Trey Benson
Arizona Cardinals·#33Season Stats · 4 games
Advanced Metrics EPA & Next Gen Stats
STM Take
Two tier 8 finishes (#56 in 2024, #44 in 2025) confirm what Arizona's usage pattern shows: Benson is the long-term answer behind Conner, not the current one. The Wk 1-4 stretch (8.5, 8.4, 8.1, 10.4 PPR) was the entire 2025 sample of meaningful work; he disappeared from the game log after Wk 4 entirely. 2026 is when the Conner-to-Benson transition probably accelerates.
Benson came out of Florida State as Arizona's 3rd-round pick (66th overall) in 2024 after transferring from Oregon, where a torn ACL ended his sophomore season. He posted 1,756 combined rushing yards across his two FSU seasons (2022-2023). At 6'0" and 216 pounds with sub-4.4 speed, he is a vertical-burst back built for outside-zone schemes. He has been the clear backup behind James Conner for two seasons; his 2025 ranking improvement (#44 vs 2024's #56) came from increased early-season usage.
Strengths
- 6'0"/216 with sub-4.4 speed is one of the better physical profiles among 2024 rookie backs. The Oregon torn ACL and the 1,756 FSU rushing yards show legitimate production when healthy.
- Wks 1-4 2025 produced four consecutive 8+ PPR games, showing Conner's backup role has standalone value when the offense leans on him.
Concerns
- His 2025 game log effectively ends in Wk 4. Either injury or a coaching decision compressed his role for the rest of the season, and neither answer is good for 2026 projection.
- Two straight tier 8 finishes means the model has not seen a meaningful trajectory yet. Conner's career durability is unusual; that handcuff value is less reliable than it looks.
What to watch: Whether the 2026 carry split shifts toward Benson with Conner at 31, or whether Arizona adds another back to compete for the post-Conner role.
Fantasy Outlook
Trey Benson scored 35 PPR points, 8.8 per game this season. Compare him against any RB and track weekly rankings in our fantasy tools.