Zonovan Knight

Arizona Cardinals

Pos RB

Updated October 8, 2026

Model Score

73.6 MODEL

Resting on limited playing time

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

STM Take

The 2025 #56 (tier 8) is his first ranking since the 2022 Jets rookie sample, and the underlying numbers are more interesting than the rank. The Wk 11-13 stretch (14.5, 13.2, 16.8 PPR) shows what happens when both Conner and Benson are limited; he was the lead back in those weeks. The Wk 15 -0.2 PPR shows what the rotation looks like when he is third in line.

Knight came out of NC State as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after a four-year college career that produced 2,448 rushing yards across the Wolfpack's backfield rotation. The New York Jets signed him after the draft and he posted a brief rookie breakout (300 yards on 3 starts in late 2022) when the Jets' backfield was decimated by injuries. He has since bounced through Detroit and Arizona as depth, with 2025 his first season cracking a meaningful Cardinals rotation behind James Conner and Trey Benson.

Strengths

2022 Jets rookie sample (300 rushing yards across 3 starts) and the 2025 mid-season Cardinals stretch (14.5, 13.2, 16.8 PPR across three consecutive weeks) show he can run starter-grade carries in spot duty.
UDFA who has stuck in the NFL for four seasons means the underlying traits (pass-protection, ball-security) are above the UDFA baseline.

Concerns

Outside of the 2022 rookie cameo and the 2025 Wk 11-13 stretch he has produced essentially nothing across four NFL seasons.
The Wk 15 -0.2 PPR shows the immediate floor when Conner and Benson are both healthy. He is fighting for the third spot, not pushing for the lead.

What to watch: Whether Arizona keeps him through 2026 final cuts or moves on with Demercado and a younger draftee filling the depth spot.