Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Officially out for Week 12
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Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday that Demercado (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Demercado will miss Week 12 while recovering from a high-ankle sprain, while Gannon also confirmed that running back Trey Benson (knee) will have his 21-day practice window opened Wednesday. It remains to be seen if Benson will be a realistic candidate to return in time to face Jacksonville on Sunday, however. In the event that Benson is unavailable again alongside Demercado, a combination of Bam Knight and Michael Carter will be positioned to lead Arizona's backfield.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Likely out with high-ankle sprain
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Demercado sustained a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's 41-22 loss to the 49ers and is unlikely to be available for the Cardinals' Week 12 game against the Jaguars, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Demercado gained eight rushing yards on five carries and added two receptions for 12 yards on three targets before he departed in the second quarter. Given that high-ankle sprains often entail multi-week recoveries, Demercado will be at risk of missing time beyond the Cardinals' upcoming matchup with the Jaguars. Bam Knight (five carries for 24 yards, four catches for 21 yards in Week 11) and Michael Carter (two carries for six yards, five catches for 22 yards) should be in line for expanded profiles out of the backfield in Week 12, unless Trey Benson (knee) makes an unexpected return from injured reserve.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Injures ankle Sunday
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Demercado exited Sunday's game against the 49ers with an ankle injury.
Before leaving the contest, Demercado carried five times for eight yards and caught two of his three targets for 12 yards. In his absence, fellow RB Michael Carter is available to work behind Bam Knight.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Sleeper RBs
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Demercado could be the lead running back for the Cardinals in Week 11 against San Francisco with Trey Benson (knee) still on injured reserve, as well as Zonovan Knight (ankle) banged up. Michael Carter will also be a factor for the Cardinals, but Demercado has more upside heading into this game. He had 14 carries for 79 yards and one catch for minus-1 yard in Week 9 at Dallas, and then he had four carries for 64 yards and three catches for 40 yards on four targets in Week 10 at Seattle. The 49ers have allowed six running backs to score at least 15.1 PPR points in their past seven games, and I like Demercado as a flex option in this matchup.
As of Tuesday morning Trey Benson is still on injured reserve and Zonovan Knight is dealing with a knee injury. That leaves Demercado and Michael Carter as the Cardinals top two running backs. For the season Demercado is averaging nine yards per rush and has a 46% success rate. Carter is averaging 2.7 yards per carry and has a 39% success rate. I am ranking Demercado as a low-end RB2 if Benson and Knight are both out.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Week 11 Waiver Priority List
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Trey Benson (knee) remains on injured reserve, and Zonovan Knight (ankle) was injured in Week 10 at Seattle. Demercado could be the lead running back for the Cardinals against San Francisco in Week 11, which would make him a solid flex option in the majority of leagues. Michael Carter (11 percent rostered) would also get a bump in value if Benson and Knight are out, but Demercado has more upside. He had 14 carries for 79 yards and one catch for minus-1 yard in Week 9 at Dallas, and then he had four carries for 64 yards and three catches for 40 yards on four targets in Week 10 at Seattle. Demercado is worth adding for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB. In deeper leagues, you can take a flier on Carter for 1 percent.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Goes for over 100 total yards
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Demercado took four carries for 64 yards while catching three of four targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 44-22 loss to Seattle.
Bam Knight (ankle) started Sunday's contest and led Arizona's backfield with 10 carries before exiting late due to injury. Demercado was already having the more productive day, although over half of his 100-plus yards from scrimmage came in garbage time. The TCU product could be in line to start against the 49ers next Sunday if Knight's injury proves to be serious. Demercado will also have to contend with the potential return of Trey Benson (knee) from injured reserve, but the former is currently the healthiest option out of Arizona's backfield heading into Week 11.
If Trey Benson returns then I am not sure Demercado matters. But if Benson is out, Demercado is likely the best Cardinals running back in Week 10. They are going with the hot hand approach and he had the much hotter hand in Week 9, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. His career rushing average is even higher than that and if not for the foolish goal line fumble, he may have taken this backfield over sooner. Even if Benson is out I don't like him as more than a flex against Seattle.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Stars in return from injury
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Demercado (ankle) took 14 carries for 79 yards and lost one yard on his only reception in Monday's 27-17 win over Dallas.
Demercado used the Cardinals' bye week to fully recover from an ankle injury that wound up costing him just one contest. The 26-year-old jumped right into a prominent role, leading the backfield in production even though Bam Knight drew the start. Knight still saw plenty of involvement with 47 yards gained on 11 combined touches, but Demercado came out of the contest looking like the superior fantasy option. Trey Benson (knee) is eligible to be activated from injured reserve against the Seahawks in Week 10, but it's currently unclear if he'll be physically ready to play right away. Benson's eventual return should push Demercado back into a change-of-pace role, but the latter likely will maintain fantasy value until that happens.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Good to go Week 9
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Demercado (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Monday's game against the Cowboys.
Demercado was limited by an ankle issue in the first two practices of the week but he will avoid an injury tag for Week 9 after logging a full practice Saturday. Per Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site on Saturday, head coach Jonathan Gannon said that Bam Knight will be the first running back to handle carries Monday but reiterated that he'll lean more heavily on whoever out of Knight, Demercado or Michael Carter is most effective as the game progresses.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Another limited session
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Demercado (ankle) practiced in a limited capacity Friday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Demercado has cobbled together back-to-back capped sessions to begin the week as he seeks his first game action since he suffered a left ankle injury Week 6 in Indianapolis. He'll have one more chance to practice in full Saturday, or else risk heading into Monday's contest at Dallas with a designation. If Demercado is able to return to action Week 9, he'll be in the mix for touches behind the backfield tandem of Bam Knight and practice-squad member Michael Carter.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Limited in return to practice
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Demercado (ankle) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
Demercado thus logged his first on-field work since he injured his left ankle Week 6 at Indianapolis. He proceeded to sit out Week 7 against the Packers, but a Week 8 bye seemingly has afforded him enough recovery time to put himself in a position to play again. With James Conner (foot) out for the season and Trey Benson (knee) still on injured reserve for a few more weeks, the Cardinals are set to roll with Bam Knight as their primary runner, but who between Demercado and practice-squad members Michael Carter and Jermar Jefferson is the No. 2 on Monday in Dallas remains to be seen.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: No practice Wednesday
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Demercado (ankle) was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Demercado didn't return to this Sunday's defeat at Indianapolis after favoring his left ankle while going to the locker room in the second quarter. In the end, Michael Carter (11 touches for 64 yards and no touchdowns on a 44 percent snap share) and Bam Knight (12-54-1 on 51 percent) split the backfield almost evenly Week 6. However, Knight was limited Wednesday due to a knee issue, leaving Carter as the sole healthy running back on Arizona's active roster.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Hurts ankle Sunday
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Demercado suffered an ankle injury during Sunday's game in Indianapolis.
Demercado went to the locker room with a slight limp while favoring his left ankle in the second quarter. He's part of a backfield committee for the Cardinals along with Michael Carter and Bam Knight with James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) on injured reserve. Demercado had one carry for one yard and didn't haul in his only target prior to his exit.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Won't be punished for fumble
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Demercado has been the second running back in Arizona's rotation in practice, and head coach Jonathan Gannon said Demercado won't face additional punishment for his costly fumble in this past Sunday's loss to the Titans, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports.
Demercado appears set to reprise his change-of-pace role behind Michael Carter against the Colts on Sunday, which resulted in only thee touches for Demercado against Tennessee, one of which should have been a 72-yard touchdown run but instead resulted in a fumble at the goal line. Arizona could lean more on its backfield of Carter, Demercado and Bam Knight if starting quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) isn't available.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Key mistake in loss
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Demercado rushed the ball three times for 81 yards in Sunday's 22-21 loss to the Titans.
Demercado was expected to see an expanded role in the absence of Trey Benson (knee), but Michael Carter dominated opportunities out of the backfield. Demercado's lack of involvement as a pass catcher was particularly surprising, as he was not targeted. He looked to have made the case for a more expanded role with a long 72-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, but he fumbled on a premature celebration before crossing the goal line for a touchback. The Cardinals still gave him one additional touch before the end of the game, but the key error isn't likely to help his role heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Colts.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Set to remain in passing-down role
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The Cardinals plan to keep Demercado in his usual role as a passing-down specialist in Sunday's game against the Titans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Though James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) have both been sent to injured reserve within the past two weeks, Demercado won't be asked to take on the same three-down role that the other two backs had handled prior to going down with their respective injuries. Instead, the Cardinals plan to have Michael Carter take on the brunt of the snaps on first and second downs, allowing the more explosive Demercado to remain more of a change-of-pace option. That being said, Carter was only recently signed off the practice squad and may not have as much security on early downs as Conner and Benson did when healthy, so Demercado could still have a path to getting more involvement as a runner after carrying just four times through Arizona's first four games. The third-year back has shown the ability to reel off some big gains in the past; he's averaging 6.0 yards per carry on 86 totes through 31 career NFL games.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Opportunity knocks
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Demercado is slated for expanded backfield opportunities, beginning Sunday versus the Titans, with Trey Benson (knee) in line to be placed on IR, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Demercado looked solid in a change-of-pace role behind Benson during last Thursday's 23-20 loss to Seattle, in which he rushed twice for eight yards and secured both of his targets for 13 yards and a touchdown. With Benson now out at 4-to-6 weeks, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, and James Conner (foot) already lost for the season, Demercado and Michael Carter now become positioned to lead Arizona's backfield, while Bam Knight steps into the No. 3 role. It's possible that Demercado still primarily operates as a pass-catching specialist, but at 215 pounds he's more suitable than the 201-pound Carter for between-the-tackles work. Especially in PPR formats, this development places Demercado firmly on the fantasy radar, though the Cardinals now become strong candidates to pursue further backfield additions.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Week 5 Waiver Priority List
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In the first game without James Conner (ankle) in Week 4 against Seattle, Demercado worked in tandem with Trey Benson and had two carries for 8 yards and two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown on two targets. He played a season-high 39 percent of the snaps against the Seahawks, and Demercado might be a potential flex option in deeper leagues moving forward. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB heading into Week 5 against the Titans.
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Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Scores key TD in loss
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Demercado rushed twice for eight yards and brought in both targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals' 23-20 loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night.
Demercado served as the clear No. 2 back behind Trey Benson in the Cardinals' first full game without James Conner (IR, foot), logging six fewer carries than his backfield mate. However, it was Demercado who caught a game-tying seven-yard touchdown reception with 28 seconds remaining, a play that was quickly one-upped by Jason Myers' game-winning field goal. Demercado proved capable of serving as an effective complementary option in his first pair of seasons, and even his modest usage Thursday suggests he'll remain involved, especially as a pass catcher, in future games.
