Arizona Cardinals DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Through the first eight weeks, Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride's only touchdown had been from a fumble recovered in the end zone. That trend changed in the Week 9 win over the Chicago Bears when McBride scored a rushing touchdown on a 2-yard jet sweep. McBride has been putting together a Pro Bowl-caliber season at tight end for the Cardinals, and that continued even with the passing game not up to par. McBride's official stat line was three catches for 35 yards and one rush for 2 yards, resulting in a rushing touchdown. This is an encouraging sign for fantasy managers, as the Cardinals showed an emphasis on getting McBride involved in the red zone. If McBride's touchdown upside increases, he could make a case to finish as the number one tight end in fantasy this season. He should be started in all league formats when the Cardinals host the New York Jets in Week 10.

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson scored his first career touchdown in the 29-9 win over the Chicago Bears. Starting running back James Conner had to check himself out after a hard fall, which opened the door for Benson to enter the game and take the Cardinals' goal-line carries, during which he found his way into the end zone. With the Cardinals taking a commanding lead and Conner getting a little banged up, Benson saw an increase in workload, finishing the game with eight carries for 37 yards, one touchdown, and one reception for 18 yards. It was expected that at some point in the season, the Cardinals would try to get Benson more involved to lower Conner's snap count and keep him healthy, and that happened in Week 9. This was Benson's most impressive game of the season, and the rookie looks like he's starting to find his footing in the NFL. While Benson could be viewed as a handcuff for James Conner, he is not necessarily a viable option when the Cardinals host the New York Jets in Week 10.

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado got involved in the Week 9 win over the Chicago Bears with an impressive 53-yard rushing touchdown right before halftime, giving the Cardinals a 21-9 lead. Demercado has impressed throughout the season in his limited playing time, which has frequently come on third downs. His final stat line was four carries for 59 yards and one rushing touchdown, along with two catches for 21 yards. It's unclear whether Demercado's role will increase, making him not an option for fantasy managers when the Cardinals play the Jets in Week 10.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season in the 29-9 win over the Chicago Bears. Conner finished the game with 18 carries for 107 rushing yards and added three receptions for 12 yards. The Cardinals' rushing attack was dominant, and the offensive line frequently created lanes for the running backs. Conner did take a hard fall in the second quarter, landing on his hip and needing to check himself out after the play. However, that does not seem to be a lingering issue, as he returned to the game in the second half before the Cardinals put their backups in and went into cruise control. Although Conner did not find the end zone, he remains the focal point of the Cardinals' rushing attack, and fantasy managers should be happy with how his season has gone. He remains a likely starter for fantasy managers heading into their Week 10 matchup with the New York Jets.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray's arm wasn't needed much in the 29-9 win over the Chicago Bears. Murray's official stat line was 13 completions on 20 passing attempts for 154 yards, along with two rushes for six yards. The Cardinals easily moved the ball on the ground and consistently had solid field position. This led to a decrease in Murray's usage, as the Cardinals took a 21-9 lead at halftime and went into cruise control in the second half. All three of the Cardinals' touchdown drives resulted in rushing touchdowns. While this was not the outcome fantasy managers wanted to see, it shouldn't lead to panic. Kyler Murray remains a fantasy starter as the Cardinals host the New York Jets in Week 10.