not the type of statistical output that was ideally expected. Johnson rebounded for 156 yards from scrimmage in Week 5 and then started showing more of what his owners wanted with 102 yards from scrimmage, two total TDs and six catches in Week 6.

It seemed like things were finally starting to come together with a new head coach and QB. But a series of injuries, a stellar performance by backup Chase Edmonds and then an unexpected trade have created a situation cloudier than a dust storm in the desert.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Backfield Damage in the Desert

Johnson fought through a back injury in Week 6, but after that game it was reported that he had suffered an ankle injury and would be a game-time decision for Week 7. Much to the frustration of his owners, he did start, but carried just once before Kliff Kingsbury pulled him out of the game. Chase Edmonds, one of the best backup RBs in the NFL and the essential handcuff to Johnson, delivered a breakout performance with 127 rushing yards and three TDs.

Edmonds became a prime waiver pickup and was the second-most added free agent in FleaFlicker leagues after Week 7. Edmonds was ready to start in Week 8 against New Orleans with Johnson not expected to play. He totaled 13 yards from scrimmage on nine touches before he left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

Now the Cardinals were without both of their top RBs heading into a short week, as they looked ahead to playing the 49ers on Thursday Night Football. They were down to recently added scrap heap adds Zach Zenner and Alfred Morris. GM Steve Keim had been down this road already. During his tenure, he had seen the Cardinals deal with RB depth issues before. Most notably, in 2017, when Johnson went down with a season-ending wrist injury after one game, he had tried to patch the hole with the likes of Kerwynn Williams and made an in-season trade for Adrian Peterson. He drafted Edmonds the following year to bolster the RB depth.

So Keim jumped to complete the same type of move he did in October of 2017 when Johnson went down. With reports swirling that neither Edmonds nor Johnson would be available for this week’s game against the Niners, and the outlook cloudy beyond this week for both, Keim executed a trade to acquire Kenyan Drake from the Miami Dolphins for a conditional 2020 draft pick. This helps the Cards in the short-run but muddies the RB situation for fantasy owners even further.

 

A New RB Picture

The Cardinals are in last place in the very competitive AFC West, but at 3-4-1 they appear to believe they have a chance of making the playoffs. The average fan would not agree, but NFL front office types obviously think differently. Keim obviously sees this Thursday’s game as a big matchup that could be pivotal for Arizona this season, and he wants to give his team the best chance of winning. That sends a very positive message throughout the organization.

It also sends messages to fantasy owners that Johnson and Edmonds have very murky injury outlooks in the shorter term. Kingsbury has said that Johnson is “day to day”, but according to the NFL Network, Edmonds could miss a “few weeks”. It’s all speculative at this point, but it seems the best-case scenario for Arizona would be for Johnson to return in Week 10 with Drake operating as his main complement at that point.

Drake gives the Cardinals the instant depth they needed, plus flexibility. If they need him to start and take on a significant load, as will be the case on Thursday, he can handle the assignment. If they want him to rotate in and out with Johnson, he has mostly operated that way for much of his career so far. In the two games prior to his heavy Week 7 usage. Edmonds averaged nine touches per outing.

That last Edmonds fact demonstrates that fantasy owners cannot get too excited about Drake’s prospects with Arizona when Johnson is available. But if injuries continue to be an issue for a few weeks, he has proven he can provide some upside. In 2017, when it appeared Drake might be on the rise, he totaled 883 yards from scrimmage. Last year he totaled 1.012 yards from scrimmage and nine TDs. But he was very unreliable from week to week for fantasy purposes.

 

A Crowded House?

Based on the outlined previous production in Miami, the Cardinals are getting a versatile RB who can function effectively as a dual-threat, and the Kingsbury offensive style calls for RBs who are adept receivers. It’s the ideal pickup for them for depth and skill set. They get an RB who can start or work as part of a committee.

For Drake, it’s surely a boost to be playing in an improved offense, but his week-to-week role is very uncertain. He’ll have one guaranteed start against the second-best team in terms of allowing Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing RBs. So he should only be used in Week 9 if your fantasy team is quite thin at the position.

After this week, Drake could conceivably operate as a change of pacer for Johnson and a possible short-term handcuff. If Edmonds can return in the near future, that could lead to the situation that fantasy players dread, a committee.

The position would then be considered a luxury for the Cardinals, as they could attack defenses with three very good RBs, keeping all of them fresh and opponents off balance. But that would also mean Johnson could see a trimmed workload when healthy and Drake and Edmonds could not be counted on, especially if a “hot hand” approach develops.

So with a tough upcoming matchup followed by uncertainty, Drake is still a fantasy RB4 type overall. Johnson could get pushed down to mid-range RB status if the committee situation develops. Edmonds has quickly seen his fantasy value take a big hit, as his best outlook would be the main guy in a timeshare if Johnson is out and he is available later in the year. You cannot afford to keep him rostered in the meantime, as there no longer appears to be a path to him regaining a role close to what he had prior to his injury. It is uncertain who will be the true handcuff to Johnson when all three are healthy, too.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF